Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year C (3)
Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year C
Theme: The Old Self and the New Self
BY: Fr Livinus Igbodekwe
Homily for Sunday March 27 2022
When you come to Christ the first thing that must happen is a transformation.
Here, the good deeds we have been doing so easily in the past become really difficult to do. You find that you no longer have the strength to pray. And you see yourself falling into sin and running off to confession frequently.
Homily for the 4th Sunday of Lent Year C
Theme: The Old Self and the New Self
BY: Fr Livinus Igbodekwe
Homily for Sunday March 27 2022
When you come to Christ the first thing that must happen is a transformation. This transformation power does not come from you but it comes from God. One thing comes from your part – repentance and the other is God’s part – transformation. St Paul witnessed this power in Acts 9. He calls it the power of resurrection (Phil 3:10). It makes one a new creature (2 Cor 5:17). The old self is full of earthly cravings while the new self is full of heavenly cravings.
1. Gilgal Experience: circumcision removes an old skin for new skin to grow. That represents a new birth. The people of Israel keeps longing for Egypt and to stop them from going back to Egypt, God gives them manna up to the day they entered Gilgal. Their cravings and the reproach of Egypt are rolled away. And when they stop craving for Egypt the manna stops. They start eating from the fruits of their inheritance. Until you stop living your old life, you cannot mature and start enjoying the blessed life. The Lord only feeds them with one food that they might grow weary of it and seek the fruit of the promised land. It took them 40 years to grow up unto maturity in God. Only then are they instructed to celebrate the memory of their deliverance in a new way.
2. the story of the prodigal son is our story. The house of the Father is the Church. The younger son represents those whose appetite for the world has not quelled. He has everything he needs in the Father’s house – much food and many servants. He felt he has no liberty to live as he please not just as the Father pleases. He wants to move out. He makes bold to let his intention known. From his request he doesn’t want to return again. He wants to be away for he demands his own share of inheritance. His request is granted because he is free to choose either the Father’s house and the world. He travels to a far country and indulged his desires to the fullest. Until everything is squandered. He loses his friends. He becomes poor and alone. Sometimes God allows poverty or sickness to hit us that we may turn to him. He takes away our friends sometimes that we may seek friendship with him. Only then did his senses come back. He decides to go back but on what grounds would he legally abide in his Father’s house since he has squandered his share of the inheritance? He resolves to beg to be accepted not as a son but as a slave. He will have to work so hard to eat a measure of food. He finds this resolution feasible and sets out to his Father’s house. Thank God he still knows the road. At the avenue leading to the gate of his Father’s house is the Father waiting to receive him. That means that each day the Father comes out to look out for him. What a Prodigal Father lavishly showing love to a sinful son! The Father hugs him before ever he could confess. He restores his status by taking away his rags and giving him a bath. The sandals and the ring shows that his sonship status is restored. This is the transformation that happens when we come to Christ. What a joy is it to repent and come back home. Dear friends let’s repent and return today!
Happy Sunday in advance!
