Anyone who hates his brother is a Murderer

Homily for Saturday 5^th January 2019

_“He who does not love abides in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” *(1 John 3:14-15)*_ 

Today, St. John continues his straightforward homiletic writing. He just hits the nail on its head and delivers nothing but the truth. Hatred is a very serious sin. The moment we start nursing hatred in our heart towards our neighbours, colleagues or even our fellow brothers and sisters, we are already murderers.

What is the point of celebrating Christmas, a love story, if I cannot love my fellow brothers and sisters? St. John says: “we know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren.”

Being able to love (or better put, being able to forgive) is our passport, our identity card, our report card of having come out of death to life. When I continue to harbour hatred in my heart, I am living in death (i.e. a living dead).

The key to avoiding hatred is not letting anger fester in our hearts at all. Psalm 4:4 says “Be angry, but sin not; commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be silent.” Ephesians 4:26-27 adds: “Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger and give no opportunity to the devil.”

Forgive easily and forgive quickly; see something good in the person who has hurt you and hatred will not rest in your heart.

Finally, as we return to our busy life schedules, let us not forget to introduce people to Christ. Don’t just talk about politics, fuel prices or inflation, also talk about Jesus. We often assume that everyone already knows about Jesus but the evils in our society today reflect the opposite reality.

Be a Philip today; bring a Nathanael to Jesus.

Let us pray: Lord Jesus, purge my heart of hate. Amen

Happy New Year. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of Christmastide. Bible Study: 1^st John 3:11-21, Psalm 100, and John 1:43-51).