HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF ADVENT (1)

HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK OF ADVENT

HOMILY THEME: SPIRITUAL VIOLENCE

BY: Fr. Benedict Agbo

HOMILY: * Is 41 : 13 – 20, Matt 11 : 11 – 15.

John the Baptist signifies the end of what I call the ‘era of spiritual violence’; era of trying to take the kingdom of heaven by the force of brutal asceticism, radical self righteousness, noisy prayers and all that. Jesus signalled the era of grace ; the era of spiritual gentility, serenity in prayer, resignation to the will of God, especially of martyrdom. When it was time for him to die for the truth, John could not understand it. He sent people to ask Jesus the question : ‘Are you he who is to come or shall we wait for another?’

In Christ’s tribute to John, he said he was the greatest of ‘earthly spiritual men’ struggling on earth for righteousness but the least among ‘heavenly holy men’ clothed with the garment of holiness. John did not live to see the Cross of Christ. If he had lived to witness the immensity of the love of God expressed at Calvary, he would have had a different opinion about his demise. Even Judas Iscariot, the Zealots and other Jewish terrorists did not understand the message of Jesus until the whole city was routed in the year 70AD by the Romans. Only believers in Jesus’ message were saved.

The time has come when believers will worship the father in spirit and truth ; when the gospel of Christ will sell through the power of persuasion and gentility, when political and ecclesiastical leadership won’t be taken by force, when pressure groups like the Labour Union, ASUU, etc, will not need to press their points through long strike actions or violent demonstrations to deaf and dumb government. A humble Christian that advances his / her advocacies through the power/ grace of Christ is greater than John the Baptist. For the law came through Moses but grace and truth comes through Jesus Christ, Jn 1: 17. John understood the justice and wrath of God but did not understand the grace and mercy of God. Christians operate in the gentility of the Spirit not through spiritual violence. That is what the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit brings.

May God bless you today!

FR BEN AGBO.