Homily For Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 30th July, 2024

 

Readings: Jer.14:17-22, P 78, Matt 13:36-43

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

ANYONE WHO HAS EARS LET HIM LISTEN CAREFULLY

 

One of our great music legends Bob Marley said in one of his songs titled Natural Mystic:

 

There's a natural mystic

Blowing through the air

If you listen carefully now you will hear

This could be the first trumpet

Might as well be the last

Many more will have to suffer

Many more will have to die

Don't ask me why

Things are not the way they used to be

I won't tell no lie

One and all got to face reality now.

 

This song is in line with the topic of our message today and also with what is happening in our country today, for the situation in our societies today is calling us to listen carefully to the cries and lamentation voices of people who are suffering just like the time of Jesus.

 

This can be linked to our Gospel passage today because, for many days now, we have been listening to Jesus telling us about the kingdom of God and the need for us to prepare to embrace it. In most of the occasions, Jesus used parables to communicate the importance of this message. Having listened to him carefully, his disciples in our Gospel passage today asked him to explain the parable of the wheat and the darnel and he said:

 

 “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time.

 

Then, the Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!”

 

What is most important in this message is for us to “Listen carefully”. This is because the world as we know is coming to an end, for the day of reckoning is very close at hand. This could be the first trumpet might as well be the last. For it is obvious from the signs we are seeing around us today, especially with the situation in our societies. How can we interpret the signs of these times, the signs that tell us that there is no peace or tranquillity in this world is passing away?

 

Many are suffering, and many more will have to suffer from the greediness of others. Many have died, and many more will have to die. Many are perishing in sin, many more will have to perish if we refuse to repent from sin and greediness. And God says through prophet Jeremiah in our first reading: “Tears flood my eyes night and day, unceasingly, since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people, a most grievous injury. If I go into the countryside, there lie men killed by the sword; if I go into the city, I see people sick with hunger”.

 

Dear friends, do these signs make us afraid of the second coming of the Lord or do we joyfully await its coming? Because the explanation of this parable gives us an account of what will happen on the day of reckoning. And today, we are called to examine our conscience to know where we are with regard to our vocation as Christians. What will be our lot if the Lord calls us today? Will we be among the virtuous who will shine like the sun in the kingdom of our Father? Or among those that will be thrown out of his kingdom and sent into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth?

 

The answer to this question is available in our consciences, and if we listen carefully now, we will hear, for things are not the way they used to be; we all have to face reality now. Every day is a golden opportunity; today may be the only opportunity for us to change our sinful ways of life and embrace God completely.

 

PRAYER:  Lord God, as we listen carefully to your word, let the groans of your children come before you, help us to embrace your word and be prepared to embrace your kingdom on the day of reckoning, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you.