Daily homily for Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Theme: Let us all Live by the Words that we teach and hear!
By: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
Homily for Wednesday October 13 2021
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Romans 1:16-25
Psalm 18:2-5
Luke 11:37-41
*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are all called to reflect on the words of the Lord that serves as reminder and warning to all of us to remain truly faithful to Him and not to be merely paying lip service and treating our faith as merely a formality and something that we do not truly believe in our hearts completely. We must truly devote ourselves to the Lord through commitment and effort, and follow Him at all times.
*FROM THE FIRST READING*
In our first reading today, we heard from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Church and the faithful in Rome in which he spoke of God’s truth, His Good News and salvation which He has brought into this world, and which He offered us freely and most generously, calling us all to embrace Him and His mercy, to be forgiven through repentance and the changing of our ways. We are called to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and turn towards Him without any doubts lingering in our hearts.
St. Paul spoke up strongly against all those who have heard about the Lord, known about Him and yet, they still refused to believe and even turned against Him, choosing worldly attractions and temptations, all the false idols of human desire and cravings, for power, glory, influence, fame and material wealth, for the pleasures of the body and other things that we are often surrounded and pampered with in this world, in their respective lives all these while.
*FROM THE GOSPEL READING*
In our Gospel passage today, we heard something similar regarding the conversation and interaction that the Lord had with a Pharisee who had invited Him to a meal. When that Pharisee wondered and asked why the Lord did not wash His hands before a meal, contextually what happened was that he was referring to the specific ritualistic washing that the Pharisees subscribed to in their very strict interpretation and enforcement of the Law of God.
*WHAT WE LEARN FROM THE READINGS OF TODAY!*
Dear Brethrens, today appearances and image have become hugely important, among young people especially. If people don’t look good they don’t think of themselves as good or worthwhile. Yet, those who have more experience of life know that, as Jesus declares, what is within is more important than what is without. As followers of the Lord we are constantly inviting the Spirit to renew us from within, to renew our hearts and our minds, so that they mirror in some way the heart and mind of Christ.
*CONCLUSION*
Let us all therefore be ever more faithful to God in all things, and let us dedicate ourselves each day with ever greater love for God and strive to be exemplary in our every actions throughout life so that we may be good examples as faithful Christians in showing one another how we ought to live our lives with faith from now on. May God bless each and every one of us in our every good efforts and endeavours, for His greater glory. Amen.
Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA