HOMILY FOR THE 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C
THEME: The Natural Desire to see God
BY: Fr. Justus Oruma
HOMILY FOR SUNDAY OCTOBER 30 2022
(a) Lawrence Feingold put up wonderful commentaries from the work of Thomas Aquinas with the title; “The Natural Desire to see God”. In this work is discussed about the innate and natural desire and longing in every human person to see God, for it is in this vision lies the fulfillment of man. It is a natural apetite of man though beyond his capacity to fufill but given to him by God in grace.
(b) This natural desire and curiousity to see God is not on piety basis. One does not have it because he is a holy one. Our wrong behaviours are distorted desires to see God. The natural desire to see God is in everyone as was seen expressed too by Herod where he said; “Who, then, is this Jesus that I hear about?” And he desired to see him” (L.k 9:9). Today Zacchaeus a tax collector and wealthy man who frauded people also expressed this desire to see Jesus decisively, but he could not at the first instance as the Gospel records; “…because of the crowd” (L.k19:3). But Zacchaeus was determined to fulfill this natural desire in him. He decided to overcome the crowd that hinders him from the vision of God. He expressed this desire to see God by running and climbing a tree.
(c) What is blocking or dwindling your desire to feel and see God, to be close to Him even as you are alive now in our fellow human beings especially in the needy? Who or what could that be that is blocking our vision? Sometimes it could also be the crowd as in the case of Zacchaeus, where you do things to be seen and be praised by the people. Where by you do things people like so as to receive their applause and no more what God wants. Your vision for the things you do now has its origin and end with the people who may even form as your fans. This is also the trend for many this time in the social media- “the increase of the number of your followers (crowd)” is more than doing what God wants. Note that the crowd has never been faithful in many instances as recorded in the Scripture. And today, all they could do is to block the vision of this short man.
May nothing block you from seeing and feeling God even now for It is in this vision, we realize ourselves. In this vision there is conversion of heart. In this vision there is the fulfillment and happiness of man. More too, may nothing hinder you from the beatific vision of God on the last day.