HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME: SHOW FORTH YOUR LIGHT
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Lk. 18:16-18)
In the day’s Gospel we have the parable of the lighted lamp. It can easily be understood as giving the message that we must not hide or keep secret our God-given talents. They must be revealed so that others may benefit and we would become as human beings. But this version of Luke, according to exegetes, the light refers more to the parables! Thus, this is a parable on the parable.
Jesus used parables in order to reveal His religious message. The stories of men, women, children, plants, trees, animals, and other creatures weave together to give many lessons of life and our relationship with God. They are effective because they touch everyones’ life in an indirect non-threatening manner. The conscious and reflective ones have freedom to own them parables. When they do, they are faced with either ignoring or denying it or humbling themselves and welcome the parable as a way to conversion.
We must encourage telling stories. They help us reflect about life. Socrates gave meaning to reflection, “An unreflected life is not worth living.” Stories, when told, reveal a lot of lessons. When retold, they reveal more. Children like stories. They are not threatened by them. They enjoy them. They thirst for knowledge and experience. Stories provide them a lot more than we will ever know and expect. Jesus addresses the child in us whenever He tells parables. He hopes that our minds and hearts will explore His parables and discover the treasure they offer. They enlighten to the hilt. Thus, we let them parables to be told. We let them shine and light our path towards the Kingdom.
