HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK OF LENT, LITURGICAL CALENDAR YEAR B
THEME: They wanted to stone Jesus, but he eluded them.
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
READINGS OF THE DAY
Jeremiah 20:10-13
Psalm 17:2-7
John 10:31-42
LITURGICAL COLOUR
PURPLE/VIOLET
INTRODUCTION
Good Morning my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent, Liturgical Calendar Year B.
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FROM OUR FIRST READING
Jeremiah was one of those prophets who really suffered because of his calling from God, and he gave often gave expression to his suffering in very direct language. He laments before God, complaining to God about what is happening to him, and, yet, trusting that God will somehow take care of him. We have a very good example of Jeremiah’s prayer of lament in today’s gospel reading. He complains aloud, ‘all those who used to be my friends watched for my downfall’. In no uncertain terms he demands that God look out for him by taking his side against his enemies, ‘Let me see the vengeance you will take on them’. It is an honest prayer, but a prayer we might be uncomfortable with. Yet, Jeremiah shows us that every human emotion can be brought to prayer, even those emotions that incline us towards wishing our enemy ill. Many of the psalms in the Book of Psalms are psalms of lament and they sometimes display that same vindictive spirit that we find in Jeremiah in today’s first reading. Yet, bringing those dark emotions to the Lord in prayer makes us less likely to act them out.
FROM OUR GOSPEL READING
At the beginning of today’s gospel reading, Jesus’ opponents fetch stones to stone him. At the end of the reading, they want to arrest him. Jesus seems perplexed at their hostility, ‘I have done many good works for you to see… for which of these are you stoning me?’ Violence can often be mindless and irrational, as we know only too well. On this occasion, Jesus was able to allude those who would do him harm. However, the time would come when he would be unable to allude them. They would have him arrested and put to death. In spite of the many good works Jesus did, he was put to death.
CONCLUSION
Jeremiah’s reaction to this undeserved hostility from his opponents was a very human one. He prays to God in that reading, ‘Let me see the vengeance you will take on them’. We could never imagine such a prayer on the lips of Jesus. Rather, Jesus revealed God’s love even to his enemies. He washed the feet of his betrayer, Judas. He prayed for his executioners, asking God to forgive them. Jesus’ passion and death, even more than his life, revealed a love that was constant even in the face of hostility and rejection. Jesus’ passion and death reveals God’s love for all humanity, a quality of love which is very different to any human love. That is why the Friday on which Jesus’ passion and death is remembered is called Good Friday, and why the story of Jesus’ passion and death is part of the larger gospel story. It is gospel, good news, for us all.
Have a Blessed Weekend.
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