Homily for May 11, 2017.
Going
through the words of Jesus in our Gospel passage this morning, you would notice
how he makes use of missionary vocabulary such as: SERVANT, MASTER, SEND,
RECEIVE etc.
By washing
the feet of his disciples, Jesus gave them an example of what mission is all
about; it is first of all realizing that you have been sent and then, bringing
yourself down to serve those to whom you were sent.
Missionary
work is service. It is not a job wherein you begin to grumble about salary or welfare.
Being a missionary is forgetting oneself and being humble enough to help people
wash off their dirty sides by pouring the water of God’s words on their feet.
Every
Christian must see himself or herself as a person on mission. Being servants of
God, the service we owe God is spreading the message. And this mission has no
boundary or limitation.
However,
in serving others, in bringing God to them, we should not expect them to
appreciate it or even thank you. No, the experience of Jesus who is our master
is exactly what we shall face since we are not greater than our master. The people
we are serving will be the ones to stab us in the back.
If Judas
could betray Jesus after eating with him that same night, then we should even
expect worse from those benefiting from us. “He who ate my bread has lifted up
his heel against me.” In the work of God, our greatest trouble will not come
from unbelievers but from our fellow church-church-people.
Dear
friends, the work of mission has no boundary. It is not a work we do, it is a
life we live. So long as you meet people on a daily basis, so long as you can
identify those aspects of the people’s lives that are in clear contrary to what
God demands, you can help to wash their feet; you can bring God into their
lives.
This is
exactly what we see the great Apostle Paul do in the first reading. He came to
a Jewish synagogue and fully aware that the people knew about the Old
Testament, he started his sermon from as far back as when the people of Israel
were in Egypt.
Tracing
their own history for them to which they could all agree with, Paul interpreted
this history by making them reach the conclusion that that Jesus is the
fulfilment of all the hopes and promises of old. This is perfect preaching;
using the things your audience are familiar with to introduce to them things
they didn’t know before.
The
missionary task is not so much an act of magic. It is precisely being able to
speak directly into the minds and hearts of people. It is meeting them where
they are and showing them a way forward.
In the
end, it is not my work or your work; it is God’s work. No human being one can
take any credit for it. Jesus says “He who receives anyone whom I send receives
me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me.” Even Jesus gives credit
to God the father, how much more, we who are merely humans.
In other
words, if people receive you, if hearts are touched and souls are converted, it
is not because you preached to them; it is because God himself worked. They didn’t
receive you, they received God. So, do not go about boasting about your
accomplishments. The preacher is only a tool, a pencil in the hands of God, the
master artist.
God alone
deserves praise for the work of mission.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus, set me on fire to proclaim your word to the world. Amen
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of the 4th Week
of Easter. Bible Study: Acts 13:13-25 and John 13:16-20).*
Fr. Abu.
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