Homily For Saturday Fifth Week of Eastertide Year A, 13th May, 2023

Readings: Acts 16:1-10; Ps.100;  John 15:18-21

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

 

WHY THE HATRED AND PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS?

 

There is no doubt that threat breeds fear, insecurity and anger which brings about the negative feeling we called hatred. Little wonder the word ‘Hate’ is often used to express a negative feeling towards something or someone who we presumed to have some threat over us or something related to us. Meanwhile, hatred as we know is direct opposite of love.

 

This definition is very important in order to understand the teaching of Jesus in our Gospel passage today, when he said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice withdrew you from the world, therefore the world hates you.”

 

Here, Jesus who has been talking to his disciples about love and commanding them to love one another is today warning and telling them that, there is no guarantee that they will be loved in return by the people of the world. He used himself as an example of how they may be treated, that if the world hated and persecuted him so badly, his disciples should expect to be treated the same way. But why did the worldly-minded people hate and persecuted Jesus and his disciples?

 

This is because the presence and words of Jesus bring great light and judgment to the darkness of this world, and the people of the world loves darkness rather than the Light, since their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. So the presence of Jesus the light of the world threatens the people of the world and this breeds fear, insecurity and anger which brings about the negative feeling of hatred for Jesus and those who associate with him.

 

More so, it is important to note that, when Jesus talks about the “world” as we have it the Gospel passage, he is not referring to the physical world but the people who are so attached to the things of this world. People who have made the things of this passing world their God and have come to trust in their ability to exploit others and acquire the earth as their own.

 

They try very hard to cover their sin and silence the voice of conscience accusing them of their sins. But here are Christians constantly reminding them of their sins as they strive to live a life of holiness which of course stirs up again all those thoughts and feelings of guilt which they wished to silenced. Hence, this threat breeds fear, insecurity and anger that gives birth to hatred of Christian by worldly minded people.

 

Dear friends, today we are called to bear witness even in the face of hatred and hostility. For spite of the world’s hatred, we should never respond with retaliation or hatred. Yes, there may be times to ask God to judge the wicked. There may be times to shake the dust off our feet and move on, of course we have to, knowing that we can do so through the Spirit of truth dwelling in us. For through our Baptism, we have received the Holy Spirit in us, which helps us strive to live a life of love and righteous even in the midst of persecutions and hatred.

 

LET US PRAY: Almighty and eternal God, who through the regenerating power of Baptism have been pleased to confer on us the heavenly life, grant us, we pray, the grace to bear authentic witness of your love and peace in the world full of hatred and strive. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a lovely and peaceful weekend.