CYCLE II: HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (1)

CYCLE II: HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 10TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: LAWS ARE FOR THE GOOD OF MAN.

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

 

HOMILY: READINGS: 1KINGS 18:20-39 , PSALM 16, MATTHEW 5:17-19

The last time I checked, Jesus broke almost, if not all, all the frivolous laws of the Pharisees: he was either healing on the Sabbath or he was avoiding the hand washings as laid down by the law. How come he’s saying he didn’t come to abolish the law but fulfill it? Jesus seem to lay down that the law is so sacred that not the smallest detail of it will ever pass away; he lays down for us the eternal character of the law. Beloved friends in Christ, every law has its ‘LETTER’ (wordings) and ‘SPIRIT’; whilst the letter makes the law known and understood (readable and teachable), the SPIRIT OF THE LAW BRINGS OUT THE ESSENCE OF THE LAW. Jesus had issues with the scribal laws that emphasized the ‘letter’ of the law to the utter neglect of the ‘spirit’ of the law. He therefore strove to advance the ‘spirit’ of the law, it’s essence which is LOVE.

Jesus tasks us today to follow his lead: he was presented in the Temple, went to the Synagogue on every Sabbath as every traditional Jew did, he payed taxes and so on; yet he wasn’t party to the inhuman character of the law. He cured the sick on the Sabbath (Mat. 12:10), a grievous sin in the sight of the Jews, he wouldn’t reprimand his disciples for eating with unwashed hands (Mat. 15:2, Mk. 7:2), he engaged in public conversation with women, even a Samaritan woman (Jn. 4:4-26). These were all acts of salvation; he was doing the needful and indeed championing the cause of man who is supposed to be God personified. He acted in accordance with: GOD’S WILL and for the LOVE OF MAN and this is what will never pass away.

Behind every law, there is to be; God’s will and love in action. God’s will is that, ‘he be honoured and loved above all else’; his will is that we ‘LOVE HIS ULTIMATE CREATURE, MAN AND WORK FOR HIS GOOD, COME WHAT MAY’. The man who therefore makes any anti-human law and enhances its obedience, is least in the kingdom of God. The man/woman who relaxes, opposes or counters any of the ‘Good Laws’ is also least in God’s kingdom. That’s not all; the man/woman who with his God-given knowledge intact, mischievously teaches others to relax and oppose the law; or leads others by word or deed towards the path of wrongdoing, he/she too is least in heaven. Those who stand for the right, teaching and fostering good laws by their words and deeds however, are great in heaven.

What then happens to those who through their might and influence wouldn’t let the executive arm of the state or federal government pass laws that are pro-life. What becomes of those who propose the legalization of abortion? What happens to parents, guardians, employers, teachers, ministers of God, etc. who not only break the good laws but teach others to do same? Indeed, what happens to any man/woman who wouldn’t keep the law and advance it?

USE YOUR GOD GIVEN RESOURCES TO FEED THE POOR

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