HOMILY FOR THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B (18th Sunday)

SUNDAY HOMILY FOR THE EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR B

CATHOLIC HOMILY THEME: DO NOT WORK FOR THE FOOD THAT PERISHES.

BY: Fr. Cosmas Ukadike CM

 

HOMILY:

(John 6,27)

As human beings we do not live to eat, but rather we eat to live.

Food here is meant to nourish our bodies and give us the physical energy to carry out our daily task.

This is to say that we are not made just to eat food; for the life we have and live, goes beyond eating and drinking.

Our lives go beyond anything material, so that like the Israelites in today’s first reading, we do not spend all our time and energy complaining, even to the point of accusing God for wishing them death in the wilderness (Exd. 16, 2-3,8).

In the Lord’s prayer Jesus taught us that it is the Father who truly nourishes and sustains us in being. And that was why he taught us to ask him for our “daily bread” (Matt 6,11).

And so the God who created us without us and has sustained us to this moment, will not wish us to die in our own wilderness.

Thus in today’s Gospel Jesus urges us to look farther, to go beyond bodily satisfaction and material acquisition to the realm of faith and trust in his person.

He tackled the crowd who sought after him in these words:

Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of loaves (Jn 6, 26).

We have to examine and tell ourselves the truth of what really is motivating us into the presence of the Lord.

Why have we come to seek the Lord?

Is it for political ambition?

Is it for any material gain?

Or have we come to seek Jesus himself?

We cannot seek any material favour from the Lord without first seeking him.

The Lord is goodness itself and every good flows from him.

This is why Jesus taught us to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness and every other thing shall be added unto us (Matt 6, 33). Truly, those who seek the Lord lack no blessing (Psalm 34,10).

Let us therefore purify our intentions before the Lord even as we have come into his presence this hour. For he is the true bread of God that has come down from heaven to take care of our every hunger and give us life in abundance (Jn 6, 33 & 10,10).

May our labour not be in vain.

And may our prayers find favour in his sight.

Happy Sunday And have a blessed week.

Fr Cosmas Ukadike, C.M

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