Homily for May 22, 2017.
Today,
Jesus Christ calls us his witnesses. We are to work side by side with the
Counsellor, that is, the Holy Spirit in spreading the news about him to the
world. How are we to be his witnesses if we are yet to encounter him
personally?
How are we
to stand up for him, if we are not convinced about him as the answer to the
world’s deepest yearnings? How can we witness to him if we do not abide in the
Holy Spirit?
Our first
reading today records how our fathers in the faith carried out their duty as
witnesses in the region of Macedonia and how the Holy Spirit used them mightily
to bring the leading men and women of the city to God. They give us an example
of how we are to witness for Christ.
However,
in every age and time, Christians generally are faced with different forms of
persecution from the hostile world that does not want to hear about Christ.
Today the kind of persecution we face is an internal battle.
It is
easier they say to break a man down when you live in the same house as that man
than you would if you were simply a stranger, this is the persecution that the
sincere believers face, a persecution that aims to make the church an
entertainment centre that encourages immorality, indecency and all manner of
evil.
The real
persecution is no longer in Christians being hanged to death or burnt at the
stake but in MORALITY AND TRUTH being hanged or burnt to death in the lives of
those who call themselves Christians. The real persecution is that the church
no longer has a say in the affairs of society and has lost its respect and
dignity in the hearts of many.
Dear
friends, let us be on our guard and live in a manner that truly represents us
as witnesses for Christ. Let us let go of this emphasis on material prosperity
that only feeds the flesh and its desires at the detriment of the Spirit for
this is the only way we can stand up for our faith in our age and time.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus, may the Holy Spirit use me as your witness. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 6th week of Easter.
Bible Study: Acts 16:11-15. / John 15:26-16:4.).*
Fr. Abu.
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