ARE YOU READY FOR THE JUDGEMENT DAY? HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE 28TH WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II

Homily for Monday of the 28th week in the ordinary the, year II

Galatians 4:22-24, 26-27,31; 5:1; Luke 11:29-32

The faculty of freedom to choose good and avoid evil is God's most precious gift to man. The word of God tells us: "It is the will of God that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel (sirach 15:14). True Freedom is not the ability to do whatever you want. It is the strength of character to do what is good, true, noble and right.

Using an allegory of the two sons of Abraham: one from the slave-girl and the other from the free-born wife as seen in the first reading of today, St Paul sums up the doctrinal message of his letter to the Galatians. A message on freedom of the children of God. Freedom we owe to no other person than to Christ Jesus. A lasting freedom which was obtained with a great price: the precious blood of Christ Jesus. "You were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish" (1 Peter 1:18-19)

St Paul writes: "we are the children, not of the slave-girl but of the free-born wife. For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery" (Gal 5:1).

St. Paul reawakened in the heart and minds of the Galatians the need for their attitude to be in concormitance with their identity. Their deeds should reflect their identity as free-born children of God. Hence, they must never submit to the yoke of sin and evil which enslaves them. 

By the virtue of the sacrament of baptism, we have been incorporated into the divine family where as adopted free-born sons and daughters of God, we have the privilege to live a new life in the spirit of God. Our attitudes and deeds must conform to the mandate and commandments of God and not to the yoke of slavery and evil.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus spoke to the Jews saying: "The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment Day with is generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here" (Lk 11:32). 

Jonah though a Jew, and stranger to the Ninevites, without performing any miracle, preached to the Ninevites saying "For fourth days more and Nineveh will be destroyed (Jon 3:). The Ninevites put on sackcloth and repented. We are told that God changed his mind about the calamity that would befall them (Jon 3:10).

However, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of the God's kingdom: "The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe in the good news" (Mk 1:14-15). He performed miracles: He healed the sick, gave sight to the blind, restored speech to the dump, hearing to the deaf, the lame , the cripple and paralysed could walked leap in joy (Mt 11:4-5). Yet even his own people rejected him (John 1:11) and rather demanded for a sign. The Ninevites repented but the Jews did not repent.

This spells out the reason why Jesus used the word "woe" unto the cities chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum. Noting that if the miracles perform in them were performed in Tyre and Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, they would have repented (Mt 11:21; Lk 10:13).

Hence, Jesus said the people of Nineveh will arise on judgement day and condemn this generation because because Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold something greater than Jonah is here.

Dearest brothers and sister is Christ, it is easy to say the Jews had their chances and never took them. How about us? On judgement day will non Christians arise despite having fewer means of salvation and condemn us (Christians) who having so abundant means of salvation (the word of God and the sacraments) yet did not turn in to the truth and be saved? Are we moved by the invitation of the word of God to repentance or are we more interest in signs and wonders, miracles as the only source of conviction? Remember, the only sign that will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah.

We pray in this Eucharistic sacrifice that our hearts may constantly be lured towards repentance and the mercy of God.  May the will of God be fulfilled in our lives both now and forever more. Amen. God bless you all

Have a fruitful day!

Fr Remi osj