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

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

HOMILY THEME: THE MAN OF THE INSIDE

BY: Rev Fr Igbodekwe Livinus

HOMILY:

(1 SAM 16:1-13)
God looks in the inside while man looks on the outside. God knows us from within for He knows our thoughts from afar (Ps 139:2). For us to judge rightly in difficult situations we must learn to look on the inside man, the heart qualities not the body qualities for appearance deceives. This is why God cannot be deceived (Gal 6:7,8).

It was a difficulty for Prophet Samuel to choose among the seven sons of Jesse. God sometimes look out to our ability to judge as He judges. Samuel was already beginning failing the test when he looked at the tall, robust Eliab. But his spirit was fine-tuned in divine frequency to know when God had rejected each of the seven sons. God needed someone with a given heart quality. The name David means “beloved”. For someone to be beloved of God he must have been tested and proven in the way Jesus was tested and proven in the wilderness attesting to the voice that spoke from heaven “this is my beloved son…. ” (Matt 3:16).

In the same way David has been tested and proven in the wilderness where he demonstrated high sense of responsible leadership by killing the threatening beers and lions. Again David though young in body was mature in heart. Sometimes God doesn’t follow the protocol of seniority just as Esau was senior in body but young inwards that he sold his birthright.

David has a place for God. His three seniors were in the army of Saul yet they trusted in the physical armours. But David trusted in Yahweh as his Shepherd (Ps 23:1). He lived a life of divine Providence which followed him throughout his entire life unlike King Saul who was rejected after few years in office.

Dear friends let us be men and women of the inside. Let our outward shows be a reflection of what shines from within.

I wish you a blessed Tuesday. Amen!