Homily For Thursday Third Week of Easter Year B, 18th April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 8:26-40; Ps.66; John 6:44-51

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

LORD GIVE US THE GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING 

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is understanding. It is the second gift of the Holy Spirit, behind wisdom. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond faith. It enables one to see more deeply into the mysteries of the faith and judge with certainty all created things. The essential quality of this gift is penetrating intuition. For this gift does not only assist in penetrating revealed truths but also natural realities that are related to the supernatural end. 

Thus, understanding is not so much the fruit of studies, but the loving desire and penetrating intuition towards understanding all the Father has revealed. This is exactly what happened to Philip while explaining the scriptures to the Ethiopian Eunuch in our first reading today. For when he heard him reading the book of the prophet Isaiah, he asked him, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ the Eunuch replied: ‘How can I understand unless I have someone to guide me?’ 

Here, the Eunuch seeks the gift of understanding which Philip has already received at Pentecost and with the help of this gift he was able to explain the scriptures to him. This is because, the mysteries of God’s revelation have been made known to him and with the Spirit’s prompting, these mysteries can be penetrated and understood by humanity.

 The fact remains, that God created us for friendship and this gift enables us to know of his love, mercy, glory, and power which moves our hearts to love and live as adopted sons and daughters of God. Little wonder, Jesus in our Gospel passage today said: No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me, for it is written in the prophets: They will all be taught by God and will hear the teaching of the Father, and learn from it.

Dear friends, we must desire to have the gift of Understanding, we need to ask God for this gift of understanding, for it helps us to penetrate the truths of faith, and operates in several ways: disclosing the hidden meaning of Sacred Scripture; revealing the significance of symbols and figures. It gives us deeper insight into the meaning of our faith and the moral teachings which serve as standards for human actions. This gift imparts a sense of confidence and certainty in our belief. It helps us grasp the reality of heaven our beatific vision.

It is a gift that is really lacking in our lives not just as Christians but as individuals living in societies full of confusion and lack of sense of direction. But, how can we acquire the gift of understanding? How can the gift of understanding help us to grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today? The answer is simple, we must learn, just like the Ethiopian Eunuch to cultivate the habit of listening to the Holy Spirit who never ceases to speak to us deep down in our conscience.

LET US PRAY: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we listen to your words today, give us the gift of understanding so that we can grasp the meaning of the truths of our faith in relation to our struggles with the ugly situations in our world today. This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a favourable day.