HOMILY OF FRIDAY 8TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY OF FRIDAY 8TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “MAY NO ONE EVER EAT OF YOUR FRUIT.”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
1 Pet 4:7-13; Psalm 95(96):10-13; Mark 11:11-26
Two puzzling episodes are narrated in today’s gospel, but with very practical lessons. In the first, Jesus cursed the fig tree for being fruitless even though it was not the season for figs. This points to the second where Jesus disrupts the business activities in the temple, signifying the consequences of the religious and spiritual fruitlessness of the Jewish religious leaders, who have turned God’s house of prayer into a den of thieves. Jesus’ expectation of fruits from the fig tree when it was not the season of harvest is instructive to his disciples, who unlike the Jewish leaders, must bear fruit in and out of season. Failure to render our spiritual fruits upon demand is self-destructive. In like manner, we must shun every practice that makes our places of worship less relevant as places of prayer. While it is true that Churches need offerings and money to run them, such a need must not become the center of liturgies and worship or policies.
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The mission of the Church is the salvation of souls, not business enterprising. More importantly, we are temples of God and must keep ourselves undefiled and fitting for God. When we become so distracted with the business of keeping body and soul together to the point of displacing God in our lives, then we actually separate our souls from our bodies and keep nothing together in the end. We must not also miss the lessons on faith and prayer. We must pray with faith, trusting that God will answer our prayers. We must also remove the obstacles that make our prayer unfruitful. Such obstacles include doubt, an unforgiving spirit and lack of focus. Praying from a position of virtue and an unblemished spirit brings us into communion with God and makes our prayer fruitful. May St. Peter’s instruction in the first inspire stronger and better relationships in our families, churches and communities.
Lord, make us fruitful disciples, in and out of season. Amen.
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