HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A (1)
HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME: USE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SERVE GOD
BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon
HOMILY:
(Lk. 16:9-15)
In today’s Gospel Jesus told His disciples to use things in order to make friends with neighbors and not the other way around. Jesus gives importance to our relationships with others. Wealth, for whatever worth they have, must be in the service of humanity. The choice is clear between God and mammon. God is whom we worship. Thus, God should get our full commitment and devotion.
Are you the one who would use every influence and people in order to obtain great wealth. Or are you the one who would use everything at your disposal in order to establish good bonds with people? Jesus would loathe the former and would approve the latter. The reasons are many. Foremost is that wealth rots and would be lost. To base our lives and even salvation on something which is limited and lasting would be a foolishness if we believe in God who had merited eternal life for us. Rather, we ought to keep our focus on our destiny to belong to the Kingdom by seeking to be attached in a community rather than in material things.
Many people had spent most of their time working so hard accumulating so much wealth which, later, they hope to spend for themselves and their families. They fail to include their community in their plans. “As long as I do not do anything evil against my neighbor, I am a good Christian.” How about doing something good? Not doing evil is, definitely, something good. But we, as persons, are relational. Our eyes were meant to see the beauty of the other. Our ears were provided to listen to the sound and music from others. Our noses should be excited to smell the fragrance of humanity. Our tongues should be able to taste what others may offer for food. Our hands, feet, bodies, and every charism we have were not meant to be for ourselves. They were meant for the service of the community.
Thus, let us go out and get involved with people. Do not expect a perfect relationship. People will always have their limitations like you and me. But, precisely, those limitations will remind us to be always humble. They will inspire us to act and try to achieve more. The best thing that can and should happen is for us to realise our complimentarity. When we are, and the more we are, together, we can achieve great things. Make friends with everyone you meet. It is salvific.
