Homily for Thursday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time Cycle I
Theme: The Parable of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin.
By: Fr Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
Homily for Thursday November 4 2021
Memorial of St Charles Borromeo, Bishop
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Romans: 14:7-12
Psalm 26:1,4,13-14
Luke 15:1-10
*INTRODUCTION*
In today’s gospel, Jesus presents to us two parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. These two parables depict a seeker in search of something or someone lost.Shepherds normally counted their sheep at the end of the day to make sure all were accounted for. The housewife who lost a coin faced also something of an economic disaster, since the value of the coin would be equivalent to her husband’s daily wage. In this way, Jesus is teaching that God does not rejoice in the loss of anyone but desires that all be saved and restored to fellowship with Him. And the whole community of heaven rejoices when one sinner is found and restored to fellowship with God.
*THE EXPLANATION OF THE TEXT IN SIMPLE TERMS*
The owner mentions in these two parables represents God. The lost sheep and the lost coin represent us. The initiative of searching the lost sheep and the lost coin rests entirely with the owner. It is because it is quite impossible for a sheep or a coin to do anything in order to search and find itself. And so therefore, Christianity is not about man seeking God, but rather God seeking man. This makes Christianity unique from other religions in the world. In other religions, it is the people who look for God and offer sacrifices to appease their gods but in Christianity it is our God who looks for His lost people. He always searches us when we are lost. Salvation as well as forgiveness is the initiative of God and not of us. For the reason that, like the small coin and the lost sheep, you and I do have a certain intrinsic worth. He has infused into us an added value. By seeking us with unimaginable desire, he has given human beings a dignity beyond calculation. He is always ready to forgive us who are sorry, to save us and not to inflict revenge on us for the sins we have committed. He is always ready to offer His love for us.
*CONCLUSION*
Today, we should look upon the good examples set by one of our holy predecessors, whose feast we are celebrating, namely that of St. Charles Borromeo. St. Charles Borromeo was the famous Archbishop of Milan who was a faithful servant of God and one of the courageous leaders of Counter-Reformation. St. Charles Borromeo was remembered for his great piety and dedication to the Lord. St. Charles Borromeo spent a lot of effort to reform the Church and to lead his flock down the right path, leading by example in his many years as shepherd of the faithful.
St Charkes Borromeo pray for us always!