HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 32ND WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II/Memorial of St. Josaphat (Bishop and Martyr).

Homily for Saturday of the 32nd Week in Ordinary Time

Memorial of St. Josaphat (Bishop and Martyr). 

3 John 5-8; Luke 18:1-8.

St. John in the First Reading encourages us to be generous and show hospitality to those who preach the Gospel especially to strangers. Preaching the Gospel can be very challenging because it brings people face to face with rejection, acceptance, poverty, wealth, fame, persecutions and trials. To the extent that persecution can lead to death in some cases.

Jesus assured his disciples who support someone for being a prophet will receive a prophet's reward and if we help another on account of the Gospel then we shall surely be rewarded for it too. Apart from material support, it is also very important we support with our prayers and Jesus in today's Gospel calls our attention on the need to persevere and be persistent in prayer.

The parable of the widow and the unjust judge by Jesus in today's Gospel is to renew in his disciples and us faith and confidence in the unfailing favour of God towards His children.

The widow offers us an example of insistence, persistence and perseverance in prayer. We do not have to give up because we have not received immediate response in prayer. No matter how long, once we have not received what we ask in prayer, our prayer must persist.

For our prayers to be answered, we must have faith, pray for a good intention and be very patient with God and above all we must allow God's will to be done. Hence, we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us in our prayers. If we pray with the Holy Spirit leading and directing us, we can be rest assured that "God will vindicate us, who cry to Him day and night. He will not delay long over us" (cf.Luke 18:7).

We celebrate the memorial of St. Josaphat born in Ukraine of Orthodox parents who later became a Catholic and was ordained a priest and a Bishop. As Archbishop of Polotsk, he worked faithfully for the reform of the Church and unity between East and West. He faced much opposition and suffered martyrdom at the hands of an angry mob at Vitebsk (Belarus). 

Through the intercession of St. Josaphat, may God grant us a generous heart and increase our faith through Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Have a blessed day