Homily For Tuesday Fourth Week of Easter Year A, 2nd May, 2023. The Memorial of St. Athanasius

Readings: Acts. 11:19-26 ; Ps.87; John 10:22-30

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

ARE WE STILL CHRISTIANS IN NAME AND IN CHARACTER?

 

Giving a name to things is one of the habits and traditions of the human person. Little wonder Adam’s first assignment was to give names to what God has created. And throughout human history and even today a name is a powerful thing with great significant that can not be neglected. Names of things have deep meaning drawn from experiences that help define the reality surrounding such things.

 

So today in our first reading, the disciples of Jesus were for the first time given the name “Christian” in Antioch. But why a new name with a new word for these disciples of Christ in Antioch? Why was the name given by outsiders and why is the name different from other groups of the Jewish sect? From the reading, we heard that persecution forced many believers from Jerusalem to be scattered to various areas, as some from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks, telling them the Good News about the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

 

Thus, seeing that their devotion, passion, love, behaviour, activity, and speech were like that of Christ Jesus, they called them Christians. This is because it was common for the Greeks to give nicknames to particular groups based on their way of life in relation to their leader. So since this new group were characterized by behaviour and speech centered in Christ, they called them “Christians,” or “those of the party of Christ.” And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians” because their behaviour, activity, and speech were like Christ.

 

Today, we are called Christians, followers of Christ, but are we still Christians in name and character? Are we really behaving like Christ?, Are we still having that devotion, passion, love, behaviour, activity, and speech like that of Christ and the early disciples? The disciples were scattered to various places due to persecution but everywhere they go they proclaimed the Good News of Jesus with their lives, are we doing the same today?

 

Dear friends, today we have the personal responsibility to ask ourselves, “What does the name Christian means to me? Am I living out the responsibility of the name Christian which I claim to bear? Does the name Christian speaks of my deep personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Do I perceive the name Christian from the world’s perspective today or for what it’s really means Christ-like people?

 

Remember, the people of Antioch gave the name to the disciples of Christ based on the experience of the reality they represent, but what name will the people of our society today give to us based on how we have represented the reality of the name Christians? In fact, do you still belong and believe in the true meaning of the name Christians?

 

Hence, Jesus says in our Gospel passage today,  you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine. The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me. So, let us learn to live our lives like true Christians as we are often called.

 

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, grant we pray, that we may always find delight in bearing the name Christians even in the midst of persecutions and difficulties. Through the intercession of St. Athanasius, give us grace like the early disciples to bear authentic witness of the Good News of Jesus by our way of life, he who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. God bless you.