HOMILY FOR 26TH FRIDAY OF THE ORDINARY TIME: YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: THE DANGER OF IGNORING THE TRUTH
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
Baruch 1:15-22, Psalm 78(79):1-5, 8-9; Luke 10:13-16
*Introduction*
Good Morning my dear friends in Christ,
Today’s liturgical readings, from Baruch and Luke, give us a simple, powerful message: God is fair, and we are responsible for the gifts we’ve been given.
*The Shame of Knowing Better*
In our First Reading, the people of Israel are in exile, far from home. They don’t blame God. Instead, the prophet Baruch gives a great prayer of confession. They admit: “Justice is with the Lord, our God; and we today are flushed with shame.”
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They realize their suffering is not bad luck; it’s the result of their own bad choices. They had God’s clear laws and prophets, but they chose to follow their “own wicked heart.” They admit, “We have been disobedient to the Lord our God.”
This is the essential starting point for all faith: honesty. We have to stop blaming circumstances, other people, or bad luck for our troubles and own up to our own choices. When we sin, we turn away from the path God set for us.
*The Danger of Ignoring the Truth*
In our Gospel passage, Jesus is angry. He cries out, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!”
These cities had a huge privilege: Jesus walked their streets, taught in their squares, and performed incredible miracles right in front of them. He says if he had done these “mighty deeds” in wicked, pagan cities like Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago.
The tragedy of Chorazin and Bethsaida is not that they didn’t know who Jesus was. It’s that they chose to ignore what they saw. They became immune to grace. They got so used to God’s power being right there that they stopped listening.
This is a powerful warning for us. We come to Mass, we hear the Gospels, we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and we see his goodness in our lives every day. But is it just routine? Have we become so familiar with these miracles that we are no longer amazed or changed by them?
*The Choice is Always Ours*
Both readings come down to the same point: We are accountable for what we hear and what we see.
We have been given the greatest gift—the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. We have been shown the way to heaven. Therefore, we have a greater responsibility than those who came before us.
Jesus tells us clearly: “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me.” The truth about God is not something we can be neutral about. Our response to the message of Christ is our response to Christ himself.
*Conclusion*
Let us pray today that we are not like the cities that turned away from the light. Let us have the honesty of Baruch’s people, admitting our sins and failings. And let us have the open hearts to truly listen to Jesus’ voice and live by his power.
*The Lord be with You*
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