Homily For Saturday Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 4th October, 2025. The Memorial of St. Francis of Assisi

Readings:  Bar. 4:5-12.27-29; Ps 69 Luke 10:17-24

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

THE JOY OF OUR MISSION IS TO MAKE HEAVEN

In the mission of Christ, there are so many things that can make us happy and oftentimes we hope to have more of them. But there is one goal that should be the basis for all our desires. 

And this is what Jesus is telling us in our Gospel passage today, for when his disciples came back rejoicing with the report of how they were victorious on the mission he sent them. 

Jesus said to them:  ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.

Here, Jesus made it clear that the true joy and goal of our mission as Christians is to make heaven, and he warns us to be careful and make sure our priorities and motivations are centred on this one goal of making it to heaven. 

Little wonder Jesus, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children.  Thus, if we are ready to open our hearts in humility and simplicity, God himself will reveal many things to us about himself.

Just like St. Francis of Assisi, whose memorial we celebrate today. He was known for his deep spirituality towards listening to the Word of God and his humble act of charity to the poor and needy. He once said we must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh. Rather we must be simple, humble and pure. We should never desire to be over others.

Dear friends, this is what we see in the life of Prophet Baruch in our first reading today, when he made a great revelation to the people of Israel, saying:  I suffer loneliness because of the sins of my own children, who turned away from the Law of God. 

Take courage, my children, call on God: he who brought disaster on you will remember you. As by your will you first strayed away from God, so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard; for as he brought down those disasters on you, so will he rescue you and give you eternal joy.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, today we are made to know that the true Joy of our mission is to make heaven, grant that through the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, may we experience the true Joy of your heavenly kingdom. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Have a fruitful weekend.