Homily For Monday Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 4th November 2024. The Memorial of St Charles Borromeo

 

Readings: Phil.2:1-4; Ps. 131; Luke 14:12-14

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

TRUE CHARITY IS DONE WHEN IT IS OFFERED TO THOSE WHO CAN NOT REPAY US

A critical look at what is happening in our world today, it is obvious that the world is in a big crisis. This is because humanity has lost the true meaning of love. For we have abandoned God who is the source and power of love. Today people find it very difficult to love and do things for others for free. We want to know what we will gain from whatever we do for people because of selfishness and greed. So we are called to be more charitable to people especially the poor who can not pay us back.

Little wonder Jesus in our Gospel passage today says: when you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate because repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again.’

Here, Jesus gave us reasons why we should not be seeking gain and rewards for everything we do; rather, we must learn to help others, especially the poor. He made us know that it is natural and universal for human beings to seek rewards for whatever they have done. But what makes his disciples different from other people is the ability to do good without seeking rewards in this passing world. By so doing we will be imitating God our heavenly Father, who in his compassionate heart shows equal love to both the rich and the poor, for true charity is done when it is offered to those who can not repay us.

Hence, we are called to always consider the poor and those who are less privileged. We cannot be true Christians unless we are willing to love sacrificially in our actions and interactions, in all situations and to everyone without exception. We must learn to bear with one another, for St. Paul, in our first reading today, says: there must be no competition among you, no conceit, but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself, So that nobody thinks of his interests first but everybody thinks of other people’s interests instead.

Dear friends, how many of us Christians are willing and able to follow these instructions of the Lord? How many of us are ready to invite the poor and less privileged into our events of life? The truth is that the poor are not necessarily those who do not have money, but anyone who desires to benefit from God’s goodness in us.

How I wish we would embrace this principle of loving and stretching the hands of friendship and peace to the poor and the less privileged by investing more resources in things that bring about peace and friendship with one another rather than separating us and depriving the poor of their rights. When this is done, then the world will become more peaceful and loving.

More so, let us learn from St. Charles Borromeo, whose memorial we celebrate today, for he said in one of his sermons: I admit that we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily. So, Are you in charge of a parish? If so, do not neglect the parish of your soul, do not give yourself to others so completely that you have nothing left for yourself. You have to be mindful of your people without becoming forgetful of yourself.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, help us to learn how to invite the poor, knowing that they are not able to pay us back, but our rewards will be in heaven. Through the intercession of St. Charles Borromeo give us the grace to bear the sacrificial nature of this demand and so become a true sign of your loving presence to the poor and less privileged. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful week.