24TH SUNDAY, YEAR B: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE
THEME: “ON THE SIDE OF THE CROSS, ON THE SIDE OF GOD”
INTRODUCTION:
In the movie, Mother Theresa, shows her looking over a house being prepared for the Nuns in San Francisco. A priest narrates, “I was gently informed that the springs could go, the mattresses could go, the carpeting could go…” A worker then was busy trying to explain the workings of the building’s hot water heater, and the Nun lightly tells him, “I don’t think we will be needing it. For us to be able to understand the poor, we must know what poverty is.” My dear people of God, for us to understand God, we must know what the Cross is; we must embrace the Cross or the bodily sufferings that come to us for the sake of others. If we remove every trace of the Cross, every trace of suffering, and every trace of poverty from our lives, then we are gradually moving away from the side of God.
THE FIRST READING (IS. 50: 5–9)
In the first reading, Isaiah as a prophet of God faced many oppositions and tribulations; all was never so rosy for him. He even declared; I gave my back to those who struck me, I did not rebel, I did not turn back, and I never lost hope in God either. Such was later the case of Jesus as well. Here, we can deduce that your cross could be anything you suffer or choose to suffer for the sake of God, for the sake of preaching the gospel, for the sake of saying the truth, for the sake of justice and right. And that cross should never make you turn back from doing the good you are doing. The torments, ill words, the criticisms you face should not make you stop following the path of God’s law. And you should never doubt the Lord’s presence, his help and vindication when the time comes.
THE SECOND READING (JAM. 2: 14–18)
In the second reading, St. James drew our attention to the output of our faith, which should manifest in good works; good works in the family, good works in the society, good works in politics, good works in leadership and good works in the Church. The volume of corruption and evil in our country Nigeria poses a very big question mark on the volume of Christian and Islamic faith in the country. The low volume of good works in the Nigerian polity doesn’t correspond with the high volume of Christianity and Islam in the land. So where did we get it all wrong?
THE GOSPEL READING (MK. 8: 27–35)
In the gospel reading, Jesus denied himself and his divine powers, and insists that he would suffer many things, criticisms, rejection and even death on a Cross. But all these would not hinder him from doing his good works, doing all things well and carrying out his saving mission. He called us to deny ourselves certain rights and privileges like Mother Theresa and carry our Cross and follow him. Attempting to avoid or avert the Cross in our lives like Peter tried amounts to not being on the side of God but on the side of men and Satan.
CONCLUSION
What is your own cross? What can you deny yourself for the good of others and for the good of our Country Nigeria? What can you endure for the sake of love, peace and brotherhood? What can you deny yourself in order to touch other lives positively? Jesus denied himself of his powers and divinity to carry the Cross of humanity, the Cross of our sins, death and condemnation, that we may be saved. It is only when we understand and learn from Christ how to deny ourselves and carry our cross that we would do more good works for humanity and more corporal works of mercy for the salvation of our souls.
Happy Sunday!
Fr. Justin