HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: The Son of Man is master of the sabbath.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
HOMILY FOR FRIDAY JULY 15 2022
Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop, Doctor.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Isaiah 38:1-6,21-22,7-8
Res Psalm: Is 38:10-12,16
Matthew 12:1-8
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
White
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the prophet Isaiah, we heard of the interaction between king Hezekiah of Judah and the prophet Isaiah at a time when Hezekiah fell mortally ill and was about to die, and the prophet himself told the king to get his house and affairs in order as he was soon about to die. The king lamented the shortness of his life and beseeched the Lord to show mercy to him and to spare him the fate of early death, out of compassion for all the faithfulness that he had shown Him, the obedience that Hezekiah as king has sshown the Lord as opposed to the wickedness and disobedience among many of his forefathers.
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In the gospel reading, Jesus accuses his critics among the Pharisees of condemning the blameless. They condemned Jesus’ disciples for plucking corn on the Sabbath to satisfy their hunger. They would have regarded such ‘work’ as a form of reaping, which was forbidden on the Sabbath. However, Jesus in his response to their criticism reminds them that if they were as attuned to their own religious tradition as they claim to be they would not have condemned the ‘blameless’. He reminds them that the overriding value in the Jewish tradition is ‘mercy’ and points out that are precedents in the Jewish Scriptures for what his disciples are doing. The Sabbath rest was an important value. However, ‘mercy’ is a greater value in God’s eyes.
*CONCLUSION*
Dear brethren, The actions of others need to be viewed with the eyes of mercy, eyes which seek to understand why people are doing what they are doing, eyes which recognize that basic human needs take priority over the keeping of religious law. The failure to look upon others with eyes of mercy often results in the condemnation of the blameless. The temptation to condemn the blameless is always with us. It is a temptation we can resist to the extent that something of God’s merciful vision has taken flesh in our lives.
St Bonaventure Pray For Us.
Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA