Homily For Friday Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Year A, 22nd September, 2023

Readings: 1Tim. 6:2-12; Ps. 49; Luke 8:1-3

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

HOW ARE YOU CONTRIBUTING TOWARDS THE MISSION OF CHRIST AND THE SALVATION OF HUMANITY?

 

In his mission to save humanity, Jesus involved a lot of people, some he called to follow him, some desired to follow him but could not, while some decided to follow him because of their personal experience of him and what they could gain from him. But only a few followed him in order to provide for him and contribute towards the success of his mission. These is the dispositions and personality of those involved in the mission of Christ in our Gospel passage today.

 

For when Jesus made his way through towns and villages preaching, and proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom of God. He went with his twelve disciples whom he had called, as well as certain women who had experienced him personally through his divine healing and deliverance. Along these groups are several others who provided for them out of their own resources.

 

This Gospel passage actually points out the nature of the mission of the Church in proclaiming the word of God and our part in this mission. Thus, we are reminded of how God has called us to follow Christ and contribute to the salvation of humanity. And St. Paul in our first reading tells us that, we must learn to sacrifice for the mission knowing that the love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so given their souls several numbers of fatal wounds.

 

But, as people dedicated to God, we must avoid all that. We must aim at becoming saintly and religious, filled with faith and love, patient and gentle. We must fight the good fight of the faith and win for ourselves eternal life. Thus as children of eternal life, who are judged worthy of a place in the heavenly Kingdom, we are to be fully involved in the mission of Christ.

 

For there are men and women of our time who give themselves to noble causes. They give themselves to the service of others: they are those who see to the good of others and contribute to the growth of God’s Kingdom just like the women in our Gospel passage today. These are people of noble cause, like parents who teach their children the ways of the Lord by their practical way of life, like people who help the weak and the vulnerable, like friends who speak the truth and stand by it and political and Church leaders, who renounce power rather than compromise principles and uses every opportunity they have to evangelize the people.

 

Dear friends, are we really part of this mission of Christ? In what ways are we supporting the mission of Christ? Are we ready to contribute towards this mission by our ways of life? Do we desire to be part of this mission but lack the courage and discipline? Or do we think that this mission is not for us? The fact remains that as baptized persons, it is our obligation to carry out this mission and it is not optional. It is an obligation we must carryout irrespective of our status, position, environment and deposition.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, the women in our Gospel today involved in your mission and contributed towards the success of your evangelization because they have experienced your love and mercy and wished to reciprocate this love, help us to also realized how much of your love and mercy we have enjoyed and so be deposed to embrace and contribute to the mission of our salvation. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed day.