YEAR B: HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (2)

YEAR B: HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: BE A WAKEFUL CHRISTIAN

BY: REV FR IGBODEKWE LIVINUS C.

HOMILY:
Christ and Paul are always admonishing their followers to be wakeful. For instance Jesus in Matt 26:41 says we must watch and pray. Paul in Eph 5:14 says “awake o sleeper… ”
What actually does it refer to? There are types of wakefulness:
A. Physical wakefulness : your eyes are still open and of course you are very much on alert.
B. Mental wakefulness: the eyes goes to sleep before the mind. This is why you could still hear your name when not yet deep asleep. Your mind is still functioning.
C. Spiritual wakefulness: staying connected with God and being aware of sin lurking at the corner knowing that the devil is roaring around (1 Pet 5:8).
This last type explains what Paul means in the first reading when he says “stay steady and without blame.” Remaining in pure, orthodox teaching which he had preached to them and not give way for heretic preachers.
The same spiritual wakefulness applies to the Gospel. Jesus first exhorts about being awake and then goes on to tell about the honest and dishonest stewards. This means that staying honest is staying wakeful. This is because the honest servant was focused on the duty of keeping the household though he doesn’t see the Master physically coming any sooner. Unlike the other servant.
Dear friends, let us be aware that our enemy the devil is very much around. He wants us to be spiritually drowsy so that he may sow the seed of impurity, malice and drunkenness in our souls.

Let’s watch and pray as the Master hastily returns. Amen!