HOMILY FOR 4TH MONDAY OF THE EASTER — YEAR A
HOMILY FOR 4TH MONDAY OF THE EASTER — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: NO DISCRIMINATION IN CHRIST
BY: Fr. Paul Karabari
Acts 11:1-18; Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4; John 10:1-10
‘And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction’
A lot of us show prejudice against others. Discrimination makes us accept without question the opinions and biases we have heard growing up, and the pronouncements of narrow-minded people. Rarely do we stop and ask, ‘Is this right?’ Or more importantly, ‘Is it Christlike?’
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Discrimination relegates people to second-class citizenship because of their ethnicity, qualification, colour, gender, economic status, church denomination, or their family’s circumstances. Sometimes, our biases are so ingrained that we can’t see them in ourselves, and we react in anger when confronted with them. But God doesn’t let us off the hook. Peter got criticised by the circumcision party for going with uncircumcised men and eating with them in the First Reading (Acts 11:1-18).
Peter had to explain to them his visions. It is very abnormal to have people with discriminatory behaviour in the church. If people are rejected outside, it shouldn’t be in the Church. Everyone should be given a sense of belonging in the church. No gestures should suggest that they are hated or not wanted. One of the most frequently-quoted texts in the Bible is: ‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). God’s love covers the entire world. God makes no distinctions. And before you can deal with the prejudice in someone else’s life, you have first got to deal with it in your own life. So acknowledge your hidden biases and deal with them.
Sometimes, God surprises us as He surprised Peter by saving people even before we finish our sermon and give an invitation! And the people He saves aren’t the kind of people we would think He would save! We need to allow God’s Word to confront our wrong thinking so that we can grow in Christ and be more usable in His purpose. God changes our wrong thinking so that we can be His true instruments.
If Peter had stuck to his protest, God couldn’t have used him to preach to Cornelius’ household. If we want God to use us in His great purpose of being glorified through the salvation of the nations, we must let Him change us. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God heal our world, bless and protect us all through Christ Our Lord Amen. Good morning!
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