WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GREAT IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD? (HOMILY FOR TUESDAY OF THE 19TH WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME

What does it mean to be great in the kingdom of God?

Prophetic Commisioning

Ezekiel 2:8-10; 3:1-4; Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14

The first reading of today speaks of the prophetic commissioning of Ezekiel. This prophetic commission entails obedience and assimilation of the word of God.

In the first Phase,  the Lord commanded Ezekiel: “But you mortal, hear what I say to you, do not be rebellious like that rebellious house” (Ezekiel 2:8). This is a demand of obedience and submission. A prophet is not a person of his own. A prophet is a messenger of God. He does not have his messages but the messages of God and thus must be subordinate to the injunctions of God. He is not to be in argument or remonstration with the commands of God but to do just what God desires of him. Friends in Christ, the first mark of a prophet is Obedience. Today many claims to be prophets, they disobey constituted authorities and are rebellious. They are false prophets 

In the second phase, God said to him, 'open your mouth and eat what I give you...fill your stomach with it. Ezekiel ate the scroll and in his mouth, it was as sweet as honey (Ezekiel 3:3). Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, in other to preach the word of God, we must first assimilate the word of God, we must allow the word to speak to us, we must digest it first, incorporate it into our being before we preach it to others. In obedience to the word of God, we find sweetness. The word of God delights the soul, it gives satisfaction to the soul. Today many preachers do not assimilate the word of God. What they practice and what they preach are in contrast to one another. They didn't make the word their own. The truth, justice, compassion and the values of the kingdom of God that the word of God exudes do not take root in them. They pride themselves on the word of God. 

In the Gospel of today, Jesus teaches his disciples the meaning of greatness in the kingdom of God. For the disciples, greatness is synonymous with power, prestige, position, honour, personal ambition etc. However for Jesus, to be great in the kingdom of God entails exhibiting the character of a child before God. The character of innocence, and dependence on God. For just as a child cast his trust, hope and dependence on the parents so also it must be in our relation to God. Jesus said: “Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). Jesus present the child as a model for entry into the kingdom of God because of its symbolic value of innocence and dependence. The vice of pride must not be found in us. A proud person is an aborminatuon before God.

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, by the virtue of our baptism we are God's adopted children, and we acknowledge God as our Father. Let's constantly as children of God manifest the character of dependence, Faith, trust and confidence in God, that we may feel the care, love and compassion of our heavenly Father. 

Have a grace-filled day

Fr Remi osj