Daily homily for Saturday of the 27th week in Ordinary Time Cycle
Theme: Rejoice in the Lord
By: Fr. Francis Onwunali
Homily for Saturday October 9 2021
The responsorial verse, “Rejoice in the Lord you who are righteous, and praise His Holy Name” (Ps. 97: 12), summarizes the message of today’s readings. Doing God’s will brings us joy! Our goal in life, the very reason we were created in the first place, is for union with God, which entails doing God’s will.
In the first reading (Joel 4: 12-21), the prophet Joel proclaims the “Day of the Lord” as the day of harvest. With the “sickle”, the Lord will reach out to reap and gather to Himself those who have remained steadfast in faith. The Lord will be a shelter and stronghold for His people, but the wicked will experience desolation. Where do you stand in relationship with God?
In the gospel (Luke 11: 27-28), Jesus confirms the statement made by a woman from the crowd: “blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast you sucked”, by saying that His mother, Mary, is happier for doing the will of God. For Jesus, the source of all true blessedness or happiness is union with God in heart, mind and will.
Dear friends, God’s love is everlasting and those who hold Him in fear rejoices in His love. Doing God’s will draws us closer to The Sun of Justice, Who brightens the darkness of our lives and fills us with joy. The only sin that cannot be forgiven is the sin against the Holy Spirit, which is deliberate rejection of salvation, the action of the Holy Spirit in renewing our lives. How open am I to the Holy Spirit for guidance in doing God’s will?
I pray as we journey in life today, we will not be driven by our selfish desires, but like the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, may doing the will of God be our delight. May our doing the will of God be our response to God Who first loved us. “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we shall come to him” (John 14: 23).
May the grace of God, rich in mercy, guide you in doing God’s will, thereby giving you complete joy and satisfaction. Have a joy-full day!
Fr. Francis Onwunali