Sermon/Homily for Thursday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time 1st February 2024

Sermon/Homily for Thursday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time 1st February 2024

1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12. 1 Chronicles 29:10b,11ab,11d-12a,12bcd. Mark 6:7-13.

To succeed in any endeavour in life, one must be willing and ready to listen to instructions of the elders who have succeeded in that endeavour. In the first reading, David, as a good father, instructed his son, Solomon, to keep the law as a source of life. The secret to Solomon's success as a king was in carefully observing and keeping God's commandments.

Whether Solomon kept to these instructions or not, time would tell.

In today's Gospel, Jesus sent his disciples out on a mission to evangelise. He instructed them on how to go about this mission, especially not to take anything with them on this mission, but to put their trust in God.

The disciples kept to the Lord's instructions and were fruitful in this mission.

How faithful are we to the mission God has entrusted to us. We should never assume that our parents have become too old to instruct us. We should never assume that our priests have become too mundane to provide us with sources of strength. We must learn to listen to the wisdom of those inspired by God to provide us a sure path in life that will make us fruitful and successful.

May God help us to be open to instructions of our elders through Christ our Lord.