DAILY HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE I
DAILY HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE I
THEME: SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
By: v Ben Agbo (Rev F%r)
My soul looks up to thee that man of Calvary, When I remember your goodness to me o Lord, my soul is overwhelmed. You have treated me like your own and have carried me like your child.
DAILY HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE I
THEME: SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
By: Fr. Benjen Agbo (Rev F%r)
Homily for Wednesday October 2p21
*Rom 6 : 12 – 18, Lk 12 : 39 – 48.
‘If you yield yourselves to any one as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin or of righteousnes9’. It is as simple as that! If you yield yourselves to habits as vain as smoking, drinking or sex, you become slaves to it and must continue to obey it. Even in politics, if you yield yourselves as slaves to a powerful ruler, afraid to tell him /her the truth because of the power he /she wields over you, you remain a slave. In Nigeria today, the Sultan of Sokoto wields such a powerful influence that the markets may close down if he comes to Nsukka but not even a Local Government Chairman who is a Christian may bother when the Pope comes. That is a sign of political slavery. Slavery is a yoke that stultifies our freedom of thinking and acting. Saints are slaves of righteousness who have voluntarily surrendered their will to the obedience of God.
Jesus uses the analogy of slaves for us all as saints in the house of God and has classified us into 3 categories for the final judgment; the slaves who receive severe beating (hell), the slaves who receive mild beating (purgatory) and the faithful slaves who receive wonderful reward in heaven. Who then is the faithful and wise slave – the slave of the real master Jesus? Who then is the faithless and stupid servant – the slave of our enemy the devil; the slave of the rich infidels who must be voted into power just because they have money; the slave of our corrupt politicians and traditional rulers; the slave of immorality and drunkenness; the slave of violence, always fighting and quarreling with his fellow servants? Our master Jesus finally comes on a day he does not expect and he receives severe beating (hell). The ones who did not have sufficient knowledge of what they should have done may receive lighter beating (purgatory), Lk 12 : 47.
You should not allow sin to reign over your mortal bodies. Being ‘born -again’ is all about making a pledge of obedience, not just ritual baptism,1 Pet 3 : 21. It makes us become slaves of obedience to the Word of God, and ipso facto, slaves of righteousness. We must learn how not to yield our members gradually to sin as instruments of immorality, bribery and corruption, violence, wickedness or sycophancy. Every bad habit we form has a heavy price tag on our freedom as children of God. Some have formed the bad habit of eating junk foods, smoking or drinking dangerous alcohol and have condemned themselves to dangerous illnesses like diabetes, heart attack, stroke or lung cancer. Some have formed the bad habit of womanizing or flirting and have condemned their body to AIDS or other dangerous infections and also condemned their souls to hell fire. It is never too late to repent and yield your members back to the lordship of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit, Rom 6 : 11. Your deliverance can begin from this spiritual thought you are having now. According to Thomas Pazayampalil, ‘Sow a thought and you will reap an act; sow an act and you will reap a habit; sow a habit and you will reap a character; sow a character and you will reap a destiny’.
May God bless you today!
