SERMON/REFLECTION FOR SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II MAY 25 2024

SERMON/REFLECTION FOR SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (MAY 25, 2024)

James 5:13-20; Ps.141; Mark 10:13-16

Theme: Admit your failings and pray for one another

There is no situation in life we find ourselves in that we do not have to involve God. This is the lesson St. James teaches us in the opening paragraph of today’s first reading. God has something to do with and for us in whatever circumstances of life we may be in. We should not remember God when life is sweet but forget him when the chips are down; neither should we run to him in difficult times but have no time for him when things improve for the better. By extension, St. James is teaching us to pray for virtually everything about our lives. Nothing can be said not to concern God.

Prayer is our relationship with God. St. James went on to teach us how to relate with one another. He said: confess your sins to one another and pray for one another… Confessing our sins to one another means we should acknowledge our faults whenever we offend anyone. You are not worth the name Christian if you consider yourself too big to apologize to a person you offended. Sometimes rather than apologizing, we emphasize on our seniority, endowment, diplomacy over the one we have offended. We may delude ourselves into thinking that the person is not aware that we are the cause of his/her pain. But know this, you may intimidate the poor but you will remain an offender in his/her sight. No one gets away with injustice.

When we learn to seek forgiveness from one another, it becomes easier to let go of hurtful feelings. Thus St. James recommends that we pray for one another after we have confessed our sins to one another. To pray for another means to truly wish the person well. In truth, you cannot pray for a person you envy; what will you be telling God about the person? You cannot pray for a person whom you consider a tool to be utilized for your selfish end. It takes a righteous man to pray for his/her neighbour.

When we are able to attain this level of righteousness, St. James tells us that out prayer will be very efficacious like those of Elijah. So, when next we think that God is not answering our prayer, let us ask ourselves if we are righteous enough to make efficacious prayer. This is not a righteousness of being totally free from sin but one in which we sincerely desire the good of our neighbour; a righteousness that makes us go out of our way to seek out the lost.

Beloved, can we really pray well at this time? Many hearts are at war with one another. The cause of the war may not be made known but the war remains intense. Yet, we are experts in prayer exercises. If you have really and deeply being wounded, you will admit that forgiveness can be a hard nut to crack. Let us ask the Lord to help us forgive and settle the many wars we fight in our hearts.