YEAR A: HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 7TH WEEK OF EASTER (2)

YEAR A: HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 7TH WEEK OF EASTER

HOMILY THEME: BE DIFFERENT; IT IS OKAY TO BE SO.

BY: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

HOMILY: READINGS: ACTS 20:28-38, PSALM 68, JOHN 17:11-19

Two times in today’s Gospel we hear Jesus say ‘we his followers do not belong to the world any more than himself does’ (Jn. 17:14 &16). He wouldn’t ask his Father to remove us from the world but he’d rather have God protect us from the wiles of the enemy, satan and his emissaries (vs.15). In all, Christ would want us his followers to be different from every other person in the world.
Beloved of God, for the Christian, it is okay to be different. It is admirable for the politician who professes faith in Christ but works with corrupt and rich comrades to choose to be different by not being corrupt. Even if every student cheats in written examinations so as to make good grades; it will be highly commendable for the christian student to study well and write his/her examinations devoid of cheating. How about business men and women who are believers and followers of Christ? Are they not obliged by their faith to avoid all forms of cheating, extortion and undue maximization of profit? Of course they are! Talk of Christian couples. Even if every other couple quarrel, fight, cheat or act in unfaithful ways; they mustn’t be like them, they’ve got to be different.
Dear friends in the Lord, if we are to go by Paul’s exhortation to the elders of the Church at Ephesus; we’d challenge all christian leaders and followers alike to be donors of charity and not just the beneficiaries. This falls back to our call to be different. To the worldly, always receiving help and favours from others is most welcome. However, to the faithful child of God more blessed is and shall always be the hand that gives than that which receives (Acts 20:35). How many of us Christians today believe in giving more than in receiving? May we be reminded and called to charity, a virtue most needed in our present day society.
May I challenge myself and all my fellow Christians to rise and live out their call. May I challenge us never to be cowards but learn to refute anything that opposes the truth, for Jesus today prayed that we be consecrated to the truth. May I invite the many Christians in public service to ‘Christianize’ their endeavours by being truthful, courageous, impartial, just, committed to their assigned duties and so on. May I further charge all of us to love where hate rages, to be peaceful when war prevails, to be selfless and altruistic in the face of greed and avarice; to be virtuous and holy even when those around are vicious and ungodly. May I call us all to be DIFFERENT, for it is okay to be different.
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