HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 22ND WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME YEAR II

In the first reading of today, St. Paul addressed the Corinthians as people of the flesh. He wrote: “You are people of the flesh...infants in Christ...you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh...? (1cor 3:1-3). This is so because where there is strife, jealousy, division, envy, wrangling and all sort of vices, there ethe spirit of God is absent. The Corinthians became divisive and competitive in the Christian community, while some say they are for Paul, others say they are for Apollos, Hence undermining the place of the crucified Christ in the lives.

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, St. Paul speaks to us today, noting that anyone who is at variance with his fellow men is not a man of God, he is not spiritual, he is of the flesh. However, if a man promotes love, unity and harmony in his relationship with his fellow men, then that man is in communion with God. Are we bringers of peace, joy, love and unity etc or are our actions breeding division and distrust amobg the people of God?

St. Paul, recommended to the Corinthians in the beautiful description:, “You are God's field...your are God's building...we are God's fellow workers” (1 Cor3:9). For as the beauty of the field is contained in the diverse plants and trees etc manifest field, so also is the community of God's people in their respective languages, colour, nationality, race etc. A beautiful field or garden is not monotonous in nature but diverse. As fellow workers of God, in building the kingdom of God here on earth, we must keep to the design and plans of God for the buildinng which is the community of God's people. We must not be destroyers of the community of God's people rather through our faithful services, we must as collaborators and coworkers of God, work towards the realization of God's project. 

This universal and accomdating attitude was clearly expressed by Jesus in the Gospel reading of today. We are told that after having cured Simon's mother-in-law who suffered from high fever, Jesus went to a deserted place to pray but then when the crowds came looking for him and wanted him to stay with them , he responded: “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose, so he continued proclaiming the message in the synagogue of Judea” (Lk 4:42-44).  Jesus did not restrict the good news to his family, realtives and friends but gave it a universal approcah, so that all may be beneficiaries of the blessings of God. The church is Catholic in character, so as to carry the messages of the kingdom of God to the utmost bounds of the world. Beloved in Christ, we too must learn to be all-embracing in bringing the values of the Kingdom of God to the door steps of our brothers and sisters. 

May God bless us all

Have  blessed dayFr Remi osj