HOMILY OF 22ND MONDAY OF ORDINARY TIME: YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: JESUS GIVES US NEW HOPE
BY: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
1 Thess 4:13-18; Psalm 95(96):1, 3-5, 11-13; Luke 4:16-30
Good morning, my dear friends,
Today we have two special readings that teach us about hope and faith.
From our first reading
In our first reading, the apostle Paul is writing to a group of people who are very sad. They are sad because their loved ones have died, and they worry that they will never see them again. They are grieving without hope.
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Paul tells them not to be so sad. He says that death for a Christian is like “falling asleep.” He tells them that because Jesus died and came back to life, all those who believe in him will also come back to life. He promises that when Jesus returns, he will bring those who have died with him. They will all be together again, forever, with the Lord. The main point is this: Because of Jesus, death is not the end. We have a great hope for the future.
From our Gospel Reading
Our Gospel reading today, tells us about Jesus going back to his hometown. He stands up in the synagogue and reads a part from the prophet Isaiah. This passage says that God has chosen him to help people. He says he is here to bring good news to the poor, to set people free, and to heal the sick.
After he reads, Jesus sits down and says something amazing: “Today, this passage is coming true, right now, as you listen.” He is telling them that he is the one God promised to send. He is the one who will make all these things happen.
At first, the people are amazed. But then they start to doubt. They say, “Isn’t this just Joseph’s son? We know him!” They can’t believe that someone they grew up with could be so special. Their doubt turns into anger, and they even try to hurt him. They couldn’t see Jesus for who he really was.
So, what do these stories mean for us today?
First, they teach us to have hope. In our lives, we have sad moments and difficult times. But our faith in Jesus gives us a strong hope. We know that in the end, everything will be okay. We have a promise that we will be with God forever.
Second, they remind us to truly believe in Jesus. The people in his hometown couldn’t accept him because they thought they knew him too well. We have to be careful not to do the same thing. We should always try to know Jesus more, to see him not just as a historical figure, but as our living Lord who wants to help us and give us hope every single day.
Let us carry this hope in our hearts today and always.
Have a blessed new Month of September everyone !
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