Homily
for June 5, 2017.
My dear friends, I welcome
you back to the season of Ordinary Time, a period where our liturgy features
mostly the green colour of vestments; the colour of plants and vegetation; a
colour that symbolizes growth, nurturing and advancement.
One unique feature of the
ordinary season I have noticed over the years is that homilies become more
difficult to prepare. This is because there is often no sync between the first
reading and the Gospel passage during ordinary time. In other words, this ordinary
season, we can either decide to dwell on the first reading and ignore the
Gospel or vice versa.
Our first reading today
introduces to the life of one righteous man whose deeds will never be
forgotten; Tobit was a type of person who would not sit down to eat without
first inviting a fellow hungry man to share in his meal.
When Tobit saw food, he
thought first of those who cannot afford a decent meal. How often do I try to
think of the millions of hungry stomachs out there who day-dream of having even
a tiny piece of the food I eat every day? Maybe if I do this, I will be more
grateful and complain less about my life circumstances.
This is why the primary
school rhyme will always remain relevant: Some have food and cannot eat, some
can eat but have no food, we have food and we can eat, glory be to Jesus
Christ.
Another shining quality of
Tobit is that whenever he was told somebody had been murdered and the body thrown
away, he risked his very life and personal peace to ensure he performed a
befitting burial. The life of Tobit reminds us today of the corporal works of
mercy which are:
*To feed the hungry; To give
drink to the thirsty; To clothe the naked; To harbour the harbourless; To visit
the sick; To ransom the captive; To bury the dead.*
Jesus gave a powerful
parable in our Gospel passage that was immediately understood by all. Those with
guilty conscience knew they were the ones being referred to in the parable but
instead of them to rethink their lives and change their ways, they tried to
fight back; they attempted to arrest Jesus.
I wonder why we humans are
like this. We know what we are doing is wrong but when someone points it out or
corrects us, we fight the person instead of fighting the lingering evil in our
lives. I mean, if we believe there is nothing wrong with what we are doing, why
do we feel agitated by the person correcting us?
Recently the body of a
Bishop was found in a river. Initially, the news went out that a whole Catholic
Bishop committed suicide. Upon investigation, it was revealed that he was
murdered and his body dumped into the river from a helicopter. What a life?
Another John the Baptist of our time. For speaking the truth and trying to
report to authority of the evils that were going on around him, this Bishop was
martyred.
Coincidentally, today we
celebrate the memorial of St. Boniface, a bishop who also suffered martyrdom in
the hands of wicked people. I am resolved to speak the truth always. I may succeed
in postponing my death by keeping quiet or telling lies but no matter how long I
live, I must still die one day, after all, death is death.
Let us pray: Lord Jesus, may
truth never die from my mouth. Amen.
St. Boniface, Pray for us.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 9th Week in
Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Tobit 1:3-2:1-8 and Mark 12:1-12).*
Fr. Abu.
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