YEAR II: HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF 32ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME.
THEME: LORD, INCREASE OUR FAITH AND OUR VIRTUES!
BY: Benedict Agbo (Rev Fr)
*Titus 1: 1 – 9, Lk 17: 1 – 6.
Faith is the starting point of holiness. It is faith that leads to salvation. But it must be qualitative faith – because faith without good works is dead, James 2: 17. When the apostles told Jesus to increase their faith, he confirmed the fact that any amount of qualitative faith is enough for salvation, even the size of a mustard seed. I think the problem is the quality of our faith, not actually that of quantity.
Religion is indeed an awkward business when virtue does not accompany faith. This is why today’s 1st reading insists on the virtues that must be sought for among elders (ordinary Church leaders) and bishops. Elders are supposed to be (i) blameless, (ii) husbands of one wife and (iii) their children not of bad behavior.
Bishops are supposed to be (i) blameless, (ii) not arrogant, (iii) not quick tempered, (iv) not drunkards, (v) not violent, (vi) not greedy (vii) hospitable, (viii) lover of goodness, (ix) master of himself, (x) holy, (xi) self controlled and (xii) sound in the Word of God.
RELATED: YEAR II: HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF 31ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME.
The gospel adds the virtue of faith and forgiveness as sine qua non for every Christian. We pray that God will not only increase our faith but the quality of our faith so that our faith may be accompanied by virtues without which our knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ will be ineffective and ineffectual, 2 Pet 1: 3 – 9. May the Lord bless you today!