HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF HOLY WEEK (2)

THEME: THE POOR YOU ALWAYS HAVE WITH YOU, BUT YOU DO NOT ALWAYS HAVE ME.

BY: FR. DIOTACIOUS CHIKONTWE SMA

HOMILY FOR MONDAY APRIL 11 2022

*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Isaiah 42:1-7
Psalm 26:1-3,13-14
John 12:1-11

*FROM THE FIRST READING*
In our first reading today, we heard of the account from the Book of the prophet Isaiah in which the Lord spoke through Isaiah the prophecy of the Messiah or Saviour that God has promised. He spoke of how the Messiah would come to bring all of His people back to Him, to proclaim the Good News of the salvation of God, ushering the blessed time of new life with God. The beloved people of God would no longer be separated from Him, and He will gather all of them into His Presence, reconciling each and every one of us to Himself, through none other than the very same Saviour, Jesus Christ, the One Whom Isaiah had spoken about.

*FROM THE GOSPEL READING*
In our Gospel passage today, we then heard of the account of the moment when the Lord Jesus, just shortly before His suffering and death, had His feet anointed by Mary, likely referring to Mary Magdalene, who used a precious and expensive jar of perfume to anoint the Lord’s feet and then wipe His feet clean with her tears and her hair. As the Lord Himself mentioned, this act was very symbolic of everything that He was to go through in order to secure for us the assurance of eternal life, that He has to go through death in order to save us all, and the anointing was reminiscent of what the dead bodies experienced, as they were usually anointed with perfumes and precious spices before they were to be buried.

*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM SCRIPTURE READINGS OF TODAY?*
Brothers and sisters in Christ, reflecting on all that we have heard from the Scripture passages today, we are all reminded that we are all sinners who have been so fortunate to be beloved by God so wonderfully that He has given each and every one of us the sure path out of the darkness through His Son, Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

*CONCLUSION*
Let us have a most fruitful Holy Week and be filled with renewed conviction from now on to live our lives in the path of the Lord and be courageous and committed disciples, not imitating the examples of Judas Iscariot, but rather the piety and humility as shown by Mary as we heard in our Gospel passage today. May God Bless Us All through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA