HOMILY FOR 21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME In life, we often feel at ease with people who share our opinion; who belong to same school of thought; who are of same race, creed, nationality etc. We often despise foreigners and those who do not belong to our group. Prior to their Babylonian deportation, the Israelites had often despised foreigners forgetting completely that the God who created them, created other nations as well. They failed to realise that God is not only God of Israel but the God of all peoples and he loves all people not looking at their race or tribe. In the readings of today, we hear of the universality of God’s salvation. In the first reading, taken from the prophecy of Isaiah, the Lord says: ‘I am coming to gather all nations and tongues’ (Is. 66:18). The psalmist admonishes us to go into the whole world and preach the gospel to all creation. In the gospel reading, Jesus tells his followers that men will come from the East and West (probably from the ends of the earth) and take their place in the kingdom of Heaven. The second reading is in line with the other texts on the salvation for all. From the readings of today, we can learn some lessons. First, God desires that all of us be saved (I Tim. 2:4) and this is why he offers salvation for all people and not for a selected few. So, it is unchristian for some of us to look at those who do not belong to our group as destined to condemnation. Secondly, the readings tells us that we have a role to play in the salvation of souls as contained in the first, second readings and the responsorial psalm. In the first reading, God through the prophecy of Isaiah says: ‘I will send survivors to the nations, to the Islands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory’ (Is. 66:19). It is pertinent to note that we live in a world where many people have not heard the gospel and do not even know Christ, perhaps even in our family, among our friends and the people we meet every day. There are many who have heard of Christ but in reality do not know him. So, it becomes our duty, as Christ messengers, to bring the message of Christ to such people. The psalmist says: ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel’ (Ps. 117). Like St. Paul and the other apostles, we should preach the gospel to the ends of the earth. We should not forget so quickly that the gospel was brought to us by some foreign missionaries and so we should strive to do the same to others. In the second reading, the author to the Hebrews tells us that as messengers of the gospel, we should be exemplary in order to encourage, with our conduct and with our charity, those who are wavering and of less strength: ‘therefore lift up your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed’ (Heb. 12:13). Thirdly, our admittance in God’s kingdom will be based not only on dining and wining with the Lord but on faith accompanied with good works. Fourthly, God desires that we should all be saved but on our part we have to make effort to enter the Heaven through the narrow gate: ‘Struggle to enter through the narrow gate’ (Lk. 13:24). Fifth, there will be surprises on the last day: ‘the first shall be the last and the last shall be the first’ (Lk. 13:30). In line with this injunction, Archbishop Fulton Sheen said: ‘On the last day, three things will happen. First, those who you expect to see in Heaven will not be there. Secondly, those whom you do not expect to see in Heaven will be the ones who will be there and lastly, I (Fulton Sheen) will be in Heaven.’ Lord, show us your mercy and love and grant us your salvation.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 20:14:54 +0000
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