HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 22ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME CYCLE II
THEME: Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA
HOMILY FOR TUESDAY AUGUST 30 2022
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
1 Corinthians 2:10-16
Psalm 144:8-14
Luke 4:31-37
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
GREEN
*ABOUT OUR FIRST READING*
In today’s first reading, Saint Paul declares that ‘instead of the spirit of the world, we have received the Spirit that comes from God’. The same Spirit that shaped the life and ministry of Jesus has been poured into our hearts. The Holy Spirit resides deep within us. There are times when we are driven by other spirits that are in conflict with the Holy Spirit. As a result, we speak and act in ways that are not of the Spirit of God. Our calling is to allow the Holy Spirit to become the dominant spirit in our lives.
*FROM OUR GOSPEL READING*
In the gospel reading, Jesus encounters someone whose spirit is very disturbed, who shouted at Jesus at the top of his voice. Jesus did not respond in kind to this aggressive tone. Rather than being disturbed by the man’s disturbance, Jesus brought calm to his disturbance. The Spirit of God at work in Jesus was more powerful than this disturbed and aggressive spirit that was at work in the man who was present in the synagogue. Sometimes a disturbed and aggressive spirit can take hold of us and we too need the Lord’s calming presence. We need the Holy Spirit to overcome our disturbed human spirit.
*CONCLUSION*
Dear brothers and sisters, how often we brush aside Jesus’ Real Presence, unaware of the impact he wants to make upon us. The demons recognize him, but do we? A simple acknowledgment suffices for Jesus to enter into a relationship with us. From the enemy came a profession of faith, the very profession that Jesus longs for us to proclaim.
*LET US PRAY*
Lord Jesus, I praise you for the wonders you work in my life and the lives of others. Grant that I may turn over those areas of my life that are in need of healing. Silence and banish those spirits that seek to obstruct my true surrender to you.
Through Christ our Lord…
Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA