Homily for July 12, 2018.
“As you go, proclaim the Good News, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment.” Matthew 10:7-8.
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says, “Preach as you go” meaning that our very lives are loud sermons. Everything we do from dusk to dawn is preaching. Even what we do in secret is preaching. When we let our light shine by good works, we are preaching. When our actions betray our values and what we stand for, we are also preaching.
I was listening to the radio a few days ago and I heard about a security man working in a bank who found ten thousand dollars which was missing and he decided to return it to the manager. There were a lot of reactions to this story from listeners on radio, but the fact is that the action of that security man preached a great sermon.
Even when we have to use words to preach, we must ensure our actions do not, later on, contradict our words.
Hosea today speaks about the love of God for Israel and the fact that despite how much Israel as a nation has prostituted itself before Baal, God’s love still remained steadfast. It may interest you to note that Hosea’s very life demonstrated the extent of God’s love when he had to marry a prostitute who was unfaithful to him yet he kept going back to get her.
His ability to forgive her each time she went out with another man was a testimony of how God forgives us. Hosea speaking on God’s behalf says; “my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my fierce anger… for I am God and not a man… and I will not come to destroy.”
Preaching is not all about words alone. It is a whole ministry that comprises freeing people from the darkness that imprisons them; the darkness of ignorance, the darkness of sickness, spiritual death and demonic possession. Hence Jesus added, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons.”
Preaching begins on the pulpit but it is only complete when the minister actually reaches out to touch the sick, the dead, the lepers and those possessed. That is why the labourer in God’s vineyard is called to go out to meet the people where they are, to visit their homes.
Nonetheless, these visitations should never be limited only to the homes of the rich neither should the labourer complain when he is sent to an area where he has to attend to the needs of the poor. As Jesus puts it: “You receive without pay, give without pay, take no gold, nor silver, nor copper, no bag, no two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff.”
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, use me every day that as my life continues to preach, what it says may be pleasing to your ears. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Hosea 11:1-9, Psalm 80:2-16, Matthew 10:7-15).*
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