18TH FRIDAY HOMILY OF THE ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
18TH FRIDAY HOMILY OF THE ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “CARRY YOUR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.”
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
Deuteronomy 4:32-40, Ps. 77:12-16,21, Matthew 16:24-28
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today we gather on this beautiful Friday of the 18th week in Ordinary Time, and we are also given the gift of celebrating the feast of Saint Dominic, a man whose life perfectly encapsulates the readings we hear today.
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FROM OUR FIRST READING
In our first reading, Moses reminds the Israelites of how special they are. God did something for them that He had never done for any other nation: He saved them from slavery and made them His own people. Because of this, Moses tells them, they must follow God’s laws. Their relationship with God is unique and precious, and they must never forget it.
FROM OUR GOSPEL READING
Then, we hear from Jesus in the Gospel. His message is just as powerful. He says that if we want to be His followers, we must be ready to give up everything for Him. We must “deny ourselves,” meaning we have to put God’s plans before our own. We must “take up our cross,” meaning we have to accept the challenges and difficulties that come with living a Christian life.
Jesus makes a powerful point: What good is it to have everything in the world if you lose your soul? He’s telling us that nothing on earth—no amount of money, power, or fame—is worth losing our eternal life with God.
INSPIRED BY SAINT DOMINICS
This brings us to Saint Dominic, whose feast we celebrate today. Dominic lived out these very words from Jesus. He saw the need for good preaching in the Church, and instead of living a comfortable life, he chose a life of poverty and hard work. He gave up his own desires to serve God and the Church. He took up his cross every day, traveling and preaching tirelessly.
Dominic understood that losing his life for Christ’s sake was the only way to truly find it. He founded the Dominican Order, a group of preachers who dedicated their lives to studying and sharing the truth of the Gospel. Their whole purpose was to love God so deeply that they could share that love with others.
CONCLUSION
So today, let’s look at our own lives. What are we putting before God? Are we willing to make sacrifices for our faith? Let’s be inspired by Saint Dominic. Let’s remember the unique and precious relationship God has with us, and let’s choose to put Him first in everything we do.
Saint Dominic Pray for Us Always
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