CYCLE II: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (1)
CYCLE II: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: IT’S NOT RELIGION IF IT’S DEVOID OF MAN’S LOVE FOR GOD AND HIS FELLOW MAN
BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT PIUS X, POPE
READINGS: EZEKIEL 37:1-14 PSALM 107 MATTHEW 22:34-40
My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus Christ reminds us today of the true essence of our worship of God, our religion and our existence, LOVE. Let me begin by saying that God brought man into existence not because he needed his help; our creation was occasioned by love. When man fell prey to the devil’s temptation and sinned against God, it was love that moved God to sacrifice his only begotten son so as to redeem him, (Jn. 3:16). Besides, that we are alive today, sustained by God is a true testimony of his love for us; of course, God is love, (1Jn. 4:8). No wonder, Jesus today reduced the whole law and prophecy into love of God and love of man (Matt. 22:37-39).
Brethren, we can confidently say that Jesus laid down an explicit definition of religion in the few lines of our gospel passage today. In the first instance we can hear Christ while making reference to Deuteronomy 6:5 say that religion consists in love of God. All religion must stem from God; loving him completely, with all we have and are, and faithfully observing his commandments. Also, Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18 relating to us the fertile ground on which our love for God can yield fruits, that our love of God must issue in love for others. 1John 4:20 tells us that “if anyone says, ‘I love God’ but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen”. We ought to love God the origin of love first, and then translate same love into love of man. According to Genesis 1:26-27, we were created in the image and likeness of God; this for me beloved in Christ is the very reason why man is lovable, for God is in him.
More so, the promised resurrection of all God’s faithful is a consequence of God’s love for humanity. This is prefigured in the prophecy of Ezekiel 37:1-14 where God restored flesh and breathe to the dry bones in the valley. God so much loves us my brothers and sisters that he would not let us live only in this transient world; he thus, guarantees us a second life, a place in his Kingdom. This vision of Ezekiel should offer us great hope in God’s love; it should assure us that after our sojourn here on earth, we shall live again, eternally too.
We pray for the spirit of true religion which consists in loving God and man. We pray too that the dry moments of our lives, our hopeless conditions and perilous situations may be restored to graciousness and life, Amen.
May Pope Saint Pius X intercede for us now and always as we FEED AND HELP THE NEEDY.
