HOMILY FOR THE 30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C (8)

HOMILY FOR THE 30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C.

THEME: The Power of Humility in Our Relations with God.

BY: Fr. Luke Ijezie.

HOMILY FOR SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 2022

Sirach 35:12-14,16-18
Psalm: 34:2-3,17-19,23
2Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
Luke 18:9-14

This 30th Sunday of the year presents interesting points on the virtue of humility in our relationship with God. As I pored over the readings over and over again, these ideas kept striking in my head:

1. God already knows we are imperfect and sinful. What He expects from us is a humble admission of our inadequacy before Him.

2. The prayer of a humble person pierces the clouds, meaning that God always hears us when we are honest with ourselves, withoutpretensionsand hypocrisy.

3. Pretending before God is of no use, as He is no respecter of persons and big titles in matters of truth and justice.

4. It is extremely dangerous to oppress or exploit the poor and humble persons among us because their cries for vengeance to God are always heard.

5. In the battle of faith, our eyes should focus more on the ultimate victory, which is heaven. Lack of victory or success here on earth is no sign that we have failed.

6. God opposes those who claim self-righteousness and despise others. However holy we think we are, we should never become arrogant and despise others who are not as holy. While we condemn evil, we should never despise others.

7. The people we despise may be the ones that God approves, simply because they acknowledge their inadequacies before God, as the Publican does in today’s Gospel.

8. The Church is a hospital for sinful people. So we are all struggling to get totally healed by the One Divine Doctor. God knows that and pursues us with innumerable remedial blessings and graces. So, our present state of sinfulness or weakness should not discourage us to keep approaching the throne of grace. We should also see one another as co-travellers struggling together with diverse forms of weaknesses and spiritual wounds. In this way, we develop the mindset of helping one another in love and compassion rather than despising and ridiculing one another.

May these thoughts through the action of the Holy Spirit encourage us to keep struggling with humility until the final crown of glory is won!