Homily for April 7, 2017.
Have you
ever suffered for something you are completely innocent of? If yes, then today’s
readings will strike a chord for you.
There was
Jeremiah the great prophet, the man whom God called to proclaim a message of
repentance to a people on exile; giving them a pathway to freedom again. Yet,
the best they could do was to persecute him.
Painful
indeed it must have been for Jeremiah and for Jesus knowing that this was a
people he had come to save now rising up to pick up stones to stone him. Pain
is something that is not so easy to describe, you need to be in the shoes of
the person suffering the pain in other to understand.
Imagine making
sacrifice to help a person only for that same person to turn around to witch-hunt
you. Imagine being kind to people only for them to use your kindness against
you. Imagine being there for people through thick and thin, rendering selfless
service only for the same people to let you down when you need them most.
Life at
times can be so unfair!
When we
consider our deepest pains by themselves, we could become hopeless and even
consider ending our lives. But then, when we put our pains side by side with
those of our Lord Jesus Christ, everything begins to make sense. This is the
beauty of Lent - an opportune time to re-examine the pains of the Christ.
Jesus
Christ was working miracles and people were happy to receive theirs. For them,
Jesus was a miracle worker and nothing more, they did not read beyond the signs
– they did not know that for Jesus to work all these miracles, he is actually
God.
When Jesus
started laying claim to his Divinity, all of a sudden, they forgot the miracles
he worked. They accused Jesus of blasphemy saying he has no right to call God
his father.
When
people start fighting you, they suddenly forget all the good you have done for
them in the past! So sad, but that is just life. Jesus even said to them: “Even
though you do not believe me, believe the works; that you may know and
understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”
In other
words, Jesus was saying: “allow my past good deeds, allow the miracles you saw
convince you.” But then, all these fell on deaf ears. Even those who received
the miracles joined in shouting “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
Dear
friends, whether we like it or not, we all are bound to experience such moments
in our life. Moments of betrayal, moments of raw pain, moments when everything feels
as though God no longer cares. In times like this, what should be our response?
How do we react to painful situations?
Jeremiah
gives us a perfect answer. See what he said when he faced persecution: “But the
Lord is with me as a dread warrior… O Lord of hosts, who test the righteous,
who see the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them for to you
have I committed my cause.”
Jeremiah
does not end there, he adds: “Sing to the lord; praise the lord! For he has
delivered the life of the needy from the hand of evildoers.” Do you remember how
Paul and Silas sang in the prison? And all of a sudden, the locks broke open?
Dear
friends, don’t go about hating anybody, carrying grudges or trying to fight your
preconceived enemies with bare hands. Allow God who is not blind, God who sees
everything that happens take vengeance on your behalf. All you have to do is to
sing! Just sing praises to God and watch to see how God fights on your behalf!
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, in my anguish I call to you, save me lest I perish.
Amen.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Friday of the 5th Week of Lent. Bible
Study: Jeremiah 20:10-13 and John 10:31-42).
Fr. Abu.
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