HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME.
THEME: There is something greater than Solomon here.
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Exodus 14:5-18
Resp Psalm Exodus 15:1-6
Matthew 12:38-42
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
GREEN
*INTRODUCTION*
Good morning dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate Monday of week 16 in Ordinary Time, Year A.
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In our first reading today, we heard the story when the Israelites were on their way out of the land of Egypt, where they were then chased by the forces of the Egyptians under their ruler, the Pharaoh, his army and the chariots. The Israelites then were at the shore of the Red Sea, and they were cornered between the sea itself and the Pharaoh’s army, without any means or opportunity to escape, and therefore many among the people were afraid and fearful that they were facing certain destruction, and as we heard, many among them blamed Moses and even God for having led them to their deaths at that place, mentioning how they preferred to have remained under slavery rather than to die in that manner.
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In today’s gospel the scribes and Pharisees, though they see the miracles Jesus performs among the people, insist on asking Him for a sign if He is the Messiah. It was characteristic of the Jews that they demanded ‘signs’ from God’s messengers to authenticate their claims. In answering them He points to the figure of Jonah, whose message of repentance were positively accepted by the Ninevites. Jesus interprets Jonah being swallowed and stayed in its belly for three days and three nights and vomited by the whale on the same place of Nineveh, as a figure of His own death and resurrection. His death and resurrection bring about the repentance of many. He offers us freedom from sin if we listen to Him.
*CONCLUSION*
The risen Lord is present among us, here and now. However, like the religious leaders in the gospel reading, we can fail to appreciate the many ways he is present among us and we can start to look around for other signs of his presence. He is present among us in and through each other, in his word and in the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Sometimes we need to step back from our day to day activities, to become still, in order to really appreciate the ways the Lord is present to us. In the words of today’s first reading, ‘The Lord will do the fighting for you: you have only to be still’. Someone greater than any of us is always among us and if we are attentive to his presence we will be able to draw on his strength for the journey that lies ahead of us. In the words of today’s psalm, we will be able to say with conviction, ‘The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation’.
May you all have a Blessed Week.
Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
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