HOMILY FOR SATURDAY, 7TH DAY WITHIN THE OCTAVE OF CHRISTMAS.
THEME: Jesus Christ is the Word, that was made flesh, and lived among us.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA.
HOMILY FOR DECEMBER 31ST.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
1 John 2:18-21
Psalm 95:1-2,11-13
John 1:1-18
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
WHITE
*THEME OF THE HOMILY*
Jesus Christ is the Word, that was made flesh, and lived among us.
*INTRODUCTION*
Tomorrow we begin a new year. There is something hopeful about the beginning of a new year. It is a time of new beginning. Nature itself is on the verge of a new beginning. Even though we are in mid-winter, we know that each day is now that little bit longer than the previous one. With the lengthening of the daylight, there comes an emergence of new life.
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
In our first reading of today, we heard of the imminent coming of the end times, and also the rise of the antichrists, who were the false prophets and teachers, that misled the people of God to the wrong paths. Back then, there were quite a few of these false leaders and teachers who distorted the teachings of the Lord and His Church for their own benefits and purposes.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR DECEMBER 31ST
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
The gospel reading for this New Year’s Eve is itself a beginning. ‘In the beginning was the Word’. Before all things came into being, before anything was created, the Word was. This Word was God’s self-communication, a self-communication that was so complete and perfect that it was itself God, ‘the Word was God’. It was this Word that became flesh, according to our gospel reading. This self-communication of God became human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We celebrate the birth of Jesus because we recognize in this child the fullest possible self-communication of God.
*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE GOSPEL OF TODAY?*
The first is that, Jesus is Life. He comes into the world as life to give us life. The life that He assumes is lowly. This life is so lowly that anyone hardly notices that God has come into the world except for a few shepherds and wise men.
Secondly, Jesus is Light. Christmas period is a time of lights. Christ is the light that reveals who we are and reveals the greatness of our calling. He became incarnate so that we might make it to heaven, yet many of us forget this and live our life as if we are not believers.
*CONCLUSION*
And so may the fireworks explosion tonight will not cover the real Light, Jesus the Christ. It is because He is the One who enlightens and brightens our lives and paths towards the Kingdom of God. May the beginning of of this new year not be reduced to making resolutions that will only remain in words but of a recognition of Jesus the Word, Life and Light.
Happy New Year to everyone.
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