Homily For Monday in Second Week of Easter, 17th April, 2023

Readings: Acts.4:23-31; Ps.2; John 3:1-8

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

PRAY FOR COURAGE AND BOLDNESS TOWARDS EVANGELIZATION

 

Threats, intimidation, torture and fear are some of the powerful ways of silencing people from expressing their views, opinion and faith. We can recall how these ugly attitude was use to silence the youths in recent past in our country especially in the ugly event of End-Sars protest which brought about Lekki toll gate shooting and killing of innocent people.

 

These very technics and tools are what the chief priests and the elders used in intimidating the apostles in our first reading today and the same systematic tools prevented Nicodemus from coming to Jesus expect by night as we read in the Gospel passage today.

 

Nicodemus was afraid and ashamed to be seen with Christ because of his colleagues who will possibly threaten him. So he came in the night to seek knowledge. Here he came not to have knowledge about the state affairs, though he was a ruler, but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation. Though he came by night, Jesus welcomed him and afterward at the passion he proclaimed Christ publicly, hereby demonstrating and teaching us the power of courage.

 

Dear friends, these same courage and boldness were the prayerful request the apostles made to the Lord when they where threatened by the authorities never to preach in the name of Jesus. Now, the disciple knew that powerful forces were arrayed against them. They knew, as well, that Peter and John were determined to continue their witnessing.

 

So they prayed for strength to speak the Word of God with confidence and boldness and asked that in their expression of faith God should accomplish their works with signs and wonders in the name of Jesus. We all need this confidence and boldness if we are to effectively evangelize the people especially at this moment when the world has lost interest in the things of God.

 

LET US PRAY: heavenly Father, as we struggle with the ugly situation of fear, intimidation and torture in our families, societies, country and the world at large, give us the grace, confidence and boldness to proclaim you Word in the power of Your Spirit in order to penetrate the hearts of men and women of our generation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the Joy of the risen Lord be our strength.