Homily For Thursday Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year B, 21st November, 2024. The Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

Readings: Rev. 5:1-10 , Ps.149, Luke:19:41-44

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHY HAVE WE FAILED TO SACRIFICE FOR PEACE

Peace is what every human person desires to have. It is a necessary commodity in human societies. A city that has peace is surely to have great success. It is the dream of everyone. But a city that lacks peace is disastrous. Little wonder today in our gospel passage, Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem. Jesus, who is the King of peace, came to Jerusalem, a city whose name stands for peace but found no peace in it.

He looked at the city and its coming disaster, which would indeed happen in a few decades in the hands of the Romans. So, he wept and prayed for its people. Since they have rejected the peace that God is offering them, they have no option but to face the consequences. Jesus felt deep sorrow at the city’s resistance to God’s word, wishing that it might receive the peace God was offering.

Today we too can look around us, also our cities, societies, country and the world at large, and feel sorrow at so much greed, corruption, suffering and disregard for truth and for what is right and discover that peace is nowhere to be found. But we should not be afraid, for St. John, in our first reading today, tells us to be courageous, for the Lamb of God has triumphed over all evil. He has been glorified and, as such, has purchased for us our eternal peace and salvation.

Thereby reminding us that despite the challenges and trials that we have to face in this passing world, we have the Lamb of God, triumphant and victorious by our side. He told us that even though tribulations will come our way in the form of doom and destruction like that of Jerusalem, we should be steadfast, for in God, we shall be triumphant.

This is what we see in the memorial of the presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary we celebrate today, that great moment when St. Joachim and St. Anne offered their firstborn child to the Lord at the Temple as prescribed by the Law, a gratuitous action to God who chooses Mary to be the mother of our Lord the King of Peace. Thereby calling us to embrace his teaching. Let us all be inspired by the examples of Mary, who the Lord has set before us, that we shall also be righteous, virtuous and strive after peace as she has shown us in her lifetime in thanksgiving to God.

Dear friends, why have we failed to sacrifice for peace? Humanity cries every time for peace but very few are sacrificing for peace. Are you one of those few? So, if we can consider the words of Jesus and embrace the peace and love he is offering us, we will realize that he longs for our good and growth. There are many temptations and distractions in this world trying to mislead us and separate us from our God. Let us not be misled by these things.

Let us remain firm in our faith and let our lives shine with the light of Christ so that his light will illuminate all the darkest moments in our lives, in our societies, country and the world at large. For the Lord wishes to lead us to the final victory that he has won for us. But are we willing to commit our lives to Christ? All we need to do is embrace all the possibilities of peace and love that God is offering to us every day. Then it shall be well with us.

LET US PRAY, Heavenly Father, you are the King of peace, and in Christ, your son, you have offered humanity peace. But we have failed to embrace it. As we struggle with the ugly situation in our world today, may the peace of Christ through the intercessions of the Virgin Mary reign in our hearts, homes, societies, country and the world at large. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Remain blessed.