YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF 4TH WEEK OF EASTER (1)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF 4TH WEEK OF EASTER

HOMILY THEME: EARN YOURSELF A GOOD NAME

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF 4TH WEEK OF EASTER

HOMILY THEME: EARN YOURSELF A GOOD NAME

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

 

HOMILY: READINGS: ACTS 11:19-26, PSALM 87, JOHN 10:22-30

According to Richard J. Dillon, (in his commentary on Acts of the Apostles), the use of the name ‘Christian’ by outsiders attests that at Antioch, the “Christ-People” first stood out as a sect distinct from Judaism. For William Barclay, the title began as a nickname. The Antiochians were fond of finding sarcastic nicknames for people and followers of ‘some person’. (They once named Emperor Julian ‘the Goat’ because of his beard). In same fashion, they named the Gentiles and Jews in Antioch who lived like their master Jesus, Christians – Christ-folk. It was intended to be a contemptuous nickname but the Christians made it one of respect, admiration and of wonder; and today world over, followers of Christ are known and addressed as such.

The lives of these followers of Christ earned them the name we all are known by today. They were faithful sheep who knew and listened to their shepherd’s voice, who followed him, who bore witness to him, hence belonged to his flock. They led lives of worship, teaching and learning about their newly found faith; they loved themselves and were admired by all. Not knowing what name to give them, the Antiochians likened them to their master – Jesus Christ. Now comes my worry; given the raging dissensions, hate, enmity, gossip, backbiting, slander, character assassination, selfishness, avarice and lack of love among the Christian folk, do we qualify for the name Christian? Can we say we belong to the sheep of Christ? Do we listen to his voice – the call to love?

We may do well to follow Christ and be on the fore of his herd because three things are promised to the sheep of Christ: Eternal Life, they shall never Perish, and their lives will be forever Secure. To the truly Christian, Christ bestows immortality, he/she glories in the life of the blessed for Christ would give them safe passage to eternity. Moreover, to the truly Christian, insecurity is never a worry because Christ himself maintains that nothing will snatch them from his hand. Sorrow may come, sickness threaten, suffering and even physical death may befall us even as we are in Christ. However, in the darkest hour, despairing moment and in the sorest circumstance; we’d still be conscious of the everlasting arms of Christ shielding us from harm.

Be Christian, be good, earn yourself a good name.

HELP THE POOR FOLK AROUND YOU

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