Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Saturday Week 13 Ordinary time - July 4, 2020

SATURDAY 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II

Amos 9:11-15, Matthew 9:14-17

There are times in our lives when it seems as if God has abandoned us. Everything around us seem to point to the fact that we are doomed.  For some days now, we have been reading from the book of the prophet Amos who has been prophesying doom to the people of Israel who failed to repent. The people had lost hope of God's pardon and forgiveness.

With the Covid-19 pandemic in our world still looking far from ending, many people have been very worried as to whether our sins have caught up with us. Many have lost hope due to the loss of relatives and friends to the pandemic.

The words of prophet Amos in the first reading of today which is his last verses in the last chapter are very assuring. God promised the people of Israel that after all that they had passed through, the days are coming when harvest will follow directly after ploughing, the treading of grapes soon after sowing,

when the mountains will run with new wine and the hills all flow with it. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them, plant vineyards and drink their wine, dig gardens and eat their produce.

These are also the promises of God to us today. We are assured that if we hold fast to him, better days are coming when we will regain all that we have lost. We shall be restored to our former glory, and we shall rejoice and be glad.

This according to Jesus in the gospel reading, is only possible if we continue to be steadfast in our faith, and do not mix our life in Christ with our old life before life in Christ. The bridegroom will surely come, and we shall rejoice. God help us. Amen

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Saturday Week 13 Ordinary time - July 4, 2020

SATURDAY 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II
Amos 9:11-15, Matthew 9:14-17
There are times in our lives when it seems as if God has abandoned us. Everything around us seem to point to the fact that we are doomed.  For some days now, we have been reading from the book of the prophet Amos who has been prophesying doom to the people of Israel who failed to repent. The people had lost hope of God's pardon and forgiveness.
With the Covid-19 pandemic in our world still looking far from ending, many people have been very worried as to whether our sins have caught up with us. Many have lost hope due to the loss of relatives and friends to the pandemic.
The words of prophet Amos in the first reading of today which is his last verses in the last chapter are very assuring. God promised the people of Israel that after all that they had passed through, the days are coming when harvest will follow directly after ploughing, the treading of grapes soon after sowing,
when the mountains will run with new wine and the hills all flow with it. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them, plant vineyards and drink their wine, dig gardens and eat their produce.
These are also the promises of God to us today. We are assured that if we hold fast to him, better days are coming when we will regain all that we have lost. We shall be restored to our former glory, and we shall rejoice and be glad.
This according to Jesus in the gospel reading, is only possible if we continue to be steadfast in our faith, and do not mix our life in Christ with our old life before life in Christ. The bridegroom will surely come, and we shall rejoice. God help us. Amen
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Friday Week 13 Ordinary time - July 3, 2020

FRIDAY 3RD JULY 2020

FEAST OF ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE

Ephesians 2:19-22, John 20:24-29

Thre are some people who are very realistic and simple about almost everything they do. They want to be very sure about what they are doing, thus they ask questions to be sure before they commit themselves. When such people say yes, they mean yes and do not turn back to say no.

St Thomas can be likened to such a person. Many people refer to him as doubting Thomas, but he was one of the most honest Apostles of Jesus. He is known to always say his mind, always making his opinion known. He loved Jesus his master so much that when the other Apostles were afraid that Jesus would be killed on his way to Bethany to raise Lazarus, he said  he would not mind dying with Jesus.

When Jesus spoke in parables to his disciples and they do not understand, Thomas always asked to be clarified. It was the question of Thomas to Jesus to show them the way to the father that made Jesus to make the declaration that he is the way, the truth and the life.

When Thomas was told that Jesus had appeared, he asked to see him before believing. This was not a lack of faith, but a mark of one who is very realistic. He saw Jesus captured and killed by the Jews. One cannot expect that Thomas would just believe that he appeared to the other Apostles. If we put ourselves in his position, we will understand that Thomas was a real man. When Jesus appeared again and showed himself to Thomas, he made the best declaration in the Christian faith, "My Lord and my God". Thomas therefore, was the first person to refer to Jesus as God.

In the Apocryphal writing, "The Act of Thomas", he is said to have preached among the Persians and Indians where he is patron saint today.

We have a lot to learn from the person of Thomas today. We ask for his intercession as we embark on our own faith journey,  that we may also be able to continually acclaim Jesus as our Lord and God. God help us. Amen.

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP

Fr. Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie, MSP - Homily for Thursday Week 13 Ordinary time - July 2, 2020

THURSDAY THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II

Amos 7:10-17, MATTHEW 9:1-8

If you have not been hated before for saying the truth, you may not understand what the prophet Amos is passing through in the first reading of today. As a true Christian, there would be moments in life when what people will say or do to you will not be your concern. Your priority will only be the truth. This is also what priests of God should also be ready to face. As a priest for example, it is expected that I tell people the truth about their lives. Lying to people so that they will be happy will be very disastrous at the long run.

In the first reading of today, the prophet Amos told the king to repent, less the nation go into exile. Words were sent to the king of Israel to banish Amos from the land. The response of Amos is very captivating and it represents who a true priest and prophet of God is. The priesthood is not a profession, but a vocation which only those called by God can attain. Amos told Amaziah that he did not choose to be a prophet, he was a shepherd when God called him. Instead of hunting those who tell us the truth, let us look into our lives and repent. God help us. Amen

Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP