The Homily For Monday Second Week of Lent Year B, 26th , 2024

Readings:  Dan. 9:4b-10, Ps.79, Luke 6:36-38

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia

 

HOW CAN WE BE MORE COMPASSIONATE?

 

The word compassionate is an adjective that expresses an attribute of the noun “compassion” which has to do with having a deep awareness and sympathy for another's suffering. It is the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it.

 

Hence Jesus in our Gospel reading today, calls his disciples to be compassionate as our heavenly Father is compassionate. He told them not to judge so that they would not be judged. He said to them do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon and you will be pardoned. In the light of being compassionate, Jesus encouraged his disciples to be generous to people by giving, and they will receive gifts in return, a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into their lap; because the amount they measure out is the amount they will be given back.

 

Here, Jesus emphasises that our generosity should come from a truly compassionate heart, a heart that understands the sufferings of others and wishes to do something about it, knowing that truly there is a reward for every single act of generosity and compassion shown to others. Thus, prophet Daniel in our first reading reminded us that mercy and pardon belong to our God, because we have betrayed him, and have not listened to his voice nor followed the laws he has given us through his servants the prophets. So is time to come back to him as he calls us to be compassionate.

 

Dear friends, how can we be more compassionate to people in our society today, for we are called to be compassionate and generous just like our heavenly Father who is great and loving, showing compassion and kindness to those who love and keep His commandments? We are also called not to judge, because, often that which we judge in others, we are doing worse.  Hence, Jesus is challenging us today to think differently about how we live our lives.

 

He is calling us to look into our inner being, our interior life, that part of us that we hide from one another, in order to purify it in humility. And by so doing we can be pure and free to help others in the struggles with their weakness. Therefore, it’s time to look into ourselves and take away our prideful ways of life, so as to humbly accommodate the weaknesses and faults of others, especially in our families, societies and the world at large, knowing that no one is perfect without the other. This of course is a form of compassion that we are called to show to one another.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we embrace the call to be compassionate and generous, may your blessings come down upon us in full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over so that we can share with those in need of our help. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. May the favour of the Lord remain always with us.