Homily for Saturday of the 7th Week of Easter Year A (1)

Homily for Saturday of the 7th Week of Easter Year A

Theme: TREAT OTHERS AS GOOD AS YOU ARE AND NOT AS BAD AS THEY ARE

By: Rev. Fr. Jacob Aondover ATSU

 

Homily for Saturday May 30 2020

READINGS: ACTS 28:16-20.30-31, PSALM 11, JOHN 21:20-25

For more than thirty years the Jews had schemed plots to end Paul’s missionary activity. They planned to kill him too. Yet everywhere he went, Paul ministered first to them; giving them the opportunity to meet Christ and be saved. This is amiable, an example of love and forgiveness. Beloved of God, is there any example of hope that cannot be defeated and love that cannot be conquered to match this act of Paul when even in Rome too, (where he didn’t know his fate), he preached first to the Jews?

Do you have enemies, aggressors, who would stop at nothing until we are hurt, ridiculed or killed? Do you have colleagues at your places of work or business who feel threatened by your presence and try as much as possible to see you fall. Are you having neighbours who are always looking for ways to render you hopeless and invalid? Are you persecuted like Paul for believing in Jesus? If you have been through all the aforementioned; what has been your response to those involved, your supposed enemies? Do you keep them in mind waiting for the right time to revenge? How many of us have stopped talking to our neighbours, colleagues and fellow Christians because of the many hurts they have caused us previously?

The admirable attitude of Paul towards the Jews should challenge us all today. He never gave up hope on the possibility of their repentance so he always ministered to them first. He loved them so much that nothing, not even their quest to kill him constituted a hindrance. he has taught us to RELATE WITH PEOPLE AS GOOD AS WE ARE AND NOT AS BAD AS THEY ARE. A good person is always good, he/she is not swayed by the evil around him/her. How good and habitable the world would be if people were like Paul. Is this too difficult an attitude to embrace? For those who believe in Christ whose words are contained in the gospels this is never difficult.

FEED THE HUNGRY POOR AROUND YOU