YEAR B: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (1)

YEAR B: HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE EIGHTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: LET NOTHING SEPARATE YOU FROM GOD

BY: Fr. Benny Tuazon

HOMILY:

(Mk. 10:28-31) Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

In the day’s Gospel Peter told Jesus the sacrifice they had given for Him. As Jesus’ chosen apostles, they left their families which also entailed leaving their land and livelihood to follow Jesus wherever He goes. Jesus assured them that what they had done will not be in vain. That sacrifice will merit to something eternal.

Positions and titles have become mains aspirations of everyone. Even the apostles, at one point, were very concerned as to who would be first among them. Jesus stressed the importance of service over those concerns. Here, Jesus assured the apostles not to worry about their sacrifices. What they have done, that is to follow Jesus, would ensure them to be first. First here means to be in God’s favor.

Very relevant today is the attack against the Catholic Faith. This is not something new. Persecution had become constitutive of the Christian Faith. Rejection and ridicule, in a manner of saying, face every Christian everyday everywhere. To think that the Christian is commanded to love and make sacrifices. While a lot of times the Christian Faith goes against the prevailing and emerging modernity (contraception, abortion, same sex union, death penalty, euthanasia, etc. ), it is done out of love and the common good. In the process, Christians who profess their faith are on the receiving end. Jesus encouraged Christians to be willing to suffer. At times it will entail threatening their relations. But they should be steadfast for the sake of the faith.

Nothing should and can separate us from God. This is the message we have to send to the unbelievers and modern day badgers and bullies. We have to stir their interest in what we do and why we are doing what we are doing. Words and laws are not enough now to proclaim the Good News. We have to witness to others. Just like the what Jesus said to the apostles and how the early Christians were successful, they will be known by their love.

We continue to defend our faith. We must make extra effort to understand our faith. We must help others understand the faith. Catholics are considered weak because of their lack of understanding of the faith. Let us help each other know our faith. More importantly, let us live it the Holy Spirit will always guide us if we are open and interested.

I love this Church and I am proud to be Catholic!