DATE : 24/1/2021, The Third Sunday of the Year (B)
EVENT : Sunday Of The Word Of God
COLOUR:Green
READINGS :Jonah 3:1-5; Resp. Psalm. 25:4-5ab.6 and 7bc.8-9; 1Cor. 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20.
THEME: THERE IS POWER IN THE WORD OF GOD
Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". On this Third Sunday of the year, which the Church celebrates the Word of the God, I wish to reflect with you on the theme: " There Is Power In The Word Of God". Beloved in Christ, today, is the exaltation of the Word of God. The Word, through whom all things came into existence. The Word which became flesh in the womb of Mary. The word which is sharper than any two edge sword. The Word which can cut through the most hardened of hearts. The Word which transforms. The Word which causes whatever it is addressed to, to be effected. The Word which is the creative force of God. The Word which is the Son of God. The Word which is the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. The Word which is God himself. As we celebrate the Word of God today, we are called to reflect on the effect of this Word in our lives, and our responses to its promptings in our hearts.
Beloved, in the first reading of today, taken from the book of the prophet Jonah: 3:1-5.10, we see clearly the binding power of the Word of God, and how disastrous a refusal to heed to it can be. I am not going to bore us with the popular story of Jonah and the fish, which even a little child knows. Rather, am going to show us how liberating the Word of God can be if we heed to it. Basically the end purpose of the Word of God is to restore life and bring about liberation to all. (Cf.John 10:10). Even when God threatens or punishes, it is never His intention to destroy, but that we may repent and heed His Word. We see this clearly shown in the story of Jonah and the citizens of Nineveh. Now, Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, ripe with all kind of evil and abominable acts like most cities in Nigeria today (Abuja and Lagos). It was a flourishing city of commerce and trade. But it's inhabitants had turned their backs on God, despite the constant warnings of the men of God in that city. Possibly because they too had lost the moral authority to call the people to order. But when Jonah came with his undiluted message of doom, having been a survivor himself, the people through the help of positive fear, quicky abandoned their evil ways and returned to God, putting on ash and sach clothing. Then, we were told that seeing how sorry they were and how prompt they heeded the Word spoken through Jonah, God relented from the disaster he had threatened upon them.
Child of God, as we celebrate the Word of God today, we are called to allow the Word of God to pierce through to our heart like Jonah and the people of Nineveh. Like the Psalm of today reads, the Word of is like a lamp unto our feet, that will help us to know the ways of God and to walk in the paths of his commandments (Ps. 25). Although God is a merciful God, always sending His Word of warning to us, time and time again, He will not always be patient with us. Thus, St. Paul warns in the second of today, 1Cor. 7:29-31, that we must make haste and heed quickly to the Word of God, because this world as we know it, is passing by and we do not know how much time we have left. So let everyone focus on his salvation. For salvation is a personal race. Not run with a husband, wife, daughter, son or friend. There is never a thing as group repentance. It must be individually done. Like the proverbial Pigin English Adage says, ' las las, everybody go answer him papa name on the last day'. Beloved friends, like the contrite people of Nineveh, I pray that this Word of God, which we hear preached to us each day may bring us the repentance we need to become the children of God, and to excape the fire of Hell which He threatens for all who intently refuse to heed to His Word.
Oh that today you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Ps.95:7-8)
LET US PRAY : Lord Jesus, you are the Word of God, help me to make my heart a living temple for you.
The Lord be with you....... and with your Spirit.
May Almighty God bless you in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit......Amen
HAPPY SUNDAY BELOVED FRIENDS.
@ Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara, MSP. ⛪
No comments:
Post a Comment