Monday, August 3, 2020

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Monday Week 18 Ordinary time - August 3, 2020


MONDAY EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II
JEREMIAH 28:1-17, MATTHEW 14:22-36

WHY DO PEOPLE EASILY BELIEVE LIES?

The Christian faith is fast becoming a competitive religion with many people who claim to be pastors and men of God. They go about with their teachings of prosperity that seems to captivate anyone who listens to them. The truth does not easily sell, falsehood does. It is therefore very easy to deceive people with lies because it is what many people want to hear.
In the first reading of today,  we hear how the false prophet Hananiah lied to the people with his false prophesies and they believed him because people like the easy way to everything.
Many Jews were on exile in Babylon, and Nebuchadnezzer had carried away many people from Israel and treasures from the temple. Hananiah told them that God would restore everything to them in about 2 years. This was not true. God never spoke to Hananiah. As Jeremiah said, priests and prophets who speak about repentance, suffering, forgiveness, peace and tranquility are not popular. It is those who preach progress, breakthrough and prosperity that people believe whether they come to pass or not.
A friend called me, lamenting that his pastor had told him in January that he will buy a car before the end of June. As we entered the month of August few days ago, he does not see any sign of it happening.
God truly speaks and he speaks words of progress, prosperity and breakthrough, but this is not devoid of moments of pain as well. In the gospel reading, we see how Jesus intervened in the life of his disciples who were afraid of the wind and storm as well as seeing a ghost, not knowing that it was Jesus.
Fear has made many of us to run to various wrong places to seek help and we get deceived by false prophecies and promises. Jesus tells us not to be afraid because he is there for us in our moments of need. God help us. Amen.
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

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