HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 1ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR I.
THEME: It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.
BY: Fr. Deotacious Chikontwe, SMA.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Hebrews 4:12-16
Psalm 18:8-10,15
Mark 2:13-17
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
GREEN
*INTRODUCTION*
Jesus uses a variety of images drawn from ordinary life to express who he is and what he is about. In the gospels, he speaks of himself as a shepherd searching for his lost sheep, a bridegroom at a wedding banquet, a traveller who comes upon a wounded man by the wayside, as well as in many other ways.
READ ALSO: HOMILY FOR THE 2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In today’s gospel reading, he speaks of himself as a doctor whose primary interest is the sick, rather than the healthy. He spoke of himself in this way in response to the criticism of the religious experts of his day who took a dim view of Jesus frequenting the company of those who did not live according to God’s Law, such as tax collectors. They were scandalized by his custom of sharing table with such people, entering into communion with ‘sinners’. The gospel reading says that there were many tax collectors and sinners among Jesus’ followers. The more religious people of Jesus’ day avoided those they regarded as sinners, for fear they would be contaminated by people they considered to be outside God’s favour.
*CONCLUSION*
Jesus revealed a different side to God. He revealed God as wanting to enter into communion with us, regardless of how others see us or, even, how we see ourselves. Jesus did not wait for people to be virtuous to befriend them. The Lord does not turn away from us because we are not all we could be. He keeps entering into communion with us, in all our weakness, frailty, sinfulness, so that he can empower us to live more fully as God’s sons and daughters. Like the doctor who deals with the sick to make them better, the Lord keeps dealing with us to help us to become more fully the person God desires us to be.
May God bless us always all through Christ our Lord.http://catholicforlife.com/homily-for-saturday-of-the-1st-week-in-ordinary-time-year-i-1/
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