In the Game of Life, no one is indispensable (Homily for Wednesday of the 19th week in ordinary time 16th August 2023

HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE 19th WEEK IN ORDINARY

 

In the Game of Life, no one is indispensable_

 

In this journey of life, there are moments we feel on top of the world, we feel superhuman, we feel highly of ourselves as though no one can match our achievements. Sometimes this makes us talk down on our subordinates and treat those we consider below us with disregard, all in the name of status and position. And I ask, where are we taking those status and positions to? 

 

The story of Moses in our first reading should serve as a great lesson to you and I, for none of us can occupy a particular position in life forever. Before Moses, there was Abraham, and after Moses there will be Joshua. Before you got to where you are now, there was someone, and after you leave there, someone will take over. If so, why the pride? Why the disrespect and disregard for people? 

 

If retirement doesn’t uproot me from that seat I’m sitting on, death will surely do, and then all my wisdom, prowess, and all my qualities that I feel no one can compete with me for, will be buried with me just like Moses, today. May God give us the grace to number our days in humility and simplicity, Amen. 

 

OR

HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR

Deut.34:1-12; Ps.66; Matthew 18:15-20

Heaven is not a free-pass for anyone

The first reading of today contains the end of Moses’ earthly life. Two things were made obvious there. One, Moses saw the Promised Land but was not to enter it. Two, Moses remained great both in death and after death. He remained the only prophet God spoke with face to face. Although he did not enter the Promised Land, that did not mean that he was condemned or that God did not forgive him. The forgiveness of God upon Moses is signified by the fact that before his death, at the ripe age of 120, his eye was not dim nor his natural force abated. While old age is a gift from God, the features associated with that of Moses can only be of Divine Providence too.

However, there is something we can learn from the fact that Moses could not enter the Promised Land. Moses was meant to bring the people to the Promised Land. This was the goal from the moment God called him to confront Pharaoh. The people did enjoy the leadership of Moses which brought them very near to the Promised Land. They entered the Promised Land but without Moses.

This teaches us to always be mindful of our personal salvation irrespective of the awesome vocation God may have called us into in this world. If we are not careful enough, we may end up leading others to heaven without going in ourselves. So long as we are in this world no one can claim heaven as his or her exclusive property. Just as it is possible to belong to heaven, so also everyone stands the chance of missing out of it. So, we need to always be watchful of our ways. The fact that you are a man of God or a great benefactor in the work of God on earth, does not mean that you will automatically make heaven. Being such can make the possibility easier but not automatic.

Therefore, let us not become signboards who lead others to God but never belong to Him ourselves. As preachers, parents, educators, guardians, etc, we must believe and live out what we preach and teach others. Know this, with hypocrisy, we can deceive others but we can never buy heaven with it.