Homily For Wednesdays in Second Week of Easter, 19th April, 2023

Readings: Acts. 5:17-26; Ps.34; John 3:16-21

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

YOU ARE THAT FACE OF GOD’S LOVE IN OUR WORLD TODAY

 

Often times, when we are passing through difficult times, we feel and think that God does not care about us. We feel that God has abandoned us in this passing world. We even feel that God has no connection with activities of humanity. But this is not true, for our Gospel passage today talks about the relationship between God and humanity that inhabits the world.

 

Telling us that God loves the world and the humanity living in it. He loves it so much that He gave His only Son, who died a shameful and terrible death on a cross for the seek of His love. Yes Jesus is God's love personified in our world.  For God loves the whole world, His love is total and unconditional for everyone of his creatures. This is why we who have benefited from the love of Jesus are the face of God’s love in our world today.

 

This love is what the apostles bears witness to in our first reading today and for this, they were persecuted by authorities. We are told that the main motive for their displeasure was jealousy. The apostles were witnessing what they have experienced and this attracted large crowds to the group. So the authorities out of jealousy had the apostles arrested and thrown into the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates for them and told them to go back and continue preaching in the temple and bearing witness of God’s love for humility.

 

Dear friends, this is what we are called to do, we have in one way or another experienced the love of God so greatly and personally in our lives. It’s now time to bear authentic witness of this love to all humanity. We are to tell the world how deep God loves them. We are to demonstrate this love to the world and let this love be felt by those who have lost hope in God especially at this time when humanity is struggling with the ugly situation if corona virus.

 

We are the face of God’s love now, we are the channels of His love now. Therefore, let us extend this love in any form, gestures or manner possible to everywhere that it is lacking. A kind word, a single phone call, a text message, an act of forgiveness, a single prayer, sacrifice, patience and any form of generous act shown to anyone around you or as many people you can reach out today, reflect this love of God for humanity through you.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we have come to know and experienced Your love for humanity, give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our ways of life using the gifts, talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you.