HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF 23RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR I.
THEME: Is it against the law on the sabbath to save life?
BY: FR. DEOTATIOUS CHIKONTWE SMA.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Colossians 1:24-2:3
Psalm 61:6-7,9
Luke 6:6-11
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
GREEN
*INTRODUCTION*
Good morning dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate Monday of week 23 in Ordinary Time, Year A.
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In our first reading today, we heard of the words of the Apostles in encouraging and strengthening the disciples, followers and the faithful people of God there in that city and region, in how each and every one of them should continue to do what is right, just and virtuous in the sight of God, as they had done, despite the many challenges and trials that they might face in doing so, citing his own experiences and examples in how he himself had served the Lord faithfully, enduring hardships, trials, challenges and persecutions throughout his whole life, works and ministry. St. Paul’s life and ministry were truly great inspiration and help for many other early Christians who were facing similar trials and hardships.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR THE 23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING* In this morning’s gospel reading we are told that when Jesus went into the synagogue on the Sabbath the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a partly paralyzed man, hoping to find something to use against Jesus. In other words, even though Jesus was clearly doing good, the Pharisees were on the lookout for the negative in him; they were suspicious of him. Because they were predisposed to seeing the negative, they couldn’t see the good that God was doing through Jesus on that particular Sabbath day in the synagogue.
*CONCLUSION*
Dear brethrens, sometimes how we see someone or some situation determines what we see. If we look at people through suspicious lens, negative lens, we will see the negative and miss the good. We always have to be cleaning our lens, as it were, so that we can see clearly, so that we can see not just the problems, which may be there, but the much greater good, which is often there as well. On this occasion, the problem for the Pharisees of the Sabbath law being broken should have been far outweighed by the greater good of a broken man being healed. The gospels are always calling us to see the good work that God is doing even when things are not happening quite as we might expect or want them to happen.
I wish everyone a Blessed New week ahead.
*Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA.*
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