HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE TWENTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME: SECOND CHANCE
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Lk. 8:1-3)
In the day’s Gospel Jesus is told to be with His apostles and some women accompanying Him in His ministry. Noted were Magdalene who was known to be a prostitute and possessed by demons and two others named Joanna and Susanna. Luke also mentioned their roles of taking care of the needs of Jesus and His apostles.
Magdalene was already considered a living dead before she met JESUS. A woman, without a husband, and a prostitute, she was condemned for good. Not with JESUS. When she decided to follow JESUS (a testimony of her conversion), she was given a new leash on life, both earthly and heavenly. She is a perfect testimony for God’s mercy and compassion and the reality of man’s capacity to change. Jesus gives hope! Again, our present situation aches for this truth. It use to be unthinkable to know and see our people, specially the youth, being killed right and left extrajudicially. Our laws provide for opportunities to render justice and rehabilitation. Both had been eliminated in summary executions
. A dead person is already deprived of another chance.
The Catholic Faith is a faith of second chances. Jesus preached repentance because God is merciful and compassionate. Christians are expected to do the same. That is why it is a surprise to know fellow Christians approving, praising, and even supporting the killing of people involved with illegal drugs. We favour a war on illegal drugs but not the killings. Even if people are killed by drug addicts, we ought to resist dealing with them in the same way. Otherwise, we are no different from them who we hate in the first place. Our laws and even our faith allows justice. We should let our laws operate against them criminals. Unfortunately, our systems, enforcement, legal, and penal, are tainted with corruption, discrimination, and patronage. Nevertheless, summary killings are illegal and immoral.
We must try to see in each other the face of God. Or at least regard them as we regard ourselves. That way, we will be more patient, understanding, and forgiving.
