HOMILY FOR THE 7TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
THEME: The Extra required of you.
BY: Fr. Justus Oruma
(a) There is something “extra” required of the Christian. This “Extra” is the decisive comportment of the Christian which distinguishes him, makes him outstanding, one set apart, which sum up the meaning of the word; “holiness”
(b) The book of the Leviticus and the Old Testament spell out what is common and normally expected of the common man. “Eye for eye”- meaning equal reaction to retaliation. This is normal even in the ordinary law of Nature as we see, even in the Newton’s 3 Law of motion: “Action and reaction are equal and opposite”. Or as it is said “Love your brother and do not hate him”. The love for ones brother or other relatives is expected by nature. The Christian love would not ask for retaliation, but begs for a reaction above the usual given of Nature. It would not stop at the love of brother and relatives but would ask to love and pray even for the enemies. These are the “Extras” which stand to the bewilderment and admiration of the pagans about the Christian virtues. This Extra set us apart and give us an edge above them. This is the meaning of holiness, “people set apart”
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(c) This Extra is the factor that sets us apart from unbelievers. That is why Christ asks; If you love only your brothers and those who love you, what extra and extraordinary have you done; do pagans not do as much? But I ask, Have we, Christians passed the basics; that is; loving our own brothers, relatives and our friends truely- this basics which should be natural, and which even the pagans do, not to talk of the venturing into the “Extra” still required of us? When a Christian hates his own brother, his own Kingsman, colleague, his fellow Christian, what even some pagans cannot do, how can such a one say, I am a child of God? Happy Sunday from me!http://catholicforlife.com/homily-for-the-7th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-1
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