Homily For Friday Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 9th June, 2023

Reading: Tobit 11:5-17; Ps. 146; Mark 12:35-37

Rev.  Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

WHY IS THERE CONSTANT PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN THE WORLD?

 

A critical study of the history of Christianity, one will discover that  persecution, sufferings, trails and martyrdom have been a reoccurring event. Jesus, his apostles and their successors met painful sufferings and martyrdoms, and yet, they still continued to give their best to serve the Lord and humanity with their faith. But I wondered why it should be so, given that the teaching and doctrines of Christian faith offers nothing but love, peace and truth to humanity.

 

So what is it about the Christian faith that frightens the world so deep that it seems as if Christianity should be extinguished from the world? The simple reason is because, Christian faith offers truth and light to the darkness, ignorance and sinful humanity who have grown rotten in the darkness of this sinful world.

 

The scourge of truth is so painful and difficult to for humanity to bear, hence, they prefers to avoid or resist it and the only way to escape this, is by persecuting the bearers of truth and this gives birth to unending ugly act of persecution, sufferings and trials we are passing through today especially as Christians. 

 

Thus, in the Gospel passage, we heard how the personality of Jesus was challenged by the people in the temple. Here Jesus taught them that the Messiah, though from the lineage of David was not a mere man, as they supposed, but that he was both God and man, therefore they ought not to wonder or to be offended because he called himself the Son of God.

 

This they heard with great attention and pleasure; for the clear and solid answers with which Jesus responded, gave them a high opinion of his wisdom, and showed them how far he was superior to their most renowned rabbis who still dwell in the darkness of ignorance as they seek means to extinguish the truth by persecuting him the more.

 

Dear friends, we can see why there are  constant persecution of Christians in our world. Should we stop being Christian? How do you think the world will be if there are no Christians to remind humanity about God? So, we must not give up, we must not stop being Christians, for God will always be with his people no matter how much they may have to suffer or be persecuted. This is well illustrated in our first reading today with the story of the restoration of the sights of Tobit and the reunion of his family.

 

Therefore, we must remain faithful in our faith for we are not alone in the sufferings and persecution we encounter as a result of our faith and the mission entrusted to us by Jesus. For through our perseverance many people will be touched by the truth, and come to know more about the truth and with open hearts and minds embrace it.

 

So, friends, as we struggle with our faith and mission, we are encouraged to persevere in the midst of all our fears, sufferings, trials and persecutions. Though it may seem as if our condition is now hopeless and irredeemable, but for those who put their trust in God, all things work out for our good just like that of Tobit and Tobias.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we struggle with the sufferings and persecution of this passing world because of our faith in you, grant that our lives may bear great witness to the truth we have found in Jesus, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.