Fr. Ben’s homily for Tuesday of the 7th Week of Easter
Theme: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
By: Fr. Benedict Agbo
Homily for Tuesday May 18 2021
*Act 20 : 17 – 27, Jn 17 : 1 – 11.
Paul’s account sheet after his missionary work in Ephesus as recorded in today’s 1st reading was clean. According to him, he was innocent of the blood (or rather soul) of all his parishioners. He has done his best to preach the faith so so veritably in both word and deed that nobody could accuse him of any scandalous behavior. I don’t know how many of us priests can say that after working in a Parish for the usual tenure of 3 or 4 years. How many leaders can say this after their first tenure, that they have used public funds so impeccably that no one can accuse them of any form of fraud? How many parents can present such a clean record sheet even with regards to the training and custody of their families?
Also in today’s gospel, we see that Jesus’ mission statement was fully accomplished – The gospel of the grace of God has fully been expounded and he would soon seal it with his blood. He has taught his disciples and apostles so well about the kingdom and salvation message and no one can accuse him of any sin. Everyone is a stakeholder in this gospel of the grace of God. Let us ask ourselves how we have fared in accomplishing God’s mission in our lives.
Life is only lived wisely to the extent that it is geared towards eternal life – towards the gospel of Christ’s grace. When Christ finished his work on earth, he prayed for the Church – His followers whom he was leaving on earth. Jesus’ prayer was both a family prayer, a priestly prayer and a parting prayer. As the head of his family the Church, he blessed the Church and prayed for its unity. Jesus as God is prayed to but as a priest he prays for the Church and as a man he prayed for himself, his disciples and others. It was also a parting prayer like that of Jacob (Gen 49) and Moses (Deut 32). He summarized his mission in that priestly prayer – the mission of preaching the gospel of eternal life through the grace of God.
He defined eternal life simply as knowledge of the gospel of salvation and prayed for us all as members of his Church to obtain it. May his grace enable us to accomplish our own mission on earth as his disciples especially in this challenging times of religious inauthenticity.
May God bless you today!
FR BEN AGBO