HOMILY FOR TUESDAY, 16TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME B
[MICAH 7:14-15.18-20; MATT 12:46-50]
For a long period now, the Catholic Church has continued to correct some of the sayings of Jesus. These words of Jesus are not farfetched as to be separated from the context of that period especially when such words used are almost the same in our context. First, the use of the word “brothers”. According to the context, these are not his siblings but rather those within the same extended family, such as cousins. Therefore, it is clear that Jesus’ mother and some other male relatives were coming to see Him.
From the first reading, we see the concerned nature of God who is the Good Shepherd. A shepherd guides, guards, teaches and feeds his sheep. Even when they get him angry for their misdeeds, he gets angry yet he pardons their iniquity. He goes further to make them know that his compassionate heart is bigger than our transgression. This is who God is.
The gospel presents to us Jesus who is the Good Shepherd. We see Jesus using that opportunity to continuously guide by teaching the crowd about the family of God. He clearly states that we become a member of His family simply by obeying the will of the Father in Heaven. Thus, Jesus said, ‘Anyone who does the will of my father is my mother and brothers and sisters.’ This definition of family exceeds blood relationships to include everyone who is spiritually united to Him through the unity of their wills with that of the Father. Invariably, we become His mothers and fathers in the sense that we bring Him into this world through our obedience to the will of the Father.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, what qualifies us to be in God’s family is when we carry out God’s will. The question is are we doing the will of God?
PAX VOBIS
Catholic Diocese of Ilorin, Kwara State,
No comments:
Post a Comment