YEAR A: HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (3)
BE LIKE MARY, HEARKEN TO GOD’S INVITATION
BY: Rev Fr Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: BE LIKE MARY, HEARKEN TO GOD’S INVITATION
BY: Rev Fr Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
READINGS: JUDGES 11:29-39, PSALM 40, MATTHEW 22:1-14
Today dear friends Christ reminds us of God’s open invitation to all of us. His salvation is free and his graces are gratuitously given. Moreover, he has given us hope which steers us onto eternity and according to Paul, this hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5). Whether we accept this invitation or not is left to us; God won’t coerce us into accepting it. What then is stopping us from attending the Lord’s feast? Is it work, business, family, pleasure or what? Is it selfishness, unnecessary hoarding of wealth to the detriment of others, pride, hate etc.? How many of us are too busy with our work, study, self, gadgets, social media, play and other mundane things that we forget to hearken to God’s call? DON’T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU FROM ATTENDING TO MATTERS RELATING TO GOD! NOTHING IS WORTH IT.
Mary whose Queenship we celebrate today never gave excuses as to why she won’t accept God’s message through Gabriel. She was not like the characters of our gospel passage who gave flimsy excuses for not being at the master’s feast. Her obedient docility earned her the exalted position of Queen of heaven and earth. She is God’s Mother, hence queen of heaven. The earth is God’s footstool, meaning his kingdom covers it too. Mary therefore doubles as Queen of the world. May I joyfully welcome you dear brethren to this day of the Lord, a day set aside to celebrate the Queenship of Mary. May I also pray that we have a share in the graces of God which Mary enjoys in fullness. Amen. Happy feast day!
We may observe that Mary was not born Queen. Her choice to embrace God’s will and participate in God’s plan of salvation is the reason she is Queen today. She is Queen courtesy of God’s grace which she won through her total obedience. She is Queen through her collaboration with Christ so as to establish God’s kingdom on earth; a thing she continually does pursuant to the instantiation of God’s kingdom in the hearts of all men. This goes on to say that our choices are determinants to our positions in God’s kingdom. Obedience and love of God’s commands are needful requisites for the positions of princes or princesses in heaven. Our obedience to God can win us his favour and graces which in turn would orchestrate our swift passage to God’s kingdom.
Mary, the humble handmaid of the Father, the faithful bride of the Spirit, the purest Mother of the divine Son should always model us in our faith journey. She teaches us the safest, quickest, surest etc, passage to the Kingdom of God; the Kingdom which riches or wealth, fame or power and the likes cannot buy. She teaches us that humble and obedient service to the author of us all are the indefatigable guarantors of places in eternity. If Mary was not born Queen but is Queen today courtesy of God’s grace won by her obedience; we too, though born lowly, poor, frail, incapacitated and weak can still share in Jesus’ kingship. Only we must do the needful; answer God’s call and obey same as did Mary. For this grace we pray through Christ our Lord…
HELP FEED AND EDUCATE THE POOR…
