Homily For Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C, 26th January, 2025. The Sunday of the Enthronement of the Word of God

Readings: Neh. 8:2-4.5-6.8-10; Ps. 19; 1Cor.12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4;4:14-21
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD?

On 30th September 2019, our Holy Father Pope Francis, in his Apostolic Letter Aperuit Illis, declared and instituted “A Sunday for the Word of God”, which is to be celebrated every third Sunday in Ordinary Time of the Church’s Liturgical Year. The purpose of this declaration is to remind all Christ faithful that the Word of God, as contained in the Scriptures, is very vital and integral in the development of our faith in God. The Word of God, in this case, does not just refer to the Scriptures as we know it, but it also refers to Christ himself as our Lord and Saviour, the Divine Word made Incarnate. 

So today being the third Sunday in Ordinary Time year C,  we are called to celebrate the Word of God. This is very important and significant in our liturgical celebration and our readings today, as they emphasise the importance and significance of the Word of God in the lives of his people. In the first reading, we heard how the rebellious attitude of the people towards the Word of God brought about the capture and exile of the people of Israel. But having gained their freedom, they decided to hear and meditate on the word and laws of God, when the word was read and interpreted, they wept for their ignorance and negligence of God’s Word. 

But Ezra said to all the people, ‘This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not be mournful, do not weep.’ For the people were all in tears as they listened to the words of the Law.
This gracious event ushers us into our Gospel passage today, where we heard how  Jesus  The Word made Flesh came to his hometown and entered the synagogue, they handed over to him the Word of God as proclaimed by prophet Isaiah, and unrolling the scroll, he read a portion of the scripture that declared what he referred to as his mission and goals in regards to the fulfilment of all the wonderful promises of God’s salvation for humanity. 

Here, we heard the manifestation and fulfilment of the missionary mandate of our Lord Jesus. For the Word made Flesh is now dwelling among his people. Of course, the people in the synagogue must have been astonished when they heard how he spoke with such great wisdom and authority, as he revealed the truth of God’s Word to all, and how everything that the prophets had spoken would be fulfilled through him.

Thus, Jesus the Word made Flesh and dwells among us and has become the centre of our lives. Because our faith is founded upon this very Word of God made Flesh, the Divine Word Made Incarnate. The Church is founded based on the Word of God, that is the Scriptures, the Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium of the Church as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And this Word is what unites us together. Remember we just concluded the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Hence this week, we have to spend some time to reflect on the Word of God and see how we can foster unity within the  Church through the Word of the scriptures. 

But this will be very difficult if we are ignorant of the truth of God’s Word as contained in the Sacred Scriptures. We need to first deepen our knowledge of God and build a solid relationship with him. And this is what St. Paul is telling us in our second reading today, as he uses the analogy of the human body though with different parts made up of one body, to explain what ought to be our relationship with God and one another. Because the body of Christ ought to be truly one united and indivisible Body of all the faithful people of God.

However, this has not really been achieved because we have neglected the very centre of our faith and unity. We have failed to embrace the Word of God and make it the guiding principle of our lives. We do not have time to study the bible or create time to listen to God speaking to us and addressing some of our challenges. We are either too busy with our work and career or are distracted by all the ugly activities the world is selling to us through the internet that often capture our thoughts and imaginations. For this reason, there is no room for God and his words in our lives. So, from this Sunday till Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that it is time for us to reflect on the Word of God and reaffirm our relationship with God before it is too late.

Dear friends, the question we need to ask ourselves is: what is our response towards the Word of God we hear every day? How much of this Word dwells in us? What is my relationship with Jesus the Living Word of God made flesh and dwells among us? Has the Word of  God ever struck me in any way to the point of shading tears? Today, we must let the Word of God make a great impact in our lives. That is why the emphasis on the Word of God today is very important to all of us, the faithful people of God who have been called to follow the Lord. 

Therefore, if we are to follow Christ faithfully, we must cultivate the habit of listening to God and studying the scriptures because the Word of God is our daily sustenance and the source of our strength and faith. Hence, we are called to make the Word of God the guiding principle in our lives. For in the scriptures, we find the strength and courage to conquer the darkness of sin around us. By the Word of God, we acquire grace and courage to conquer evil and sin, promote good over evil, order over chaos, security over danger, joy over sorrow, truth over falsehood, salvation over condemnation and life over death.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, as we enthrone your Word in our lives, our families and in your Church today, grant we pray, that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we may come to discover the power and the efficacy of the scriptures in our lives as individuals, families and community of God’s people. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a blessed and lovely Sunday.