HOMILY OF FRIDAY 7TH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: STOP GRUMBLING
BY: Fr. Karabari Paul
‘Do not grumble, brethren, against one another, that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the doors.’
Grumbling is one thing that can easily become part of our everyday lives. We come across things we don’t want to do, so we grumble. Things don’t go the way we wanted them to, so we grumble. Other people make decisions that end up affecting us, so we grumble. And when a group of us all start complaining about the same thing, we can create a really negative atmosphere.
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In the First Reading (James 5:9-12), James advises us to stop grumbling against one another. When we grumble, we send a wrong message. It says a lot about who we are putting first and, consequently, our spiritual health. When grumble and complain, we become negative. We feel that we shouldn’t have to do the things we are being asked to do. We shouldn’t be overworked. We shouldn’t have to put up with certain things, situations, or persons. But our spiritual health isn’t going to look great with us as being a negative individual.
God should be at the centre of everything we do. When we are looking to Him first, everything else falls into place. That might mean we have to say no to doing some things, but when there are things that need to be done, we can do them without complaining. The Bible says: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters’ (Colossians 3:23). It may seem harsh but the Bible places whiners and complainers in the same class as ‘sinners [who] have spoken against [God]…grumblers and complainers…living only to satisfy their desires…to get what they want’ (vv. 15-16). Instead, we should be full of faith, thanking God for His blessings, trusting Him for the future, and working with God at the centre of everything we do. It means we learn to look beyond situations and what people do to make us negative.
Grumbling can show a lack of faith in God’s Word that says, ‘God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him’ (Romans 8:28). The Bible says: ‘When Israel grumbled, ‘the Lord’s anger blazed…and…he destroyed some of the people’ (Numbers 11:1).
Author and teacher Dr Dale A. Robbins writes: ‘They refused to trust Him to provide, protect, and direct their lives…The whole premise of Christianity is Jesus becomes the “boss” of our circumstances. We are in His hands. If believers grumble, it becomes an accusation against the Lord to whom we have trusted our lives, and He “(hears) all your complaints against Him” (Exodus 16:8).’ When we go through tough times, we shouldn’t resort to complaining. Instead, we can praise God in spite of what’s happening. ‘Be thankful in all circumstances’ (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Thanksgiving is the opposite of complaining. It expresses appreciation for everything God has done and what He promises to do, and shows confidence that He is in charge. The Psalmist said, ‘Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and…in the day of trouble; I will deliver you’ (Psalm 50:14-15). GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE. May God bless you and your household always through Christ, our Lord Amen. Good morning
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