Homily for Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time Cycle II
Theme: SIN AGAINST THE YOUTHS!
By: Fr. Benedict Agbo
Homily for Tuesday August 11 2020
* Ezek 2: 8 – 3: 4, Matt 18: 1 -14.
Christ speaks again at his “4th speech gear” in today’s gospel. At his 1st speech gear, he normally uses simple statements like: ‘Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth’, Matt 5 : 4. At his 2nd speech gear, he makes comparative statements like: ‘As you wish that men would do to you, do so for them’, Lk 6: 38. At his 3rd speech gear, he uses automatic maxims like : ‘There is no one who has left father, mother…or children for the sake of the kingdom who wouldn’t receive a hundred fold’, Mk 10 : 38. At his 4th speech gear, he uses categorical imperatives like we find in today’s gospel: ‘Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven’, Matt 18 : 1 – 5. At his 5th speech gear, he uses Rolling Thunderstorms such as ‘Woe to you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites’, Matt 23: 13.
Message to the Nigerian Church: If Christ were to come face to face with Nigerian Church today, he may use gear 5 to warn them against the neglect of the little ones. There are two major sins committed against “the little ones” in the Church – the Youths, the HCA, the infants and unborn babies;
1. The sin of neglect or despising them, lack of proper teaching/ care and the sin of wickedness (example, abortion, sexual abuse, etc).
2. The sin of scandal and corrupt influences ; bad example from priests and parental figures, etc.
Message to the Nigerian Political leaders: If Christ were to come face to face with the present political leaders of Nigeria, he will surely accuse them of consumerism, selfishness and cluelessness. He will warn them that unless they pay stronger attention to our educational system and be able to produce well educated Youths who can lead the Country tomorrow, then we have no future. He will warn to stop this senseless and dangerous trend of borrowing heavily from dangerous countries like China thus endangering the future economic freedom and sovereignty of Nigerian Youths. He will warn them against these terrible spates of embezzlements from the NDDC, EFCC, NNPC and other federal parastatals covered by their usual “fainting game”.
I have never seen a Country busy recycling old corrupt people in leadership like in Nigeria. Only in Nigeria will a person finish an 8 year tenure as Local Government Chairman and be elected to go to House of Assembly; finish with that and be made a Governor. After 2 tenures of embezzlement of public funds as Governor, he will now be made a Senator for life, as if there are no other people who can do better. Only in Nigeria do we see such madness where the Youths are left with no jobs than playing thugs and sycophants for those in power with no prospects of ever coming up. Friends, the call to be like children by Christ is a call to be less corrupt, less selfish and less ambitious. The Church should lead this clarion call against the neglect of our young ones by forming positive political and religious alliances that will be proactive to every major election in Nigeria.
May God save Nigeria from this cocktail of administrative madness and insensitivity against our Youths and little ones!