HOMILY FOR THE 11TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
THEME: PREACH THE GOOD NEWS.
BY: Rev. Fr. Stephen ‘Dayo Osinkoya
Exodus 19:2 – 6a
Psalms 100:1 – 2, 3, 5
Romans 5:6 – 11
Matthew 9:36 – 10:8
Sometimes in the past, the work of evangelizing or proclamation of the good news was regarded as belonging only to bishops, priests and religious. The lay people were expected to just say, ‘amen’ and to ‘pray, pay and obey.’ A writer compared the Church, many years ago, to a ship. The captain of the ship was the Pope. The officers were the bishops and the crewmembers were the priests. While the lay people were viewed as passengers who are just to sit back and enjoy the sail. They had no active role in the ship which is the Church. But that is not and should not be the case. Everyone in the Church is called to an active role in the mission which Christ has entrusted to the Church in the world.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares his mission to proclaim the kingdom of heaven with his disciples. As Jesus sent his disciples to continue his work and mission, so too the Church is sent by Jesus. Each one of us as a member of the Church is sent by Jesus to contribute to this mission. But can we fulfil this mission without compassion?
The opening verse of the gospel passage reads “At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” Preaching the good news is a task of compassion. It is an act of love and kindness towards others, to share the message of hope and salvation. Compassion allows us to see the needs and problems of others and we are moved to want to help them.
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Compassion is not just a feeling, but an action. It is the desire, courage, strength, and perseverance to sacrificially serve the poor. In fact, the preceding verse makes us to understand that “Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness.” (Matt. 9:35) These examples of compassion are a call and challenge to us all as followers of Jesus, to live and act compassionately.
Today we are all invited to be moved with pity for our world that is broken, just as Jesus was moved with pity for the people. To preach the good news with compassion, we must first cultivate compassion in our own lives. This can be challenging, but it is essential to our mission. We can cultivate compassion by listening well, showing genuine interest in people’s lives, and being willing to help.
May we find the true courage and the perseverance to carry out the mission entrusted to us by Christ, lovingly without counting cost.
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