HOMILY OF 12TH FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
Ezekiel 34:11-16; Romans 5:5-11; Luke 15:3-7
Introduction
My dear friends,
Today, we celebrate something truly special: the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. It’s a day to think about how much God loves us, and how we see that love perfectly in Jesus’ heart. Our readings today from the Bible, from Ezekiel, Romans, and Luke, all tell us this same beautiful story of God’s amazing love. He’s not far away; He’s right here with us, chasing after us, fixing what’s broken, and making us whole again.
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God, Our Good Shepherd
In our first reading, God tells us He’s like a Good Shepherd. Back then, the leaders weren’t taking care of His people, so God said, “I will search for my sheep and look after them myself.” He promised to rescue them, bring them home, feed them well, and help them rest. He said He’d look for the lost ones, bring back those who wandered off, heal the hurt, and make the weak strong.
This picture of God as a Shepherd shows us how much the Sacred Heart cares. It’s a heart that longs for those who are lost, a heart that wants to fix what’s broken, and a heart that desires nothing more than to save us and help us thrive.
God’s Love While We Were Still Sinners
In our second reading, we learn even more about this love. Paul writes, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” Think about that! While we were still doing wrong, still far from God, Jesus gave His life for us.
This isn’t a love we earn; it’s a free gift, poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The Sacred Heart’s love isn’t just a warm feeling; it’s a powerful force that beat sin and death. It’s a love that makes us right with God and gives us hope for salvation. If Christ died for us when we were His enemies, imagine how much more He will save us now that we are friends with Him!
The Lost Sheep
Finally,in our gospel reading, Jesus tells a simple story about a Lost Sheep. He asks, “If one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?” This story perfectly shows how Jesus’ Sacred Heart relentlessly chases after us.
The shepherd doesn’t just forget about the lost sheep; he actively goes out to find it. And when he does, he doesn’t scold it. Instead, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and carries it home, celebrating with everyone. This is the joy of the Sacred Heart: the joy of finding what was lost, bringing wanderers back, and making us whole again.
All of us, at some point, have been that lost sheep, straying from the right path. But the Sacred Heart never gives up on us. It searches for us, calls to us, and waits for us, always ready to welcome us back with open arms and endless forgiveness.
What Does This Mean for Us?
So, my dear friends, as we think about the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus today, let’s let these stories touch our own hearts. Let’s see ourselves in that lost sheep, in those who were made right with God even when they were sinners, and in the flock cared for by the Good Shepherd.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus is like an endless spring of love, forgiveness, and kindness. It’s a heart that understands our weaknesses, forgives our mistakes, and deeply wants us to be truly happy.
Let’s respond to this incredible love by opening our own hearts to Him. Let’s trust in His steady care, especially when we feel lost or alone. Let’s seek His healing touch when we’re hurt or weak. Let’s allow His love to change us, making us more like Him. And inspired by His example, let’s share this same love, kindness, and forgiveness with everyone around us, especially those who are lost, hurting, or in need.
May the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus be our safe place, our strength, and our forever hope.
Amen.
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