Catholic homily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B
Theme: The mission of Jesus Christ against mission satan
By: Fr. Emmanuel Nwokeji.
Homily for Sunday June 27 2021
Wis.1:13-15,2:23-24, 2Cor.8:7,9,13-15. Mk. 5:21-43.
God is the author of life. He created the world and all in it. Everything found in the 3rd planet; the earth were created to enhance the life of man.
God made man to love, know, worship and live with Him in the next life. It is God’s wish that when our earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for us in heaven. The death that turns human life to be in the heavenly abode of God, also turn human life to hell fire; abode of satan. Spiritual death (condition of soul that willfully and gravelly sinned against God) was brought by satan; enemy of life. Satan was, is and will always be envious about man. How can this man after enjoying good things created by God on earth, will still come to the heavenly dwelling to live happily with God?. Satan decided to plant sorrow, steal, kill and destroy human life on earth. With deception, satan will do all things to fulfill his mission.
To fulfill this mission of stealing, killing and destroying satan introduced sin (disobeying what God’s command) to humanity. Sin brings God’s wrath and wages for sin is death (Rom. 6:23). If satan wishes to steal, kill and destroy us, it is made possible by deceiving us to commit and remain in sin.
For satan to fulfill the mission of stealing, killing and destroying of life, human beings are made agents or instruments of satan. The moment we become agents of satan, our lives become an avenue for killing and destroying others.
We can be Agents of Envy: those possessed by spirit of envy and greedy. Characters like Cain (Gen.4:1-16) whose thoughts, words and deeds lead to murder.
We can be Agents of Laziness: an idle man is devil’s workshop. Devil got hold of the first Eve because she was idle. But couldn’t get hold of the Second Eve; Blessed Virgin Mary because she was always at service of God in the temple. Those in the first Eve’s boat; lazy men and women, it is time to enter the boat of Second Eve.
Many Christians are lazy to stay with God, lazy to conceive holy thought. Every moment they conceive evil thought like Joseph’s brothers on how to kill and destroy others.
Lazy to do something for God. Procrastination is the thief of time. Some people are for both God and satan, black and White. They work for God or as God’s ministers and, are same time being used by satan or agents of satan. Spirit of God is not a spirit that procrastinate the ought to be done. But the spirit of devil procrastinate until it is all over. Make the world, Church building, parish house and life a better place, but we keep on dwelling on procrastination.
We can be Agents of Lies: those who tell lies against others, lies that make people to hate the innocents. For example, the lies of Pontiphars’s wife against Joseph, lies two old evil men against Susana. Pastors against their fellow pastors. Priests against their fellow priests. Christians against their fellow Christians. Even marketers of goods telling lies about their products, which can lead to massive destruction.
When we allowed satan or agents of satan to touch us, or touch satan and his agents, our lives will be stolen, killed and destroyed. Even when politicians who are agents of satan touched you or you touched them, your life is draining. Any country, state or society where satan or agents of satan are in touch, analyze for yourself.
However, today’s Good News from the Gospel of Mark 5:21-43 demonstrates the mission of Jesus Christ against mission satan. The two healing miracles performed by Jesus Christ reassured us that Jesus has come that we may have life abundantly. The woman who had flow of blood for twelve years and, Jairus daughter who died at age of twelve touched and was touched by Jesus Christ respectively, were restored to good state of life. With faith we can touch Jesus and be healed.
For Jesus to touch us or for us to touch Jesus, we need to walk away from occasion sin and convocation of disbelievers for It is the primary condition that boast our faith in God. The woman with flow of blood left all the disbelieving people and environment in other to come to occasion of salvation. Jesus left behind those who were weeping, wailing loudly and laughing at His word in other to restore the little girl’s life.
My dear child of God, if we must experience or witness God’s healing, let us go to the place where we can touch Jesus.
May God grant us the grace to seek being in touch with Him. May God’s touch through His word and sacrament be enough to solve our problems, heal our infirmities and give us fullness of life.
Happy Sunday!
Fr. Emmanuel Nwokeji.