HOMILY FOR SUNDAY: 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A
Angels from the realms of glory, Wing your flight o'er all the earth; Ye who sang creation's story, Now proclaim Messiah's birth: Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King! Shepherds, in the fields abiding, Watching o'er your flocks by night, God with man is now residing, Yonder shines the infant Light; Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King! Sages, leave your contemplations, Brighter visions beam afar; Seek the great desire of nations, Ye have seen His natal star; Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King! Saints before the altar bending, Watching long in hope and fear, Suddenly the Lord, descending, In His temple shall appear: Come and worship, Come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn King!
HOMILY FOR SUNDAY: 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: To Fear God Is Better Than To Fear Man
BY: Fr. Emmanuel Nwokeji.
HOMILY: Readings; Matt. 10:26-33, Jer. 20:10-13, Rom. 5:12-15.
Necessary Being is one of the terms which Christian thought has sought to define the difference between God and man. The notion of necessary being, applied to God and withheld from man, indicates that God and man differ not merely in the characteristics which they possess but, more fully in their mode of existence. God is the only necessary being. He has no beginning or end. He is the creator of all creatures, the sovereign God with supreme authority. Thus, we must fear Him and seek for his approval in all dimensions.
Every mission or journey to a new place or undertaken demands some requirement and basic instruction. In the Old Testament before the setting of feet into the promise land, Moses took time to instruct the people of God. Admonishing them as attested in Deut. 10:12-13; Moses presented what the Lord our God required of us. To fear Him – total surrender and submission to God. To live in accordance to the will of God. To serve the Lord with our all hearts and souls, and to obey all the requirements the Lord had imposed for our good.
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Jesus in sending out the apostles like sheep in the midst of wolves who desire to devour, destroy and persecute instructed them in these words: “Have no fear of men…” “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell”. “Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows”. Jesus like Moses is calling us to fear God, trust in Him and obey or confess Him for our good. The Lord who called you to fear Him, obey Him and confess Him will not leave you or forsake you (Deut. 31:6). If God is your helper, there is no need to fear what man can do to you. Man is finite being, all man’s material achievements are finite. Man’s reward and punishment to another is finite. Every thing man has acquired in this world will not be enjoyed by him as soon as he fizzles out of this world.
The fear of man ensnares us and hinders us from sharing the Gospel truth. It demoralises us from confronting the evil of our friends, and brothers, sisters. As ministers of the word of God, it ceases us from taking radical and honest decisions so as not to loose our parishioners. It is really a snare for those who want to be saved (Prov. 29:25).
Man is a desiring being, desiring for approval. The source and means to desire this approval should not via fear of man. We fear people who have most authority over us only to gain human approval and God’s disapproval. What is our profit if we gain the worldly things, recognition, position, approval etc. and displeases God whose approval is the ultimate?
Jesus is commanding us today to seek for eternal reward and God’s approval than man’s fleeting reward and approval. To fear God’s eternal condemnation than man’s temporary punishment. To embrace temporary shame of the worldly government than eternal shame of God. To embrace temporary false accusations of the earthly authorities than eternal accusation in the hell and all similar circumstances that will lead us to offend God.
Once you have decided to fear God, be ready to care about what God thinks than what others think. As we sought the approval of God in all we do, may God be for us and with us when the world is against us.
Happy Sunday.
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