HOMILY FOR THURSDAY {4/07/2024}, THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME B
[Amos 7:10-17; Matt 9:1-8]
How do you comprehend the God who punishes in the first reading and the God who shows mercy in the gospel? Is he the same God? Before we answer these questions in our hearts, it will be better if we examine why will God punish us. To understand this aspect of God pouring his wrath on someone, we need to understand that the wrath of God did not just come without a series of warnings. And to crown it all, this warning, many a time comes with God’s mercy shown repeatedly.
From the first reading, we hear of the punishment allotted to King Jeroboam and Priest Amaziah. Hitherto, to understand this scripture well, we need to read the preceding verses and chapters. Prophet Amos had been interceding for the king and the priest and even telling them to desist from their evil deeds but today, they wish to go against the man of God and to make him feel that it is not God who sent him. Let us remember Matt 12: 30-32 – all sins will be forgiven but the sin against the Holy Spirit will not. This is the main cause of their punishment because they believe that God cannot send someone like Amos who, according to the scripture, is a nobody (a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore tree).
In the gospel, we see the God who shows mercy to the paralytic seeing the faith of the people, he forgave the sins of the paralytic and healed him.
When an encounter happens especially with God, we must do well to align ourselves to the will of God. Many a time, when we face trying times, that is not the time when we begin to blame God that God is not powerful or good. When we look back or introspect, we will see the goodness of God in our lives. Truly, God has been faithful. But the little time that we face difficulties and seems God has not been there which of course God is always with us, should not make us despair and think that God does not care. Just like the gospel has rightly put it, Jesus saw their faith and he had mercy on the paralytic. Sometimes, our faith is important but the faith of the people is very much more important because he has said, where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in their midst (Matt 18:20).
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God visits us every day of our lives. We must align ourselves to receive him in faith and appreciate him in thanksgiving. May God continue to give us the grace of open our mind to see all areas that we need to appreciate Him and thus, our faith continues to grow in God. Amen.
Pax Vobis
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