Homily For Wednesday Second Week of Easter, 10th April, 2024

Readings: Acts. 5:17-26; Ps.33; John 3:16-21

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike  Onyia.

IF GOD STILL LOVES THE WORLD SO MUCH, YOU ARE THE FACE OF HIS LOVE FOR HUMANITY TODAY 

Our Gospel passage today talks about the relationship between God and humanity that inhabits the world. Telling us that God loves the world and the humanity living in it. He loves it so much that He gave His only Son, who died a shameful and terrible death on the cross for the sake of His love.  God loves the whole world, His love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. 

This love is what the apostles bore witness to in our first reading today and for this, they were persecuted by the authorities. We are told that the main motive for their displeasure was jealousy. The apostles were witnessing what they had experienced and this attracted large crowds to the group. So the authorities out of jealousy had the apostles arrested and thrown into the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates for them and told them to go back and continue preaching in the temple and bearing witness to God’s love for humility.

Dear friends, this is what we are called to do. But the question we need to ask ourselves now is: do you believe that God still loves the world? In the midst of all the problems and disasters we face every day can we still say that God loves the world? This is important because it will help us to understand the importance of remaining firm in our faith in God.  We must acknowledge that God loves the whole world, for his love is total and unconditional for every one of his creatures. This he demonstrated on the cross where he poured out his love for the salvation of all humanity. 

Brethren, we have in one way or another experienced the love of God greatly and personally in our lives. It’s now time to bear authentic witness to this love for all humanity. We are to tell the world how deeply God loves us. We are to demonstrate this love to the world and let this love be felt by those who have lost hope in God, especially at this time when humanity is struggling with the ugly situation of inflation and its effects on our economy. So, if God still loves the world so much, we are the face of his love for humanity today, we are the channels of his love and grace now. 

Therefore, let us extend this love in any form, gesture or manner possible to everywhere that it is lacking. A kind word, a single phone call, a text message, an act of forgiveness, a single prayer, sacrifice, patience and any form of generous act shown to anyone around us or as many people we can reach out to today, reflect this love of God for humanity through us. Let us make Christ our light and love as we embrace his words today

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we have come to know and experience Your love for humanity, give us the grace to reciprocate this love in the world by our ways of life using the gifts, talents and resources you have given us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Peace be with you