YEAR A: HOMILY FOR 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: THE LAST MAN STANDING.
BY REV FR GERALD MUOKA
HOMILY: Jer.20:10-13; Ps.69:8-10,14,17,33-35; Rom.5:12-15; Mtt.10:26-33
Martin Luther King, Jnr., is one of the famous heroes of the 20th Century. He is globally known for social activism.
He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement; a drive to get more equal treatment for all Americans, not just white Americans. He advocated civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance to segregation. He was a powerful orator, known for his “I HAVE A DREAM…” speech.
He was resilient, fearless, bold, firm and focused in his mission. The primordial instincts of self preservation never stopped his mission to liberate blacks across the world from defamation, racism and inhuman treatment.
Twenty nine times was he imprisoned, escaped many assassination attempts, before he was finally killed.
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I call him ” THE LAST MAN STANDING”.
Beloved in Christ, today’s homily recipe started with the life and times of Martin Luther King Jnr., because I see in him, a man whose life reflects the underpinnings of today’s Gospel reading: “fear him not who can only kill the body, rather him who can kill both the body and the soul”. His aggressors succeeded in killing only the transient and mortal body of Martin Luther King Jnr. His legacies live; generations cannot stop preaching his outstanding and profound contributions to the human race on love and equality. He possessed such great missionary spirit and qualities which Jesus advocates his disciples and followers to imbibe in today’s Gospel reading.
In the first reading, we witness an Old Testament Prophet, Jeremiah (circa 650 BC to 580 BC), who possessed the same missionary spirit and qualities, which Jesus encourages us to adopt: Firmness, Boldness, Constancy, Fearlessness, Doggedness and Resilience. Even rejection by kith and kins, betrayal by friends and intimidations by the powers that be, never stopped him. He remained ‘THE LAST MAN STANDING’.
Jeremiah, like Martin Luther King Jnr., was ridiculed as a radical, a rabble-rouser, and a prophet of doom, but he never ceased to declare God in the presence of men.
THE CONCEPT OF THE LAST MAN STANDING
The adoption of the last man standing is metaphorically used to depict the act of standing on the part of truth and righteousness when others have compromised. Even if it entails passing through furnace, persecutions and forsakeness, for the sake of God.
Remember Sirach 2:1, says, “My child, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal”. The last man standing is a coinage for those who remain steadfast on the path of truth and righteousness, without minding whose ox is gored. They call a spade a spade. They call blue blue and no force can change their views. The scripture refers to them as those who do not conform to the standard of the world. (cf. Rom.12:2)
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LAST MAN STANDING MENTALITY.
In the Language of Rev Fr Chidubem Ohaeri, they are:
(1) CONVINCED IN THEIR CONVICTIONS
(2)BELIEVE IN THEIR BELIEF
(3)FAITHFULNESS TO THEIR FAITH.
(1)THEY ARE CONVINCED IN THEIR CONVICTIONS
Conviction is from the Latin convincō (“to refute, prove”), from con- + vincō (“to conquer, to vanquish”).” The last man standing is a microcosm(an individual) who has conquered the macrocosm (world); not moved by the taste of worldly values and standards. (Rom.12:2). The convinced Christian is a conqueror who has mastery and control over the flesh, that even threats to exterminate the body cannot push him to act against his conviction. He can stand his ground and refute negative ideologies, lifestyle, promptings and persuasions to do evil and uphold one’s convictions through the power of the word of God (cf.Titus 1:9). Most times the last man standing is seen standing alone when others are sitting. They appear odd and unconventional. Daniel is bequeathed with such grace. The threats of being thrown into the lion’s den moved him not against his conviction (cf. Dan. 6:3).
(2) THEY BELIEVE IN THEIR BELIEF.
There is a saying that, “most African Christians were baptized not converted”. The feasibility of this assertion is felt in our belief system. When the going gets tough, with the raging storm, most children of God are easily blown off by whirlwind. Most believers change their Creed from ” I believe in one God”, to “I believe in the native doctors”; seeking help anytime, anyhow and anywhere; bowing before many deities, shrines, occult groups in the name of solution. The last man standing is not a man of double standards, especially, in his beliefs. Shedrack, Meshack and Abednego belong to this group. The never gave in to Nebuchadnezar who can only harm the body (Dan.3:25,40).
Young people who are seeking grades with sex and money, open doors by all means, business connections/contacts before evil shrines, earning promotion, appointments and employment through carnal/kind gestures, should like Shedrack and colleagues, learn to swim against the current. This can be achieved by believing firmly in our beliefs.
(3) THE ARE FAITHFUL TO THEIR FAITH.
