Homily for Wednesday 21st February 2019
_“He waited another seven days, and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark and the dove came back to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. Then he waited another seven days, and sent forth the dove, and she did not return to him anymore.” *(Genesis 8:10-12)*_
Although it rained for only forty days, Noah’s exit from the Ark was not immediate. It took him a couple of days before he eventually stepped out of the Ark. Noah was not just a courageous man who dared to be different, he was also a patient person.
Patience is a virtue. The ability to wait in hope and expectation even when it seems as if things are not working out as planned is a gift. We live in a world of instant-food, instant-degrees, instant-everything. We want things done for us and we want them done fast. At times, we even give God ultimatums when we pray.
In our Gospel passage, Jesus healed a blind man but one unique thing about this particular healing is that it happened in stages. It was not an instant healing. First, the man could see people who looked like trees, then Jesus prayed again before the man could then see things clearly.
Even though most of the people who approached Jesus for healing got instantaneous healing, this man’ case just happened to be different. I believe this particular story is in the Bible so that we would know that sometimes, God could choose to work things out for us in stages.
Yes, there are times, we get instant answers but could it be the case that right now, God may be blessing you little by little without you even noticing it?
Be Patient, life is in stages. It is not the day you start a business that you begin to earn big. It is not the day you plant a tree that you start eating its fruits. When we ask God for big things, we should learn to give thanks for the small ones. Imagine Noah becoming frustrated with God because the flood waters did not dry up instantly???
Be grateful for life, for small victories, for little progress, for little miracles, for being able to sleep and wake up, even for the air you breathe. Be grateful for the small things because these “little drops of water” you take for granted are the stuff of the mighty oceans you see.
Noah’s patience paid off greatly. Noah’s faith and gentleness pleased God and Noah’s sacrifice was pleasing to God as well. God had so much faith in Noah that He was convinced out of Noah, a new kind of humanity would proceed; one that would not need to be destroyed again.
As we read, “And when the LORD smelled the pleasing odour, the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:21-22).
Indeed, we are still benefiting from Noah’s goodness today. Despite the number of evils we see happening in the world today, God has not yet destroyed it.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, instil in me patience and gratitude for little progress. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Sixth Wednesday in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Genesis 8:6-13,20-22 Psalm 116 and Mark 8:22-26).
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