YEAR A: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK OF EASTER (1)
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK OF EASTER
HOMILY THEME: CELEBRATING A MODEL CHRISTIAN – ATHANASIUS
BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ATHANASIUS BISHOP AND DOCTOR.
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 3RD WEEK OF EASTER
HOMILY THEME: CELEBRATING A MODEL CHRISTIAN – ATHANASIUS
BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: MEMORIAL OF SAINT ATHANASIUS BISHOP AND DOCTOR.
READINGS: ACTS 9:31-42, PSALM 116, JOHN 6:60-69
-Justice does not consist merely in not doing evil; for not to do good is also evil. The law may be transgressed in either way- St. Athanasius.
Dearly beloved brethren, Holy Mother Church celebrates today Athanasius who is counted as one of the four great Eastern Doctors of the Church in the Catholic Church. He is venerated by the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran churches, and the Anglican Communion; what a saint he is! In the Eastern Orthodox Church, he is labeled as the “Father of Orthodoxy”. Some Protestants label him as “Father of the Canon”. It was Gregory of Nazianzus (330–390, also a Doctor of the Church), who said: “When I praise Athanasius, virtue itself is my theme: for I name every virtue as often as I mention him who was possessed of all virtues. He was the true pillar of the Church. His life and conduct were the rule of bishops, and his doctrine the rule of the orthodox faith”. Exiled five times, Athanasius was bishop of the Alexandrian Church, a Christian theologian, a Church Father, the chief defender of Trinitarianism against Arianism, and a noted Egyptian leader of the fourth century. Today we are called to emulate him.
Living in a world full of divisions, an aggressive longing for unity is indispensable; living as Christians, frail and fragile, aligning ourselves to Jesus, the true vine for our security and productivity is of the essence. St. Athanasius defended the unity of the Godhead, the Trinity from Arius who in his non-trinitarian doctrine of Arianism taught that Jesus Christ who is believed to be the Son of God was begotten by God the Father at a point in time, and is distinct from the Father and is therefore subordinate to the Father. Like him, we may do well to foster the unity of humanity in the face of the many divides we are confronted with today.
• Jesus’ coming was to redeem mankind and save ALL MEN/WOMEN
• Yet he didn’t DILUTE, SWEETEN, or COMPROMISE his saving message in order to woo people to himself. He taught it FRANKLY!
• Ministers of Christ, priests, pastors and so on cannot but take after their master by preaching God’s word even if it is INTOLERABLE!
• Sordid gains, cheap fame and popularity shouldn’t make preachers FAIL CHRIST.
• The core teachings of the Church, the EUCHARIST for instance cannot be toiled with so as to please anybody!
WHY COMPROMISE THE MESSAGE OF HIM WHO DIDN’T COMPROMISE? Athanasius firmly taught the Faith and as a consequence, he was exiled repeatedly. He didn’t compromise God’s word, we shouldn’t too.
FEED THE HUNGRY, PLEASE.
