HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: THE WISDOM OF GOD
BY: Fr. Justin Nzekwe
HOMILY FOR FRIDAY AUGUST 26 2022
The wisdom of God is usually found in unsuspected places. It is different from worldly wisdom. God’s ways are different from the logic of human mind. The more we try to understand God with our limited minds, the more confuse we become. Human intelligence is misleading, and can sometimes lead us away from God. The secret of God’s kingdom is simple, yet hidden from the eyes of those who rely on human wisdom alone. Jesus used the image of a baby to teach us the innocence of a Christian who aspire to go to heaven. He used the image of five wise virgins to teach us the importance of being prepared always as Christian. And the image of five foolish virgins to teach us the dangers of being careless and insufficiently prepared for the kingdom of God.
However, in the first reading of today, Jesus presented us the image of the cross as a symbol of redemption. Before the incarnation, the cross was a symbol of guilt and punishment for crimes. The criminals are crucified on the cross, where they die shameful death. Today the cross can be found in every church as a symbol of our salvation. The same cross despise by people many years ago, is today the symbol of human salvation. Saint Paul reminds us that, “while the Jews announce signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, Christ crucified: scandal for the Jews and foolishness for the pagans; but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For what is foolishness of God is wiser, and what is of men is stronger than men.” Our salvation can no longer be separated from the crucified Christ. Many of those who tried to stop Christianity from spreading because they felt it was foolishness to be a Christian, today they are no more, yet the Church is still alive and active. Therefore, do not be distracted by those who think going to church is a waste of time. Do not be distracted by those who tell you that it is not necessary to pray always. Hold on to the Crucified Christ who looks at us every day from the sanctuary with love. Jesus continue to remind us each day that he died on the cross for our sake and if we can come to him, that he will save us through the victory of the cross.
We pray in this holy mass for the grace to seek the divine wisdom in order to enable us to understand the secret of God’s kingdom, and be able to inherit God’s kingdom in heaven on the last day.