HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 2ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B (2)

HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: THE FORCE OF JEALOUSY

BY: Rev. Fr Livinus Igbodekwe

HOMILY:

1 SAM 18:6-9, 19:1-7
Empedocles one of the ancient philosophers holds that the universe is controlled by two opposite elements: unity and destruction. Unity is achieved by the principle of love which attracts and destruction is achieved by the principle of hatred which separates. I think this is true. What makes friends become enemies all of a sudden? What makes one who had rejoiced and praised someone turn out to calumnize and destroy same person’s good reputation? The answer to these is obvious. It is hatred or jealousy. Jealousy is more destructive than hatred because as hatred seeks to avoid, jealousy seeks to destroy. Hatred destroys very slowly but jealousy destroys very quickly.

We are few minutes into the resounding victory of the Giant Slayer, David which got the whole people shouting praise and the women singing an unrehearsed poem thus “Saul has killed his thousands but David his tens of thousands”. Saul became insecure that he immediately grew jealous of the one he had admired earlier and who he has hired as his musician. See how jealousy turns friends into enemies. David had procured rest of mind to the demon-troubled Saul (1 Sam 16:14) and David had reverted a national shame and bondage of slavery yet someone who supposed to be the chief beneficiary is not happy.

Two people will go out hunting smiling and telling stories but come back going separate ways because one was more favoured. This is the force of jealousy. Two people that have started a project together end up making an enemy out of a friend just as Cain was over Abel. Family members may end up killing one because they think he had much promising dreams than them just as Joseph’s brothers were about Joseph. Saul grew insecure out of pride for his office.

Pride is afraid of praising another. Jealousy leaves one insecure seeking to take one out of one’s way. The songs of the women were good but they produced harmful impact on David because of jealousy. That the one who supposed to be a national hero became a “most wanted”.

May God save us from the destructive force of jealousy that would make one rejoice in the cooperate triumph of an associate. United we stand, divided we fall. Are u declared “most wanted” because of a selfless triumph. Don’t worry God will be your hiding place as He was for David. And God will send you a “Jonathan” to show u a route of escape. A friend in need is a friend in deed!

I wish you a blessed Thursday!