YEAR B: HOMILY FOR THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
HOMILY THEME: THE GRACE OF GOD ABIDES MORE AND SHOWS ITS POWER IN US IN OUR WEAKNESS.
BY: Rev. Fr. Callistus Emenyonu, cmf
Human beings are known to be frail and full of weaknesses and even as they struggle, they are not still immune to weakness and shortcomings. The weakness is both spiritual and physical (bodily) Since God so much loves humanity and made him little less than the gods and higher above the angels, he supports humans with special unction of his grace. This grace of God is lavished upon us especially when we do not know what to do or inclined to wrongs.
This will to help humanity in their weakness is still the reason for God’s call of Prophets and Teachers, Priests and Leaders to salvage the weak situation of humans especially when necessary. The first reading made us understand that despite the miraculous hand of God in their history and deliverance power from Egyptian bondage and the covenants made with Israel, yet Israel goes in the stubborn manner and rejection of God by their many attitudes of lack of faith and trust in God. Any human person would, looking at the attitude of the people of Israel abandoned and rejected them forever, yet as the Prophet said: As for Israel, I shall never rest until her vindication grows like a burning touch. Today in the first reading, God has gone ahead once more to demonstrate his enduring love and unflinching support to save the people he has chosen. God said to Ezekiel, I know the people of Israel among whom you come from and live are a stubborn group of people but it is not my will that they perish but that they may be saved. Stubborn as they are, I am sending you to them a nation of rebels to speak the words I have put in your mouth that they may know you are a prophet from me.
Beloved in Christ, God knows there are difficult tasks, yet he chooses human instrument to do it. What a privilege to be chosen by God to delve into hard grounds. He equips and prepares those he sends and grants them victory which only he has the criteria to judge its success not by human standards. You should be proud as Christians when chosen to go before the Lord as he did to John: As for you little child you shall be called a prophet of God the most High, to go ahead of him to prepare his ways before him, to make known to the people their salvation through the forgiveness of all their sins. Do not be dismayed but confidently go for the Lord does not abandon us when we are weak or faced with difficult situations.
This was the situation St Paul alluded to in the second reading when he found himself in a very difficult situation and noticed his human strength cannot save him in such weakness. Looking for solution, he for many times approached God through prayer and fasting but the ailment was not gone. He thinks such would forbid him and make him unqualified to do the work of God. God made it clear in his revelation to him that: My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Beloved it is very important that we may acknowledge our weakness that surpasses our human power and go to God in faith for solution. Our weakness is made strong by the powerful grace of God. Our weakness in right thinking and seeing the divine hand at work in others should not make us spite them and reject the divine work in operation in their lives. We cannot abuse and disparage any person from the knowledge of the person’s background for God surpasses all that and chooses what humans think contemptible and weak. When we do this, the miracle God has planned for us through such a person would elude us. May the grace of God help us see God at work in every situation and allow him to act for our good, May our eyes look unto the Lord till he shows us his mercy. When the proud and arrogant oppress us may we look up to God, Amen.
Rev. Fr. Callistus Emenyonu, cmf