Faith is a perfect antidote of fear. Where faith exists, fear disappears, and vice versa. That is why Heb.11:6, says, “we cannot please God without faith”. Faithfulness ensures trust and guarantees acceptance. The last man standing is a person who is faithful to the faith. Even the exigencies of life and facticities of being cannot distract his mission. In our relationship with God, faithfulness is required. Patience sustains faithfulness. The disposition of patient endurance guarantees the measure of our faithfulness to God. Joseph’s journey to fame and universal governorship, is a model of faithfulness to God. Even hardship and quest for survival, never compelled him to act against his faith. (Cf. Gen.39-45). He waited upon the Lord and like the eagle, mounted on his wings.(Is.40:31).
JEREMIAH’S PARADIGM OF THE LAST MAN STANDING
The first reading, taken from the prophecy of Jeremiah, reflects on the sufferings of the believer, who remained standing while others sat against the principles of Yahweh, Jeremiah. He was convinced in his convictions, believed firmly in God and remained faithful, trusting in the power of God while he faced oppositions in the mission.
Intimidations and active hostility never stopped or sat him down. Rather, he was unafraid to speak out (prophetai), in the name of the Lord. He did not allow friends to seduced him into error. His ardent faith, belief and convictions in proclaiming the words given to him by Yahweh, were boldly expressed.
Nevertheless, Jeremiah was confident that God would not let his enemies overcome him. He declared, “But the Lord is with me, like a mighty Champion: my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.”
JEREMIAH’S MODEL OF THE LAST MAN STANDING IS ATTESTED TO IN THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURAL PUNCTUATIONS OF HIS BOOK:
●Jeremiah’s Call…………..=Jer.1:5
●Charge not to fear opposition
…………………………………….=Jer.1:8
●Authority to work with Authority and power…………………………….=Jer.1:10
●God’s promise of defence/protection ……………………..=Jer.1:19
●The command not to marry and remain alon…………………… =Jer.16:2
●The resolve not to prophesy again/the consequent burns on the marrows to keep prophesying…………=Jer.20;9
●Jeremiah’s experience of forsakenness and cursing of his birth date………………………………..=Jer.20:14
●Disgrace in the temple by Hannaniah……………………….=Jer.28
●Pashur’s intimidation……..= Jer.34
●Vindication of Jeremiah(His prophecies came through with the Babylonian exile)………….=Jer.52:25-34
From the above examples of Jeremiah’s suffering, we learn how impossible it appears for us Christians to please God or do the will of God without suffering. Our firmness and resilience to our faith, belief and convictions qualify us with the esteemed title: “THE LAST MAN STANDING”.
SONG:
ONYE NWE ANYI MEE
KA IME UCHE GI BURU
NRI M, KA AGURU IME
UCHE GI CHUBEM URA…
STANDING ALONE FOR THE TRUTH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
According to Edmund Burke, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for the good men to do nothing”. The incessant battle between good and evil; light and darkness; the faithful and unfaithful, convinced and unconvinced, believers and non believers and in entirety, children of God and agents of darkness has never ceased, because our merciful God allows both the wheat and tares to coexist (cf. Mtt.13:24-30)
For us to win this war, there is need to imitate Jeremiah, who was CONVICNCED, FAITHFULNESS, and BELIEVED in God who called him(Jer.1:5).
HE UNCOMPROMISINGLY REMAINED THE LAST MAN STANDING in his entire prophetic apostolate.
We too, should rise up from our stupor and wage war against evil around us. Hostilities, rifts, property and land disputes thrive in most families, communities and organisations, etc., because many Christians have refused to stand up against evil.
●CHETAKWA NA IKPE ANAGHI AMA EZIOKWU..
● IKPE MAKWARANU EZIOKWU RIRI NGARI… RIKWAA AKA AZU
Sometimes we are afraid of standing alone, because of the fear of those who can only kill the body…
The psalmist in today’s Responsorial Psalm (Cf. Ps 69), enjoined us to trust in God when we are misunderstood and ill-treated. In the second reading, Paul assures us not to be afraid of opposition, through opposition and suffering, we are united and equally share in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the new Adam. Remember today’s antidote from Jesus: “fear not! Fear not! Fear not!
A story was told of the fearless St. John Chrysostom, that when the Emperor threatened banishment for preaching the Gospel, Chrysostom responded to the threat by saying that the emperor could not do so, “because the whole world is my Father’s Kingdom.” “Then,” replied the emperor, “I will take away your life.” To which Chrysostom said, “You cannot, for my life is hid with Christ in God.” Next threatened with the loss of his treasure, this saint replied, “You cannot, for my treasure is in Heaven where my heart is.” The emperor made one last effort: “Then I will drive you away from here and you shall have no friend left.” But again, St. John Chrysostom responded, “You cannot, for I have one Friend from whom you can never separate me. I defy you, for you can do me no harm.” — You can do me no harm!
Ohhh, what a fearless and bold warrior! A great giant who desired to join the persecuted band of the apostles, the noble company of prophets and white-robed army who shed their blood for Christ, by STANDING ALONE for the Gospel.
Finally, the scripture has given us 365 antidotes of fear: “Do not be afraid” for EVERY LAST MAN STANDING on the path of righteousness and truth; one dosage each per day, for the 365 days that make up one year.
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