4th Sunday, Year B: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Theme: Harden not your heart to God’s Word

Readings: Deut. 18:15–20; 1 Cor 7:32–35; Mk. 1:21b-28

Dear friends in Christ, on this fourth Sunday of the year, the Church calls our attention to our Lord Jesus’ authority and the power of His word in the lives of those who have opened their hearts to accept it.

In today’s first reading, Moses, who was nearing the end of his life, reminded the people of Israel that God promised to raise a prophet like him from among them. The tasks of this prophet among his people are quite important. First, Moses stated that God will put his words in the mouth of this prophet, who will tell the people what God has directed him to say, without exception. Second, Moses stated that everybody who heard the prophet’s words must heed them, and anyone who fails to do so would be held accountable by God. This is a wake-up call to all those who ignore God’s word/message and those who have closed their hearts to it. The psalm of today encourages us all not to harden our hearts as we listen to God’s words today. Third, this reading sounds a warning to all false prophets: those who speak in God’s name when God has not spoken to them, those who lead people astray with their teachings and prophesies, and those who fool people with false miracles. It warns them of the repercussions of their conduct, which is death.

According to Acts of the Apostles 3:22 and 7:37, Jesus is the fulfilment of God’s promise to send another prophet, which Moses mentioned in the first reading. Then, in today’s gospel, we see Jesus preaching the word of God to his audience with authority, exactly as Moses said this prophet would do. Jesus is more than just a prophet; He is the Word of God who has become flesh and lives among us; He is God himself.

Particular attention should be placed on what the people who heard the word of Jesus did and the effect his word made on them. Recall that Moses admonished in the first reading that everyone who heard the word of the new prophet must heed to it. There must be a positive effect in the life of anyone who heeds to the Word of Jesus. When the crowd saw how amazing Jesus’ words were and the authority with which he taught them, they were astonished and opened their hearts to his teaching. When they recognized the authority of Jesus and accepted his teaching, the devil lost its grip on their lives, and, instantly, a man in their midst who had unclean spirit was liberated of it. Such is the power of God’s word in the lives of those who welcome it. The word of God is effective in the lives of those who recognize its authority and power and open their hearts to receive it. It liberates them from them everything that is not of God in their lives, it drives away from their lives all manner of jealousy, hatred, anger, envy, addictions, compulsions, confusions, selfishness, resentment, hostility, etc., and, then, it restores them to the life of grace. The powerful Word of Jesus also restores good health to those who are physically sick. Let us open our hearts and welcome this Word today, obeying its commands.

In the second reading, St Paul used the authority of the word of God to direct the lives of the people of Corinth, liberating them from the confusion many of them were having about the vocation to choose for their lives. Many of them didn’t know whether to choose the vocation to the married life or to the celibate life in God’s service. With the word of God, Paul opened to them what each of the vocations required. Dear friends, the Word of God liberates, heals, restores and directs the lives of the people on the right choice to make about their lives.

People who open their hearts to this word and the authority of Jesus will always experience spiritual and physical healing or liberation. For this reason, the psalm of today invites all of us not to harden our hearts against the word of God and its requirements in our lives anytime it is preached to us. Therefore, starting from today, let us open our hearts and welcome the good news of the gospel.

Peace be with you.

Fr Isaac C. Chima