Homily/Reflection for Friday of the 6th Week of Easter Year A
Theme: A LIFE OF SACRIFICE
By: Fr. Francis Onwuali
Homily/Reflection for Friday May 22 2020
The way to happiness and joy in the Kingdom of God is through the Cross. However, the Cross, for Jesus Christ and for us, is not a defeat but victory over all forces of darkness that stand against the Light and Truth of the Gospel.
This reality summarizes the message of today as we begin the Novena to the Holy Spirit. In the first reading (Acts 18: 9-18), though St. Paul enjoyed acceptance among the believers in Corinth, he also met resistance to the point of being dragged to the court to be prosecuted for preaching the Gospel message.
In all this, God vindicated him and convicted those who planned against him. The court official “sent them out of the court, and at once they all turned on Sosthenes, the Synagogue president, and beat him in from of the court house”. Truth will always set us free (John 8: 32), stand by it. In the gospel (John 16: 20-23), Jesus reminds His disciples that though they will go through turbulence in the course of following Him, no one shall take their joy from them.
Dear friends, the Christian life is a life of sacrifice. Following the footsteps of Christ Who though God, chose to share in our humanity so that we can share in His divinity, our life is to give life in victory to all we encounter. Paul and the Apostles gave their all to bring salvation- wholeness and healing- to all nations and to us.
I pray as we journey in life today, we may realize it is through and in “pain” that “gain” is attained. In our sufferings, trials and challenges, may we not see defeat but victory, a joy and fulfilment that will not depart from us.
May the Holy Spirit empower us unto victory. Have a victory-full day!
-Fr. Francis Onwuali