YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: GOD’S GRACE IS SURE, YET WE MUST BE READY
BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: MEMORIAL OF JOHN PAUL II,
YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: GOD’S GRACE IS SURE, YET WE MUST BE READY
BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU
HOMILY: MEMORIAL OF JOHN PAUL II, PP.
READINGS: ROMANS 5:12.15b.17-19.20b-21, PSALM 40, LUKE 12:35-38
How I love this emphatic Pauline statement: “Where sin increased, God’s grace increased much more” (Rom. 5:20b). How many times haven’t we heard people saying; ‘I couldn’t just resist the temptation? How often have we not heard people complain of how impossible it is to lead virtuous lives so long as we are in this world? How many times have we not ourselves failed God by giving into sin effortlessly whilst excusing ourselves on grounds of concupiscence and our frailty? How often have we forgotten about the abounding graces of God in us? Just how many times have we ridiculed the image of God in us? Tell me, my beloved children in the Lord! How many times?
Gathered before God’s throne of mercy therefore are a people who should be truly sorry and contrite at heart for FAILING God and his Son Jesus Christ who lavishly pours his grace upon us always. Indeed, here before me I see a repentant people, men and women ready to amend their ways, stand with God’s grace, oppose sin and live as SAVED people. For wherever sin increased, the inflow of God’s grace increased superlatively. In fact, I see before God’s sanctuary a people who have made up their minds never to be old schooled again. I see men and women, young and old, rich and poor, literate and ignorant who are on course to transverse from the ‘Adamic’, ‘Old School’ and ‘Analogue Age’ of sin, death, retrogression and slavery into the ‘New School’ of Christ; the ‘Computer Age’ of righteousness, New Life, progress and freedom.
How best can we transverse from the age of Adam to that of Christ? Just how can we exit our various ‘Egypts’ – lands of slavery to sin and pain and possess Canaan – land of freedom and happiness? Jesus gives us the answer in Luke 12:35-38; that we always be on our heels living righteously as we await his coming. When we wait expectantly for the Lord not knowing when he’d come, we are sure not to be swayed by the transient things of this life. We are sure not to be held back by Adam – sin and disobedience nor Egypt – slavery and pain. A people who wait for the Lord always ready themselves with their credentials in check and the lamps of their lives always burning with virtue.
Today therefore, I see before the Lord a people who are up and ready to journey with Jesus. I see a people who care less about when the Lord will come because they are all ready and waiting for him. I say this because I suppose we’ll resolve from today never to tilt towards sin and its allurements but to embrace the ever abiding and superfluous grace of God and so live with our loins girded and ready to welcome Christ. May God grant us the right disposition towards his grace now and always. May the life and times of John Paul II inspire us to love PRAYER (rosary especially), forgive our aggressors, serve God come what may and die loving one another. Amen and amen.
Do FEED and EDUCATE ONE
