FR. GERALD MUSA HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 22ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II (1)

FR. GERALD MUSA HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 22ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II

THEME: NEW CLOTH

BY: FR. GERALD M. MUSA

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 2 2022

Here is a famous quotation from Cardinal John Henry Newman: “To live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often.” The Pharisees and Scribes resisted change by rejecting the good news preached by Jesus. They reduced religion to the mere observation of rituals, laws, and ordinances, which made religion dry, arid, gloomy, and monotonous. Jesus came to change that narrow perspective about the relationship with God and make his disciples see religion as dynamic, lively, and loving relationship with God and neighbour. He said, “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old” (Luke 5:36). Patching an old garment with a new piece implies mixing and matching things that are neither connected nor compatible such as love and hatred; joy and gloomy face; darkness and light; truth and falsehood; old habits and new lifestyle. Scripture says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We should be ready to jettison old, worn-out ideas, attitudes, traditions, and habits that are barriers to our relationship with God. Are we ready to embrace change, throw away our old clothes, and put on the new garment which Jesus offers to us?

LUKE 5:33-39