Homily for Friday of 3rd Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II
Theme: The reign of the Kingdom
By: Fr. Francis Onwunali
Homily for Friday January 28 2022
In our liturgy today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church. He is the Dominican Order’s greatest glory. He taught philosophy and theology with such genius that he is considered one of the leading Christian thinkers. His innocence, on a par with his genius, earned for him the title of “Angelic Doctor”. He is the patron of schools and of Sacred Theology.
Our readings today challenge us to rethink on how we live our lives. Yesterday, we read about David humbly praising and thanking God for God’s great kindness in blessing the Davidic dynasty. We focused on the virtuous cycle of his life. Today (2 Sam. 11: 1- 10, 13-17), we are presented with the vicious cycle of David’s life. Not only did David forcefully covet Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, but he also had Uriah killed in the war front in order to cover-up his atrocity. “A fall from Grace to Grass”. A life of sin goes with cover-ups, and in covering-up, a lot more sins are committed. We need to admit our sinfulness and seek God’s forgiveness and mercy.
In the gospel (Mark 4: 26-34), Jesus puts some parables before the people to teach them about the Reign of the Kingdom of God. The farmer plants, but God gives growth. How? The farmer does not know. The mustard seed though small, grows into the biggest of shrubs. All are God’s own doing!
Dear friends, the events of our lives cannot be hidden from God. If we submit our entire life into God’s care, God will show us love and mercy; God will equally guide our path in life.
I pray as we journey in life today, we will re-examine our way, repent of the many sins in our life, seek God’s face so as to grow like the Mustard seed in our relationship with God. May God’s face shine on us and blot out all our guilt (Ps. 119: 27). Like St. Thomas Aquinas, may we seek to obediently serve God and humanity with the gifts God has endowed us with. Have a repentance-full day!
Fr. Francis Onwunali