*HOMILY FOR AUGUST 1 - MEMORIAL OF SAINT ALPHONSUS LIGUORI, BISHOP AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH*
Jeremiah 26: 11-16, 24; Psalm 69: 15-16, 30-31, 33-34; Matthew 14: 1-12
*THE RISKY VOCATION*
The homily will be based on the normal reading and not on the readings for the Memorial. Once again we are reminded that not everyone wants to hear the God’s Word. Being a bearer of Good News of God’s kingdom can be a risky vocation. It has been, and will continue to be. It is a risky vocation because many Christians have rejected the truth. I am not talking about the pagans and atheists rejecting the Good news of God’s kingdom. Rather, I am talking about fellow Christians rejecting the Words of God both in words and in actions. The worst is the Priests being angry because their fellow priests preached the truth as it is in the Scriptures. Are you surprised?
The people of Israel are about to put Jeremiah to death because he has prophesied a possible end to Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. Remember that it was the Priests and prophets that commanded the people to take hold of Jeremiah and kill him. The priests and false prophets complain to the people of Judah about Jeremiah’s message of doom and destruction. But God touched the people and the princes to ask Jeremiah why he did so. Jeremiah defends himself saying that he is only doing what God has commanded him to do. He tells the people that if they reform their lives and seek the Lord, the Lord may relent of the punishment predicted against Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The people come to side with Jeremiah against the priests and false prophets. You see the reason why you should not be surprised if priests living in the Rectory are quarreling. Though it is an act of shame. The priests and prophets who suppose to support Jeremiah are the people calling for his death. It is still happening now: between Catholics and Anglican, Catholics and Protestants; even among Catholic Priests themselves, among Protestant Pastors themselves, among Anglican Pastors themselves, and so on. THIS IS JEALOUSY IN GOD’S HOUSE.
The psalm parallels another time when Jeremiah’s enemies threw him into a cistern and he sank into the mud until he was rescued. The psalmist thanks God for divine protection from those who seek his life. Praise is the response of those whose prayers have been answered by God.
The Gospel talks about John the Baptist, the precursor of the Lord Jesus, who challenged royalty and spoke against evil. Herod hears about Jesus and believes that Jesus is the resurrected John the Baptist whom Herod had put to death. Herod had earlier imprisoned John because John had spoken out against Herod’s relations with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod has recently executed John the Baptist because of a promise made publicly to Salome, the daughter of Herodias.
Being a bearer of God’s message can be not only an unappreciated vocation; but also it can result in pain and suffering, even death. Yet, those who seek to fulfill God’s calling to proclaim God’s Word are willing to suffer the consequences of that vocation. Few of us want to suffer or endure hardships, or even surrender all that we have, even if it is to God. As humans we have a desire for what we think is self-preservation. Yet, sometimes being a disciple of the Lord Jesus leads us to a point where we have to make a decision to be faithful to sharing His message with others, even if it results in UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES FOR OURSELVES, and thus to surrender our own wills. This is a calling all of us have as faithful followers of the Lord Jesus. We may not be thrown into muddy cistern, or have threats against our lives, or be beheaded, but we are still called to put our faith into action and share with others the Good News we have heard, and surrender our total being to God.
Many a time, it is harder to be a Messenger of God’s message and surrender to God’s plan in the common, ordinary events of our daily life. When we are faced with busy schedules and people who demand time of us, it is hard to live a life that is Good News. Similarly when we face the death of a loved one, even an elderly suffering parent, or the surgery of a family member, it is not always easy to be a beacon of light and joy to others. We sometimes are overwhelmed by the bad news, pain, and tragedies in our lives. Yet, that is the very time we must realize our calling to be prophets of God. It is then that we can give example to others that we have surrendered to God and have placed our complete faith in a God Who hears the cry of those who lift their voices to heaven.
Being a witness to Gospel values may not be something heroic. It often means living our normal lives in a way which conveys our beliefs in a loving, caring God. It means bringing a hopeful smile or speaking a positive word to someone who needs reassurance. It also entails being able to give praise to God in the midst of our troubles (such as the COVID’19 pandemic, Fulani Herdsmen Killing, Boko Haram, Non-payment of salaries and so on) as the psalmist today says: “But even though I am afflicted and in pain. . .I will praise the name of GOD in song, and I will glorify GOD with thanksgiving.”
Today, we celebrate Feast of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri. Universally, it is a memorial. For those who have him as Patron Saint, it their Feast. Saint Alphonsus Ligouri was known above all as a practical man who dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure. Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it all.
*MEDITATION* In what particular aspects of my life must I surrender the most to God? How can I be proclaimer of Good News to the people whom I meet today?
*PRAYER* Lord God, through the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, give us the strength and courage to risk everything in proclaiming Your hope-filled message to the people whom we encounter daily. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
© Rev Utazi Prince Marie Benignus SFDPM
Jeremiah 26: 11-16, 24; Psalm 69: 15-16, 30-31, 33-34; Matthew 14: 1-12
*THE RISKY VOCATION*
The homily will be based on the normal reading and not on the readings for the Memorial. Once again we are reminded that not everyone wants to hear the God’s Word. Being a bearer of Good News of God’s kingdom can be a risky vocation. It has been, and will continue to be. It is a risky vocation because many Christians have rejected the truth. I am not talking about the pagans and atheists rejecting the Good news of God’s kingdom. Rather, I am talking about fellow Christians rejecting the Words of God both in words and in actions. The worst is the Priests being angry because their fellow priests preached the truth as it is in the Scriptures. Are you surprised?
The people of Israel are about to put Jeremiah to death because he has prophesied a possible end to Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah. Remember that it was the Priests and prophets that commanded the people to take hold of Jeremiah and kill him. The priests and false prophets complain to the people of Judah about Jeremiah’s message of doom and destruction. But God touched the people and the princes to ask Jeremiah why he did so. Jeremiah defends himself saying that he is only doing what God has commanded him to do. He tells the people that if they reform their lives and seek the Lord, the Lord may relent of the punishment predicted against Jerusalem and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The people come to side with Jeremiah against the priests and false prophets. You see the reason why you should not be surprised if priests living in the Rectory are quarreling. Though it is an act of shame. The priests and prophets who suppose to support Jeremiah are the people calling for his death. It is still happening now: between Catholics and Anglican, Catholics and Protestants; even among Catholic Priests themselves, among Protestant Pastors themselves, among Anglican Pastors themselves, and so on. THIS IS JEALOUSY IN GOD’S HOUSE.
The psalm parallels another time when Jeremiah’s enemies threw him into a cistern and he sank into the mud until he was rescued. The psalmist thanks God for divine protection from those who seek his life. Praise is the response of those whose prayers have been answered by God.
The Gospel talks about John the Baptist, the precursor of the Lord Jesus, who challenged royalty and spoke against evil. Herod hears about Jesus and believes that Jesus is the resurrected John the Baptist whom Herod had put to death. Herod had earlier imprisoned John because John had spoken out against Herod’s relations with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod has recently executed John the Baptist because of a promise made publicly to Salome, the daughter of Herodias.
Being a bearer of God’s message can be not only an unappreciated vocation; but also it can result in pain and suffering, even death. Yet, those who seek to fulfill God’s calling to proclaim God’s Word are willing to suffer the consequences of that vocation. Few of us want to suffer or endure hardships, or even surrender all that we have, even if it is to God. As humans we have a desire for what we think is self-preservation. Yet, sometimes being a disciple of the Lord Jesus leads us to a point where we have to make a decision to be faithful to sharing His message with others, even if it results in UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCES FOR OURSELVES, and thus to surrender our own wills. This is a calling all of us have as faithful followers of the Lord Jesus. We may not be thrown into muddy cistern, or have threats against our lives, or be beheaded, but we are still called to put our faith into action and share with others the Good News we have heard, and surrender our total being to God.
Many a time, it is harder to be a Messenger of God’s message and surrender to God’s plan in the common, ordinary events of our daily life. When we are faced with busy schedules and people who demand time of us, it is hard to live a life that is Good News. Similarly when we face the death of a loved one, even an elderly suffering parent, or the surgery of a family member, it is not always easy to be a beacon of light and joy to others. We sometimes are overwhelmed by the bad news, pain, and tragedies in our lives. Yet, that is the very time we must realize our calling to be prophets of God. It is then that we can give example to others that we have surrendered to God and have placed our complete faith in a God Who hears the cry of those who lift their voices to heaven.
Being a witness to Gospel values may not be something heroic. It often means living our normal lives in a way which conveys our beliefs in a loving, caring God. It means bringing a hopeful smile or speaking a positive word to someone who needs reassurance. It also entails being able to give praise to God in the midst of our troubles (such as the COVID’19 pandemic, Fulani Herdsmen Killing, Boko Haram, Non-payment of salaries and so on) as the psalmist today says: “But even though I am afflicted and in pain. . .I will praise the name of GOD in song, and I will glorify GOD with thanksgiving.”
Today, we celebrate Feast of Saint Alphonsus Ligouri. Universally, it is a memorial. For those who have him as Patron Saint, it their Feast. Saint Alphonsus Ligouri was known above all as a practical man who dealt in the concrete rather than the abstract. His life is indeed a practical model for the everyday Christian who has difficulty recognizing the dignity of Christian life amid the swirl of problems, pain, misunderstanding and failure. Alphonsus suffered all these things. He is a saint because he was able to maintain an intimate sense of the presence of the suffering Christ through it all.
*MEDITATION* In what particular aspects of my life must I surrender the most to God? How can I be proclaimer of Good News to the people whom I meet today?
*PRAYER* Lord God, through the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit, give us the strength and courage to risk everything in proclaiming Your hope-filled message to the people whom we encounter daily. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
© Rev Utazi Prince Marie Benignus SFDPM
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