Fr. Emmanuel Megwara, MSP - Homily for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary time Year A - October 18, 2020

DATE : 17/10/2020, Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time (A) EVENT : St. Ignatius of Antioch (Memorial) COLOUR : RED READINGS : Eph. 1:15-23; Resp. Psalm 7:2-7; Luke 12:8-12. THEME: WHEN GOD REFUSES TO FORGIVE Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". As we celebrate the memorial of St. Ignatius of Antioch, today, I want to reflect with us on the theme, " When God Refuses to Forgive". One of the many attributes of God is that He is an ever merciful and forgiving God. In fact, in addition to several other Biblical passages, the book of Lamentations 3:22-23, tells us that 'the mercies of God are new every morning'. But, just like every other thing that has limit, we must realise … MY CATHOLIC HOMILY DIGEST DATE :18/10/2020 EVENT : 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A), Mission Sunday COLOUR: GREEN READINGS : Isaiah 45;1.4-6; Responsorial Psalm 96:1, 3.4-5.7-8.9.10; 1Thessa. 1:1-5; Gospel Accl. Phil. 2:15d-16a; Matthew 22:15-21 THEME: GIVE YOUR BEST TO THE WORLD AND GIVE YOURSELF TO GOD INTRODUCTION : Greetings beloved people of God and fellow pilgrims. I welcome you to the 29th Sunday in the Ordinary time of the Church. (An Ordinary time is the season when the Church has no particular celebration). On this day that is also called, 'Mission Sunday', beloved friends, I wish to reflect with us on the theme, " Give Your Best to the World and Give Yourself to God". The Church has set out today, so that we can reflect on the missionary nature of our lives and the Christian faith which God has called us into. Often time when we hear of mission or missionaries, our minds often wander to those priests who work in distant and remote villages, preaching the Good News. In as much as this thinking is not wrong in itself, it is reductionistic. In fact, According to the understanding of the Church, Mission is everything and anything that we can do to better the world is mission. So, whether we sell in the market, work in the office, engages in hand-work, whether we are male or female, married or single, healthy or sick, rich or poor, literate or uneducated, we are all on mission. The only difference is that we are called to this universal mission in diverse ways. Thus, in whatever we do, we must try to put in our best, and do it as if they were commanded by God. This understanding that we are all on mission, together with the Gospel reading is the reason why I have titled today's reflection as, 'Give your best to the world and yourself to God'. Beloved, In the Gospel reading of today, the Pharisees and Herodians, tried to ensnare Jesus by asking Him whether it is lawful to pay tax to Caesar or not, so that they may entrap Him. However, being God, Jesus understood the rhetorical and catch-22, situation which is set before Him. So, He proved Himself God in His response. Jesus avoided their trap by confronting them with the image of a coin. Coinage in the ancient world had significant political power. Rulers issued coins with their own image and inscription on them. In a certain sense the coin was regarded as the personal property of the ruler. Where the coin was valid the ruler held political sway over the people. Since the Jews used the Roman currency, Jesus explained that what belonged to Caesar must be given to Caesar. Accordingly beloved in Christ, just like coin which bear the picture and stamp of the ruler and rightfully belongs to him, we, too, have been stamped with God's image since we are created in His own likeness. For Scripture tells us that, "God created man in his own image and likeness, male and female he created them" (Genesis 1:26-27). So, like coins, we rightfully belong not to ourselves, but to God who created us and redeemed us in the precious blood of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor. 6:19-20). This explains why St. Paul admonishes us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God (Rom 12:1). The question we must answer today and deal with is this: Do we even consciously acknowledge that our life and everything we possess belongs to God and not to ourself? And do we give to God what rightfully belongs to Him completely at all time? Beloved, in as much as we have the image and stamp of God, we are not meant to be passive observers or spectators of the events of our world and the things that happen around us. We must be active members of the society, we must contribute to make the world a better place (Gen 1:28), we must engage in profitable and dignified labour (2Thessa. 3:10), We must speak up against injustice, oppression and brutality (#EndSars), We must live once and make it count, and we must live for God, for it is in Him that we ought to live and move and have our being here on earth and in heaven (Act 17:28). PASTORAL LESSEION 1 . Remember that you and I are called to mission to the society and every place and situation we find ourselves. 2 . Remember that like the Roman coin, you and I are stamped with the image of God, so we belong to Him and ought to return back to Him. 3 . Remember that the Christian Religion is no enemy to civil government, but seeks to improve it. 4 . As a matter of urgency, We owe the government the obligation to be law abiding, dedicated and peaceful even in the face of a crumbling structure. 5. Always remember that you can only live once, so give your best to whatever you do. God Bless you OH that today you would listen to his voice harden not your heart (Ps.95:7-8). LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, because you have made me, I owe you the whole of my love, because you have redeemed me, I owe you the whole of myself, because you have put me here I promise to give my best in all I do, so help me God....Amen HAPPY MISSION SUNDAY TO YOU.... @Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara MSP.⛪