HOMILY FOR THURSDAY {11/07/2024}, 14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME B
MEMORIAL OF ST. BENEDICT (Abb)
[HOS 11:1-4.8c-9; MATT 10:7-15]
Today, we celebrate a Father of Western Monsticism. St. Benedict was a man with incredible gifts and zeal. A man who had and lived in luxury decided to live a life of poverty. A life that many today don’t want to experience is what St. Benedict embraced. All his property and inheritance were sold and given to the poor after which he went into the wilderness to live for and with the Lord. One thing that speaks so well of him is the fact that he loved Jesus and the Church. He worked tirelessly for the Church and the monastic life. One outstanding area is the rule of monastic life which many of the monastic seminary still apply.
Today’s Gospel describes the commissioning of the twelve apostles for the apostolic work of preparing the towns and villages for Jesus’ coming visit to them. Sent out in pairs to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God, repentance, the forgiveness of sins, and liberation, they were to follow Jesus’ detailed action-plan and bear witness to Jesus by their simple lifestyle.
Jesus’ instructions and travel tips. By his instructions, it is clear that Jesus meant his disciples to take no supplies for the road. They were simply to trust that God, the Provider, would open the hearts of believers to take care of their needs. Jesus’ instructions also suggest that the apostles should not be like the acquisitive priests of the day, interested only in gaining riches. They should be walking examples of God’s love and providence. The Jews supported their rabbis, and they judged doing so a privilege as well as an obligation, seeing hospitality as an important religious tradition. The apostles are told they should choose temporary accommodation in a reputable household, should bless the residents with God’s peace, and should be satisfied with the food and accommodation they received, not searching for better. They were to preach “’the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,’ heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons.”
Dear brothers and sisters, we, too, have a witnessing mission: Each Christian is called not only to be a disciple, but also to be an apostle. As apostles, we have to evangelize the world by sharing with others, not just words, or ideas, or doctrines, but our own experience of God and His Son, Jesus. It is through our transparent Christian lives that we must show the love, mercy, and concern of Jesus to the people around us. 2) We also have a liberating mission: There are many demons which can control the lives of people around us, making them helpless slaves — the demon of nicotine & drugs, the demon of alcohol, the demon of gambling, the demon of pornography, the demon of promiscuous sex, the demon of materialism, and the demon of consumerism. We need the help of Jesus to liberate ourselves and others from these things.
Pax Vobis
Catholic Diocese of Ilorin, Kwara State,
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