YEAR A: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 24TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)
HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 24TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: Shun all useless monetary cravings and aim at righteousness
BY: Rev. Fr. Callistus Emenyonu, cmf
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 24TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: Shun all useless monetary cravings and aim at righteousness
BY: Rev. Fr. Callistus Emenyonu, cmf
HOMILY: READINGS: 1 Tim. 6: 2-12, Ps. 49, Luke 8: 1-3
Human beings on earth have a lot of cravings especially material things. They are good and at times necessary for our earthly survival, joy and happiness not excluding comfort and good health. There is nobody who abhors these since they are good for every human person still on earth. Having them or working hard to get them is not bad but what makes it bad is either the manner of acquiring them (means of getting them) and or their utilization. These material things are gifts from God to his children for their good if not God at creation would not have taken time to provide everything for the comfort of man prior his creation.
St Paul who lived at a time when the people were all out to cheat and illegally acquire wealth and riches especially some so-called synagogue officials, decided to admonish his spiritual son Timothy not to join the band wagon. He asked him to keep in his teachings the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings which accords to godliness. This teaching has to do with sacrifice, charity and love not about gains and remunerations. Those who teach what people want to hear in order to make gains and take advantage of others are puffed up with conceit and have morbid craving for controversy and dispute. They make people follow wrong teachings that lead to envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among men. These pastors like so many of them in the system today answering men of God and even some priests of today who use the ministry of Christ to cause confusion in many Christian families and make monetary gains out of it are by this advice of St Paul called to reason.
Beloved, St Paul tells us the truth of life which we should not forget but keep in mind in anything we do. There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take away anything out of it. All the material things we acquire through wrong means we shall leave them one day for others who do not know how we got them and then face divine judgment which will not favour us; we leave at times curses on our family who benefit from such ill-gotten wealth. The undue desire for richness leads to sin and all sorts of evil; the love of money is the root of evil and it has led many Christians away from their faith and their God. Even if you got your money through the correct means, how do you use it? Some people because of monetary needs sell themselves to any immorality while many rich people use their wealth in exchange for illicit sexual satisfaction devoid of genuine charity. See the women in the gospel today used theirs to serve the interest of others especially the work of God and those who do the work of God. Charity without gains sanctifies our wealth and makes the well-gotten wealth a blessing and source of salvation.
Beloved, the psalm advices us not to worry ourselves or fear when men grow rich because they take nothing with them when they die and their worldly glory does not follow them below. Let us learn wisdom and really be with Jesus like the twelve apostles, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna. Let us remember that one day we will go to join our ancestors who will never see light any more. May we not lack wisdom in our riches nor crave for riches by all means but let us aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness while fighting the good fight of faith with our eye on eternal life, Amen.
Rev. Fr. Callistus Emenyonu, cmf
