HOMILY FOR THE 30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C.
THEME: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA.
HOMILY FOR SUNDAY OCTOBER 23 2022.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Eccle 35:12-14, 16-19
2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18
Luke 18:9-14
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
GREEN
*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time of Year C.
And today in a special way we commemorate the World Mission Sunday or the Sunday of Mission.
The liturgical readings of today teaches us that, Prayer is something very personal to each one of us. How we pray can reveal a lot about ourselves and, in particular, about our relationship with God.
*ABOUT OUR FIRST READING*
In our first reading of today, we heard of the words of the Lord speaking on how He listened to the prayers of the faithful and how He uplifted and strengthened the humble and the just, while at the same time, God condemns and crushes those who were proud and mighty, those who oppressed others and who did not live their lives in accordance with His ways.
*ABOUT OUR SECOND READING*
In our second reading today St Paul talks about his life already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for him to be gone. He has fought the good fight to the end; He has run the race to the finish; he has kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for him, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to him on that Day; and not only to him but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
*ABOUT OUR GOSPEL READING*
In our Gospel passage of today. We hear about two people, the first one is the Pharisee really who praises himself because according to him he is the good person of all. He fasted twice a week and he paid tithes in all he possessed as compared to others, like the tax collector, who is grasping, crooked and adulterous. So with head unbowed, he prayed to God in this fashion.
On the other hand we have a tax collector who did not even dare ‘to raise his eyes on heaven. All he does is to beat his breast and says: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” But he returns home with him the prize of acceptance of God because of his awareness of his sins and self-despising and confession.
*CONCLUSION*
Dear friends in Christ, we must not let pride and our human greed and desire to be a serious hindrance and obstacle in our path towards God and His salvation. As long as we strive and do our best to resist those many temptations all around us, we will be able to remain faithful to the Lord, remembering as always that we are all sinners after all, all of whom the Lord had shown love, compassion and mercy on. Let us always be the missionaries of the Word who prays for other people and support them in different ways of thier life.
Happy Blessed Sunday of the Missions.