The strong needs to support the weak (HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (JULY 05, 2024)

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (JULY 05, 2024)

Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Ps.119; Matthew 9:9-13

The strong needs to support the weak

Yesterday, we saw that God understands us best and always gives us what is most important. In today’s gospel, Jesus saw Matthew but not as others did. While others saw him as a tax collector who joined forces with the Roman Government to oppress the people and who would also increase the people’s tax for his personal gain, Jesus saw a candidate for conversion. Because, Jesus saw Matthew differently, he acted differently towards him: Jesus called him. Jesus called him not to condole his vices but to transform him.

When the Pharisees saw this, their attention was focused on the sinfulness of Matthew and not on the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Their complaint rather revealed that they did not have a good understanding of who Jesus is and what he can do. They knew that Jesus is capable of performing miracles but they never knew that he could also change hearts. To change hearts is a far greater miracle. And so, in calling Matthew, Jesus was demonstrating his power not only over the forces of nature but also over the forces of darkness.

Beloved, Jesus is our spiritual doctor. So long as we are in this world, we cannot be too healthy not to need him. There is always a next level to attain in practicing perfection. Jesus has come to call us because we all are in need of his mercy. Jesus is also teaching us that evangelization cannot be effective if we continue to maintain distance with those we perceive to be sinners. Evangelization involves sharing experience, and experience sprouts on the soil of encounter.

Dear friends in Christ, that person whom you think is not doing the right thing, have you taken out time to speak with the person? Have you presented yourself as a helper to the person? Sometimes people are obstinate in their vices not because they do not want to change but because they have no one to understand them and love them. When we fail to be good companions and helpers to the weak, the weak will lose faith in ever becoming strong and rather find solace in their fellow weaklings. When people of similar weaknesses form colony, they institutionalize their weaknesses and find “strength” in themselves. At this point they may begin to ask for freedom of expression.

As God’s children, Jesus not only helps us to remain uncontaminated by the weaknesses of other; He further enables us to “contaminate” them with the Grace of God. To establish God’s kingdom here on earth, we must go about meeting and healing the sick. 

God bless you all