HOMILY FOR THURSDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: BE COURAGEOUS
BY: Fr. Francis Onwunali
HOMILY FOR THURSDAY JUNE 30 2022
“Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven’… ‘This man is blaspheming’… ‘Now, which one is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Get up and walk”?” The above interaction summarizes the message of today’s readings: the benefits of being open to the will of God.
In the first reading (Amos 7: 10-17), Amaziah the priest of Bethel conspired against prophet Amos for pronouncing God’s intention against Israel who have turned their back on God. For their unwillingness to embrace the word of God, Amos uttered the oracle of God against the House of Isaac indicating the impending destruction of the Nothern Kingdom. Does the truth of the word of God about your life irritate you?
The gospel (Matt. 9: 1-8) gives account of how Jesus was moved by the courage of both the paralytic and those who defiled all odds to bring him for healing.
Dear friends, the religious leaders questioned Jesus’ ability to forgive sins because only God can. I suppose Jesus must have said to Himself, “Yes, you are correct, only God can, and that is why I am doing it, because I am God, for I and the Father are One”. How open am I to the power of the Word of God or am I among those who put a wall wedging the transformative power of the Word in their lives?
I pray as we journey in life today, we will not live neither like Amaziah the priest of Bethel in denial nor in doubt like the religious leaders of Jesus’ time, but be courageous like the paralytic to come to Jesus with an open heart for both physical and spiritual transformation. With the Psalmist may we declare that the decrees of the Lord are truth and all of them just (Ps. 19: 10). Have a courage-full day!
Fr. Francis Onwunali