YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: Dare to be Different: Stand out Like Noah.

BY: Fr. Evaristus Abu

HOMILY: “So the LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the ground, man and beast and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ But Noah found favour in the eyes of the LORD….Then the LORD said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.’” (Genesis 6:7 – 7:1)

Yesterday we read about the first murder ever recorded in the Bible. A man killed his own blood brother because he could not control his anger. This was just the beginning, the man that God created for which He said it was very good had now grown to have a heart filled with evil imaginations. God was sorry for the man He had made just as He was sorry after Saul failed as King of Israel.

However, amongst all the men that lived and amongst all the evil that had become so widespread in the surface of the world, one man stood out; one man found favour with God; His name was Noah.

The story of Noah teaches us one lesson: “IF YOU CANNOT BEAT THEM, DO NOT JOIN THEM.” Never commit a sin simply on the basis that “everyone is doing it.” Even if it happened to be true that everyone is doing it, why not become Noah? Why not live according to your conscience rather than follow the crowd?

It must have been difficult for Noah living in such a wicked world; he must have been the laughing stock of some while at the same time attracting to himself the hatred of others all because he was just not like them. But in the end, Noah’s difference paid off. He built the ark in obedience to God, saved his life and that of his family as well as the animals that followed him into the ark.

Our society today can be compared to the state of the world in the time of Noah. We hear all kinds of evil that people do, our phones never seem to get tired of bad news. Evil and immorality (corruption) have eaten deep into every facet of our society. The Church is not even spared. Government officials can now afford to spread fake news just to score political goals. For the sake of bribes, people’s lives are being wasted at our city’s borders just like that.

One question for you today is: “Would you dare to be different?” Do you plan to live your life following the popular script? Would you rather be the last man standing as far as holiness and Christian morality is concerned? Jesus told his disciples in today’s Gospel passage to avoid the yeast of the Scribes and Pharisees. Do not be a copy-cat. Do not do anything simply because so and so is doing it, let your actions be motivated by truth, righteousness and according to the mind of God.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, grant me the courage to always stand out for good. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Sixth Tuesday in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Genesis 6:5-8;7:1-5.10, Psalm 29 and Mark 8:14-21).