YEAR A: HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 25TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: CLEAR YOUR CONSCIENCE

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

 

HOMILY: READINGS: HAGAI 1:1-8, PSALM 149, LUKE 9:7-9

åA clear conscience fears nothing and is always at peace regardless of whatever news, rumours or clamourings.
åA coarsened or an evil conscience however, is always worried and threatened by challenging news, rumours and the likes.
åClear your conscience of all bedevilling thoughts and live a free life now and always.

Today we see that Herod certainly had a guilty conscience because he’d murdered John at the request of Herodias’ daughter (Mt. 14:8). When he heard of Jesus’ ministry and some people erroneously told him it was John who rose from the dead (Lk. 9:7). Later in Luke’s gospel that Herod wanted to kill Jesus too (13:31) and when he saw Christ during his passion, he (Herod) could only mock Christ and treat him with contempt (Lk. 23:11). Indeed, Herod was a bad leader, a bad example, an unrepentant fellow; one who did nothing to correct his conscience but rather allowed it to be hardened all the more.

Today more than ever do we have people with coarsened consciences, have chosen to persist in their evil even when their consciences are visited daily by former guilt. According to Fr. Thomas Pazhayampallil, “Today, the numbing of consciences, their indifference to good and and evil, their deviation, are great threats to man. Indirectly, they are also threats to society…” The Psalmist in 95:7-8 invites us not to harden not our hearts when we hear God’s voice. Conscience is God’s voice in us and the heart is where that voice lies. We are called upon today to listen to God’s voice speaking to us as we make decisions; go about our daily activities and so on. We may do well never to be like Herod who let his conscience harden, he grew worse by the day and was never repentant of his past misdeeds. We may awaken our consciences by listening to God’s word and by constantly praying to him.

May I charge us in the words of Revelation 3:20 “Listen, I am standing at the door and knocking” to see and hear Christ knocking on the doors of our hearts and our consciences. He wants us to build him suitable and comfortable homes of rest in our hearts. If we are going to go by the message of Haggai 1:1-8, then we must accord God the primacy that he deserves in our lives.

Our priorities must be set right, from our innermost beings to our day to day activities, utmost devotion must be rendered to God. This is because, when God is forgotten, man is forgotten. We may want to build him a house before turning to our transient cares. Finally, we may do well to take of the physical Churches too, contribute to it’s beautification and growth so that God’s glory may dwell therein. When his glory is near, our well being is certified.

For the grace of a pure conscience; for the grace to accord God his deserved position in our lives and for the grace to take care of his house, the Church, we pray through Christ our Lord…

FEED AND EDUCATE ONE…

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