HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 24TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: The women who accompanied Jesus in His mission.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
HOMILY FOR FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 16 2022
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
1 Corinthians 15:12-20
Psalm 16:1,6-8,15
Luke 8:1-3
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
RED
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
There is a lot of human wisdom in today’s first reading, from the first letter of Saint Paul to Timothy. He quotes an obvious truth, ‘we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it’. On that basis, he warns Timothy and his community against longing to be rich. Paul recognizes that the excessive love of money can be the root of a lot of evils and declares, in particular, that those who set their hearts on wealth tend to wander away from the faith.
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In the gospel reading, we hear of a group women who lived in that way. These women weren’t poor; they had material resources. One of them was the wife of the chief steward of Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee. Even though they seem to have been better off than many of their contemporaries, they were not attached to their resources, their wealth. The gospel reading says that they provided for Jesus and his disciples out of their resources.
*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE READINGS OF TODAY?*
Today’s readings remind us that it is not what we possess that matters so much, but what we do with what we possess. Like the women in todays gospel reading, we have all been blessed and graced by the Lord in various ways. Like them, we are called to use our resources, including our material resources, in grateful service of the Lord and his people.
*CONCLUSION*
We need the service of others and others need our service. We all have something to give and something to receive. This morning’s gospel encourages us to be open to receive the service of the Lord as it comes to us in and through those who journey with us and cross our path in life.
May God bless all the women dedicated to God in different capacities.