SUNDAY HOMILY/REFLECTION OF THE THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR C
THEME: “Builders of Eternity”
“The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk.” How stern are these words from our First Reading (Malachi 4:1-2) but also how true! May you and I never be victims of this prophetic words against the arrogant, evil doers and the deceitful; Amen.
As we gradually come to the close of this Liturgical Year, we are once again reminded that “the day is coming” and whatever we have now are transient; they are the bricks we have in our hands to build the eternity we desire. One thing that is common to everybody is that we all are building our eternity. It does not matter which colour you are or what faith you profess. Your status or location is immaterial. It is a purpose that we, willingly or unwillingly and knowingly or unknowingly, pursue. Denial of the existence of eternity does not exclude one from participating in it; either in the manner which God has planned for us and expects us to choose or in the manner we choose for ourselves out of our freewill.
The Second Reading (2 Thess 3:7-12) and the Gospel (Luke 21:5-19) present us with a litany of the bricks that can either serve or be detrimental to our construction of our individual edifices unto eternity. Of course, an idle mind is the devil’s workplace. This is why an idle person does no other work than to interfere with everyone else. Idleness is a sickness that degenerates into more severe conditions if it is not checked. Idleness best describes the life of one who thinks that the end will be good irrespective of how the present is lived. This is the greatest self-deceit anyone can entertain. Idleness disrobes eternity of everything godly and heavenly. Idleness gives us a million and one reason why building our eternity is a futile effort. An Idle mind is a demonically manipulated mind. Eternity is all about the choices we make now, our disposition towards the turnout of things against our personal wishes, our inclination in the face of conflicting values, our alertness and perception of deceit towards what we believe, our faith-consciousness, our ability to withstand persecution and betrayal and our docility towards the Spirit of truth.
As we concern ourselves with building our eternity according to the mind of God, we must never lose sight of the duty we have to assist others to build their own eternity in the same direction. We must be builders of eternal life; we must also be block molders who confront those around us with irresistible bricks to attract them to this universal task and goal of building a worthy eternity. This is the School of Thought of those who fear the name of God and upon them “the Sun of righteousness will shine out with healings in its rays.”
May the rays from this Sun shine on you and your household now and always; Amen. Happy Sunday;
-Fr Cyril Unachukwu
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