FR. BEN’S HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: BE READY!
BY: Ben Agbo (Rev Fr)
HOMILY FOR THURSDAY AUGUST 25 2022
*1Cor 1:1-9, Matt 24:42 – 51.
The wisest message we can ever receive from the gospel is that of today: *Be ready to meet the Lord either at the end of time or at the moment of our death*. Our preparation should be motivated not by fear but by longing desire. This preparation is characterized by responsible living in accordance with our vocational demands. *As priests, parents and teachers the greatest requirement is to be found doing our duty / feeding our flock.* ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find him so doing’. The duty of teaching and instruction are the highest vocational services that elicit the highest divine reward, Dan 12: 3.
Who then is the unfaithful and stupid servant? The one who did not believe in the imminent and sudden arrival of his master. He interpretes his master’s delay wrongly. He goes into quarreling with his fellow servants and into a life of licentiousness/immorality. *Unpreparedness is characterized by living in the flesh; excess eating and drinking, quarreling and immorality.* Drunkenness is the mother of vices and those who are victims of it are slaves to many other vices. A man who indulges in such reveries would surely be ill prepared for the coming of the Lord. Punishment is imminent and he will be put in the same place with hypocrites.
* Story of the devil’s meeting with his agents to plan the tactics for winning christian souls for hell fire. The 1st plan was to tell them that there is no God. The 2nd was to tell them that God is so merciful. But the last and most effective is to tell them that there is still enough time before the end time.
We must be careful not to be deceived in this regard; to be faithful and wise, not wicked and foolish. May God bless you today!
