HOMILY OF 17TH THURSDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY OF 17TH THURSDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “HOW LOVELY IS YOUR DWELLING-PLACE, LORD, GOD OF HOSTS.”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
The Tent of Meeting or Tabernacle, put together by Moses in line with God’s instruction, became the place of encounter between God and His people as they journeyed through the desert to the Promised Land. More importantly, it signified God’s abiding presence with them as they struggled through the difficulties and challenges of the desert and the accompanying harsh elements.
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God gave them guidance, direction, protection, nourishment and hope, despite constant rebellions and failures. That presence was signaled by the cloud that rested on or covered the Tabernacle, in which God’s glory is said to fill the Tabernacle. As long as that presence endured, Israel’s provision and protection was assured. Without it, Israel was stripped of any such protection and laid bare, prone to attack, assault and plunder by other powerful nations and enemies (see Isaiah’s Song of the Vineyard [5:1-7] and Ezekiel’s vision of the glory of God departing from the Temple [ch. 10]). In Christ Jesus, God’s dwelling was reestablished amongst humanity, anew and in a permanent and universal way. God dwells, not only in our places of worship and tabernacles, but also in our families, communities and individual lives. We too have to preserve that dwelling and presence by living good and holy lives, after the example of Christ himself. Rebellion and sin are inimical to such preservation. So, even as we hear the parable that tells of the coexistence of good and evil in our world and communities once more, let us know that God’s goodness must renew us and move us to be better versions of ourselves every day. Our churches, families and communities must also be renewed and permeated by God’s goodness and light so that we may expunge evil and darkness from our midst. One thing is certain, God has the final say and will, in the end, put an end to sin, darkness, death and evil. The Christian attitude amidst the struggle between good and evil is well captured on a T-shirt that someone gave me last summer: it reads, “I HAVE READ THE FINAL CHAPTER; GOD WINS.” Knowing that keeps us focused and hopeful despite present predicaments.
Lord, give us your Spirit of knowledge and understanding to sustain our communion with you and preserve us in your truth and light. Amen.
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