HOMILY OF 31ST MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B

HOMILY OF 31ST MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: “DO NOT INVITE YOU THOSE WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO REPAY YOU BACK.”

BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido 

Philippians 2:1-4, Ps. 131, Luke 14:12-14

Quite often, we accuse people of having ulterior motives for certain actions, especially when these are unlikely gestures from someone we know very well. When we do good to others, why do we do it? What kind of people are we kind to? Why do we love those we love? How often is our reason for action built on the saying that, “one good turn deserves another?” Have we not been really angry in the past and refused a favor to people because we think they were ungrateful? Does your left hand know what your right hand is doing? These questions are all in today’s gospel, as Jesus encourages us to be God-like in our outreach and generosity; to reach out to people, not because of what we expect in return, but rather, because that is what God asks of us and because the beneficiary is a child of God and will be blessed and enriched by our generosity.

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Jesus invites us to be good to people, not because of what we may gain from it, but simply because of the good that our love would bring about in their lives. The first reading adds another dimension to this demand as St. Paul notes that such love that is given without expecting anything in return is at the service of unity and growth in the community or family. He encourages us to shun competition, pride, arrogance and narcissistic attitudes, and instead be selfless to the point of considering the other person better than ourselves and putting their interests first, before ours. It takes God’s grace to cultivate such loving humility and we pray that we will be open to receiving that grace from God. On the feast of St. Charles Borromeo, the great pastor, reformer, seminary founder and patron saint of the sick, we thank God for the gifts of our shepherds, even as we pray that all those who have responsibility for shepherding the flock of Christ would have the mind of Christ and submit to the guidance and promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, teach us selflessness, true love and generosity. Amen.

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