Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C (4)

Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Theme: WEALTH, POVERTY AND HAPPINESS

By: Fr Andrew Ekpenyong at St Mary Magdalene Cath. Church, Omaha, USA.

Homily for Sunday February 13 2022
1. Shock Advertising Joke. Mr Pennington, a middle-class gentleman, stopped when the traffic lights turned red….

Homily for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C

Theme: WEALTH, POVERTY AND HAPPINESS

By: Fr Andrew Ekpenyong at St Mary Magdalene Cath. Church, Omaha, USA.

Homily for Sunday February 13 2022

 

 

1. Shock Advertising Joke. Mr Pennington, a middle-class gentleman, stopped when the traffic lights turned red. Beside his car was a homeless man on the street. Mr Pennington took out a $20 bill, lowered the front door glass and was about to give to the homeless man. Then something happened. Mr Pennington read the cardboard sign that the homeless man was holding up: “One day, this could be you.” Mr Pennington reports what he did: “When I read that sign, I put my money back in my pocket, just in case he’s right.” Brothers and sisters, that sign is an example of shock advertising. It grabs attention and evokes strong reactions. Today’s Scripture readings make for shock evangelization, calling our attention to important realities through strong contrasts, contrasts that obviously need qualifications. Among the important realities for our reaction today are wealth, poverty and happiness.

2. Strong Contrasts. The 1st reading (Jer 17:5-8) presents a strong contrast between trusting in human beings and trusting in God. “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings” (v5), “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord” (v7). The reading gives the qualification and interpretation: Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings…whose heart turns away from the Lord. That is, exclusive reliance on human connections and wealth will not bring eternal happiness. But absolute trust in God and relative cooperation with fellow human beings enable us to be persons of all seasons: to be evergreen trees, fruitful even during adverse conditions, worshiping God, pandemic or no pandemic. The 2nd reading (1 Cor 15:12, 16-20) presents a strong contrast between human life without faith in the resurrection of Christ and human life with faith in the resurrection of Christ. Those with faith in the resurrection of Christ, can look forward to their own resurrection and to eternal happiness. In fact, without such looking forward to eternal life, Christian faith is meaningless, as St Paul writes: “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are the most pitiable people of all.” In other words, if we are Christians only because of material wealth, human connections, desire to escape poverty, need for security, good health and pleasures in this life, then we are the most pitiable people of all, because Christ never promised us paradise on earth. Every true Christian has their cross to carry every day behind our Lord. And today’s Gospel reading (Lk 6:17, 20-26) uses shock evangelization, strong contrasts, to remind us of these realities: “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours.” (v20). “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation” (v24). Brothers and sisters, where is the middle class? Obviously, our Lord gave qualifications and interpretation after raising the attention of the crowd to issues of poverty, wealth and eternal happiness. Elsewhere He had stated: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” (Matt 5:3). And more concretely He said: “When I was hungry, you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty, you gave me to drink”. With this, we see how the wealthy who are generous can receive eternal happiness in Heaven. Thanks be to God, whether materially poor or wealthy, everyone has opportunity to live a life of grace which leads to eternal happiness.

3. Rich in Good Works. Thanks be to God, we have wonderful examples of both the materially poor and the wealthy, who lived lives of grace, who were Christians in all seasons, using the imagery of today’s Psalm (Ps1), Christians who are now enjoying their reward in Heaven. Let’s conclude with one of these, St Thomas More, a wealthy man, lawyer, judge, philosopher, author, statesman, politician, philanthropist and former Lord Chancellor of England, aptly described as a “Man for All Seasons” (same title as the film that honors his life). We know the bigger story of how Thomas More kept to Christian moral principles in the face of King Henry VIII’s attempt to undermine same. As in Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked”, here is how Thomas More rejected the bad advice of one of the king’s men, Norfolk, when he said to Thomas: “Oh…I don’t know whether the marriage was lawful or not. But damn it, Thomas, look at those names. … You know those men! Can’t you do what I did, and come with us, for fellowship?” More responded: “And when we stand before God, and you are sent to Paradise for doing according to your conscience, and I am damned for not doing according to mine, will you come with me – for “fellowship”?” At his execution, St Thomas More said: “I die the king’s good servant, but God’s first”. Thomas More was materially wealthy, poor in spirit, rich in good works and he chose eternal happiness rather than passing earthly consolation, as we all should. The grace of God remains available to all of us, rich or poor, to be be men and women of all seasons.

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