HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II (2)

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II

THEME: ‘I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners’.

BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY JULY 1 2022

*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Amos 8:4-6,9-12
Psalm 118:2,10,20,30,40,131
Matthew 9:9-13

*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
Green

*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In the first reading this morning, Amos, in his usual forthright way speaks of a coming time when there will be a famine of hearing the word of the Lord. People will hunger for the word of the Lord but it will not be there; they will seek the word of the Lord but fail to find it. Because the people have been failing to take the Lord’s word to heart, the Lord will stop speaking to them. It is as if Amos is saying that the Lord will withdraw from sinners.

*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In todays Gospel reading we hear Jesus’ invitation to Matthew, a seemingly simple “Follow me,” was anything but simple. Adding the despised tax collector to his band of followers would have immediately sowed discord among the rest of the disciples. Many of them would surely see a problem with this new addition. We can imagine what they might have been thinking, or even declaring aloud: “Lord, not him!

*CONCLUSION*
We have to be willing to allow the Lord to come and enter into our hearts and minds so that He may heal us like what the tax collectors did. They welcomed the Lord and were willing to listen to Him, unlike what the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law in shutting their ears, hearts and minds against Him. Certainly many among the tax collectors became believers, and one of them left everything behind to become a follower of the Lord, and who then became one of His great Apostles and as one of the Four Evangelists, known as St. Matthew the Apostle.

*LET US PRAY*
Jesus, thank you for calling men of all kinds to follow you, especially those to whom I can relate. You show me with your example that you not only desire mercy, but you freely extend mercy to sinners who return to you. Let me never think that any sin is worth distancing myself from you; on the contrary, grant me the grace to seek you often in your sacrament of Reconciliation.
May we all have a Blessed month of July.

Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA