20TH FRIDAY HOMILY OF ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: TRUE LOVE CAN OVERCOME ALL CHALLENGES!
BY: Fr Francis Onwunali
Ruth 1:1.3-6.14b-16.22. Ps 146:5-6ab.6c-7.8-9a.9bc-10. Matt 22:34-40
The fifth glorious mystery of the Rosary- the Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Heaven – is the focus of our celebration today, Memorial of the Queenship of Mary. Following the Solemnity of Assumption, and since Mary, the Mother of God, was so closely associated with the redemptive work of her Son and is the Mediatrix of all graces, the title of Queen fittingly applies to her. To confirm this belief that has been in existence in the life of the Church, Pope Pius XII in the Encyclical, “Ad Caeli Reginam”, of 11 October, 1954, officially proclaimed the Queenship of Mary. She is ever present before God to intercede for us.
The Pauline theology and understanding of love as the greatest gift, whereby love conquers all things (cf. 1Cor. 13), reflects the central message of today’s readings. In the first reading (Ruth 1: 1, 3-6, 14-, 22), Ruth, in spite of the disastrous blow by the death of her husband, and the opportunity to go back to her kinsmen, chose in love, to faithfully remain with her mother in-law, Naomi. Hence, she said: “Do not ask me to abandon or forsake you! For wherever you go, I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” True love can overcome all challenges!
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Jesus, in today’s gospel (Matt. 22: 34-40), responds to the Pharisees who wanted to test Him on the commandments. The greatest commandment He said is: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Deut. 6: 5), and the second is “you shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev. 19: 18).
Dear friends, God is love, and everything God does flows from His love for us. Our love for God is only but a response to His exceeding goodness and kindness towards us, which is tangibly manifested in our love for others. True love consists of giving oneself for the good of others. Love, which seeks to please only oneself, is disodered and leads to many hurtful and sinful desires – jealousy, greed, envy, and lust. Where do you stand in life with love – for oneself alone or together with others?
I pray as we journey in life today, we will, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin May, be able to live our lives responding to God’s will. May we open our hearts and ask the Lord Jesus to flood our hearts with the gift of the Holy Spirit for freedom to love as He loves. May St. Paul’s admonition guides us: “For freedom Christ has set us free.. only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another” (Gal. 5: 1, 13). Have a love-full day!
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