YEAR A: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: HAPPY WEEKEND BELOVED; REMEMBER, LOVE IS IMPORTANT

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

HOMILY: READINGS

HOMILY FOR THE 33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY - TIME YEAR A

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: HAPPY WEEKEND BELOVED; REMEMBER, LOVE IS IMPORTANT

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

 

HOMILY: READINGS: 1THESSALONIANS 4:9-11, PSALM 98, MATTHEW 25:14-30

The early Christians loved themselves very much. “Now the whole group of believers were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common” (Acts 4:32). Peter preached loved, brotherly love at that when he said that we all must be of one heart and mind, loving all as brothers; having compassion and being advocates of peace (1Pet. 3:8ff). Paul repeatedly preached love, with 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 being his trade mark teaching on love. Against this backdrop, Paul told the Thessalonians that he need not write to them about love. However, since love is of utmost importance, he advised them to do more and more (1Thess. 4:10).

Beloved in Christ, we are all brothers and sisters (Mt. 23:8b); members of the family faith (Gal. 6:10), with God as our Father (Mt. 6:9). If we too learn to see God as the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name (Eph. 3:14-15); then we would have no issues living like the Thessalonian community. They loved all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia. Can you imagine how blessed that community was? We may do well to love not only in word or speech, but in truth and action (1Jn. 3:18). This kind of love never ends as Paul would tell the Corinthian family (1Cor. 13:18); rather, it constitute ladder rungs on which we ascend to heaven, the home of love. Let us therefore be rooted and grounded in love even as we pursue heaven.
Friends in the Lord, as God’s loving children, we all are graced with various abilities and gifts (we may call them talents). These are our faculties of mind and body to be used for the good of God’s creation and also to further his kingdom here on earth. We are but stewards, servants of whom an account will be demanded someday. How are we using our talents. Our lives are gifts from God to be used in service of him. Where he leads, we go. What he commands, we do. Not doing anything at all with our lives like the stubborn servant translates to an arrant disregard for God’s summons. Worse of all is the situation where we don’t develop our lives and the many talents we have but rather, damage the very gift of God to us.

What will God do to those of us who neglect our duties claiming we are not committing any sin? What is he going to do with drug addicts who not only neglect their talents, but also destroy the lives gratuitously given them by God? What will he do to the fixated, the ‘I don’t just care’ kinda people? Today dear friends is an invitation to transform our lives, increase them, make them gifts to ourselves and to others also. It is an invitation to earn God’s raise and reward: “Well done, good and faithful servant…enter into the joy of your master (Mt. 25:21). May this be said to us through when our sojourn on earth is ended. Amen.

FEED ONE, EDUCATE ANOTHER…

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