IT IS NOT EASY TO FOLLOW CHRIST. (Homily for September 4, 2016. Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C.)

Bible Study: Wisdom 9, 13 to 18. Philemon 9 to 10, 12 to 17 and Luke 14, 25 to 33.


Today’s homily can be summarized with this popular song: Seek ye first oh, the kingdom of God oh. And his righteousness oh, the rest na jara. However, Jesus is not simply asking us to seek first God’s kingdom, he demands that we seek ONLY God’s kingdom while we develop hatred for everything else.

Whether we believe it or not, our country today is experiencing Christian persecution at such an alarming rate as never been seen before. With over ninety percent of all presidential appointments being Muslims, the Fulani herdsmen menace to which our President is paying deaf ears and now the introduction of the Islamic banking, we do not need a soothsayer to tell us that the future of Christianity in this country is under serious threat.

If today, someone points a gun on my head and ask me to denounce my faith in Christ or declare that I am now a Muslim, what would be my response? If I watch and see how my fellow Christians’ throats are being sliced like cattle in the name of religion, would I still say I belong to Christ? These are not simply rhetorical questions because the reality has dawned on us already. In a short time from now, each of us would have to face that tough choice, whether to die or become converted to another religion.

Like a man who first considers the cost before embarking on a building project, Jesus is asking us today to consider the cost of our choice to remain Christians. If I know that I am not prepared to die, if I know I cannot give up everything, then there is no point pretending to be a Christian. The kind of mind set I should have towards life is that of a person who is living in the world but knows he is not of the world. Three things from which I must give up my attachments are:

1. FAMILY and LIFE ITSELF: “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple.

2. COMFORT: “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. 

3. WEALTH: “So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

Part of what I have to let go is my pride and ego which prevents me from forgiving others. This is what St. Paul admonishes Philemon to do in our second reading. If I keep holding on to past hurts refusing to let go, how can I let go of my attachment to my own legitimate goods. Part of what it takes to give up my possessions is to forgive people who wrong me or people who forcefully take or steal my possessions.

The worst mistake we can ever make as Christians is to try to eat our cake and still have it. How? By not allowing our Christian faith affect our interior life. Instead of Christianity bringing about self-denial, we now use Christianity itself for self-aggrandizement. If as a Christian, I cannot deny myself from pleasure, comfort or luxuries just to keep God’s commandments, how much more would happen if I am faced with a gun on my head and asked to choose between Christ or death?

Recently I saw a news article where a commissioner in one state accused religious leaders of being responsible for the moral decadence in our society stating that we men of God hide under the cloak of religion to commit heinous crimes. If as a priest, I cannot deny myself in other to be faithful to my vows but see my priesthood as an extended form of bachelorhood that allows me to pick and use any or as many women I want without any commitment, then it means what should be a Cross for me has now become a net for evil. It means that even though I am a priest, I am not yet a follower of Christ.

In my attempt to eat my cake and have it by living a sinful life, I am like a man who started building without putting the cost into consideration. We stared well spiritually but today, we are uncompleted buildings; shadows of ourselves. Following Christ is not easy but it either we follow completely (deny ourselves, take up our crosses and hate material things around us), or we don’t even follow at all. As our first reading warns us we cannot approach our Christian walk while reasoning as mortals. We must pray for the Holy Spirit to impart wisdom upon us so that we can know and do only that which pleases God.

Let Us Pray:
Lord Jesus, the road is hard, difficult and narrow. Help me to keep denying myself and hold on only to my Cross so that I can follow. Amen.

Good morning. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. Happy Sunday.


Fr. Abu

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