YEAR II: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME(1)

YEAR II: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

HOMILY THEME: HE HAS DONE ALL THINGS WELL!

BY: Fr. Ben Agbo

HOMILY: * 1 Kg 11: 29 – 12: 19, Mk 7: 31 – 37.
‘And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and said to him, “Ephphata”, that is, “Be opened”. In the case of Lazarus, the Bible recorded that Jesus wept at the sight of the tears and agony of people around him, crushed by the ravaging effects of sickness and death. In the case of today’s gospel, Jesus sighed, looking at the frustration caused by the impediments of deafness and dumbness to the human existential project. In both cases, Jesus proves one thing: that he has ‘come that they may have life and have it abundantly’, Jn 10: 10. Yes, ‘He has done all things so well. He makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak’ as prophesied by Isaiah, Is 35: 5.

The mission of Christ is a mission of restoration of the house of Israel (children of God) torn apart by the forces of rebellion and disobedience as we find in today’s 1st reading: ‘So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day’. (Read how the Northern tribes broke up under Jeroboam – a minister of State under King Solomon and would never again be healed, 1 Kg 12 :19).That is why it is not strange even today, as America recognizes the restoration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Christians who know the Bible marvel at how almost all parts of the scriptures are gradually squaring up together.

We (present day Christians) need to help Christ actualize his mission to restore all things. We are the light of the world and salt of the earth, Matt 5 : 14 to give illumination to our world full of darkness and give decency to our world that is full of corruption. May God bless you today!