CYCLE II: HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 9TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)
CYCLE II: HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 9TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: FAN INTO AN UNDYING FLAME YOUR FAITH
BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS
READINGS: 2TIMOTHY 1:1-3.6-12, PSALM 123, MARK 12:18-27
The Catholic Faith teaches strongly that the resurrection from the dead is real. Christ our head, died and rose from the dead conquering death and making it possible for us, his body to follow soon. The resurrected fact and manner forms the crux of our gospel today. The question the Sadducees asked Jesus may have presented an exaggerated case, with the story of the seven brothers, but it was a question founded on a well-known Jewish law, ‘Levirate Marriage’.
Deuteronomy 25:5-10 lays down the regulations of this marriage. Simply, if a group of brothers lived together, and if one of them marries but dies without an issue, the next took the widow…so it continued and should a child be born, it belonged to the original (first) husband. Since it was a test question, Jesus dealt with it nicely as he always did, silencing them too. In fact, through their question, and with Jesus’ answer, we learn about the MANNER of the resurrection and the FACT of the resurrection.
Beloved in Christ, at the resurrection, the old laws of physical life no longer obtain. The risen are like angels, physical things like marrying no longer apply. Jesus wants us to know that the coming life cannot be thought of in terms of this life at all. It goes on to say therefore that we ought to take care of the life that endures to eternity, our soul; for only the unstained soul can be raised to be like angels – the manner of the resurrection. Consequently, Jesus intelligently meets the Sadducees on their own ground by drawing from Exodus 3:6 where God calls himself the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Common sense tells me that if God is the God of these Patriarchs even now, it means they must still be alive; for the living God cannot be God of the dead but those living.
We are tasked today therefore, to understand heaven as an eternal abode of the blessed where all are glorified and never to create heaven with the image of earth as the Sadducees did. Also, Jesus subtly reminds us that God’s relationship with good people is eternal, it is never broken. God was friends with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when they were alive on earth, a friendship that death couldn’t end. We may do well to ensure that we are at right with our Father in heaven hence be friends with him. These Patriarchs obediently loved God and faithfully adhered to his biddings and they are forever in God’s presence as resurrected beings. We may take care to do same.
We are called today to FAN INTO A FLAME THE GIFT OF GOD within us which we received at our baptism and other sacraments. The gift of faith; faith in God which makes us believe, worship and preach God in all situations. This gift of faith makes us bold and never ashamed of being Christian. It makes us ready to suffer for the gospel aware of the fact that there’s an afterlife; a blessed, glorious, angel-like, majestic and eternal life. May we never derail from our faith, and holding fast to our Christian call as did Charles Lwanga and friends, merit the joys and glories of the resurrected life. Amen.
TIMES ARE DIFFICULT TO YOU, TRUE; ONLY THE CONDITION OF OTHERS IS WORST. KINDLY LEND A HELPING HAND TO THE TRULY POOR AND NEEDY AND YOU WON’T REGRET YOU DID.
