HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE 6TH WEEK OF EASTER
THEME: MAY GOD OPEN OUR HEART.
BY: Fr. Karabari Paul
HOMILY FOR MONDAY MAY 23 2022
‘As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart.’
Some of us think that successful people are difficult to win to Christ because they don’t have the same needs as others. But they do. Everyone has an emptiness within them that only God can fill, and He wants to use you to fill it. Consider the story of Lydia in the First Reading (Acts 16:11-15). ‘One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a seller of purple goods…As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She and her household were baptised, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed’ (vv. 14-15). Not only did Lydia respond to the gospel, she opened her home so that others could come and hear it too.
In many cases it is easier to reach successful people with the gospel. Why? Because they know that to be successful you must be open to new ideas and concepts. And they understand that in order to enjoy continued success, you must stay open to change.
Don’t let the fact that someone is not your social peer keep you from telling them about Jesus. Note the words, ‘As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart.’ It is your job to tell them, and it is God’s job to open their heart! The Catholic Church teaches that the principal agent of conversion is the Holy Spirit. So sow the seed of His Word into their life when you have an opportunity, and believe that the ‘Lord of the harvest’ will do the rest. GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God heal our country Nigeria, bless and protect us all through Christ Our Lord Amen. Please, stay safe. Good morning.
Fr. Karabari Paul