HOMILY OF THE FRIDAY AFTER PENTECOST — YEAR A

HOMILY OF THE FRIDAY AFTER PENTECOST — YEAR A

HOMILY THEME: “If your eye should cause to sin, tear it out.”

BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido 

2 Corinthians 4:7-15, Ps. 116:10-11,15-18, Matthew 5:27-32

Jesus’ concern in today’s gospel should highlight not just the aberration of sexual and marital infidelity, but more especially, the kind of sexual depravity in our world and society today; the madness of lust and rape, even killings following such abuses; level of indecency and sale of sex with increasingly easy availability and for peanuts, and the normalization of promiscuity and prostitution as an acceptable life style. These aberrations cannot be hidden from God as the cries of the abused victims rise up to God for vengeance and as society continues to get destroyed by the watering down of family values and the dignity of the human body.

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Jesus also reminds us that the path of righteousness demands that we vigilantly watch out for and avoid occasions of sin, especially these sins. That is how we cut off whatever leads us to sin. Cutting off or plucking out is not to be taken literally, if not there would soon be many walking around without limbs and eyes. It is rather a call for us to review the sinful parts of our lives, get to the root causes of the sins that plague us, and make conscious efforts to avoid the situations, persons and circumstances that lead to such sins. That avoidance is tantamount to obedience to the imperative to cut off arm and leg or pluck out the eye that causes one to sin. Rough and uncertain times like ours are invitations and opportunities for us to seek God; time to find out where God is and what He is demanding of us amidst the troubles of daily existence. St. Paul mentions some elements of our Christian life in the first reading that we must revisit. He reminds us of the need for to be truly humble, simple and loyal to God by realizing that we are nothing without God. We must shun pride, conceit and arrogance. What makes us who we are is the God in us. Put in Paul’s terms, “we are only earthenware jars that hold this treasure,” that is our life in Christ, with God’s Spirit living in us. That divine presence assures of God’s loving protection and advocacy in and out of season. St. Paul also reminds us that our destiny is tied to that of our Lord; so, no matter what life brings our way, we must remain faithful so that we may end up by his side, having being raised up with him to life. Lastly, he encourages us to multiply God’s grace in us by bringing God’s love to bear on all those around us. If everyone in our families commits to this, there will be more thanksgiving in our family to God’s glory. It would work the same way for communities and churches.

Lord, heal me of my sinful ways; that my life may multiply your grace in my daily encounters. Amen.

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