Go an extra mile (HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II (AUGUST 19 2024)

HOMILY FOR MONDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (AUGUST 19, 2024)

Ezekiel 24:15-24; Deut.32; Matthew 19:16-22

Go an extra mile

The experience of the unnamed person in today’s gospel reading shows to us that Christianity is not about impressing God but about trying to imitate God. When we seek to impress God, we will always fall short but when we seek emulate God, the Grace of God will complement our effort.

The person in question was obviously faithful in keeping the commandments of God, yet he asked Jesus what good needs to be done to gain eternal life. His obedience of the commandments was good but he felt deep within himself that truth that something more needed to be done.

It is in sharing his life with us that God saved us. Consequently, to be like God, we too need to save others by sharing our lives with them. That is what is meant by giving all that we have to the poor. The poor here signifies an act of charity as against a matter of investment. When we give to those who have no need of our gifts, our giving does not touch their hearts and so cannot change their lives for the better. Such giving is at best to maintain relationship for future gains. But when we give to those who do not have and cannot repay us, our giving impacts into their lives positively.

Beloved, an attitude of love beckons on us to go beyond the average. Do don’t just justify and laud yourself for not sinning as others do. Go an extra mile to reduce the evil around you. To do all that is possible to turn hearts to Jesus is also a way of giving our all to the poor. Do not be discouraged or afraid of the discomfort that comes with loving sincerely. When we become poor in our giving to the poor, the gospel acclamation assures us that to us belong the kingdom of heaven.

Remain blessed 🙌