Only for the sake of God (HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II (AUGUST 09 2024)

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR II (AUGUST 09, 2024)

Nahum 1:15; 2:2; 3:1-3,6-7; Deut.32; Matthew 16:24-28

Only for the sake of God

Life is filled with lessons. We learn by living. Lessons learnt from negative experiences in life makes one to adjust lifestyle in order to guide against such experiences in the future. It is on this note that it is usually said that experience is the best teacher. Consciously or unconsciously, we are always in the business of trying to secure our lives in one way or the other.

Today, Jesus tells us to take up our crosses and follow him. He is asking us to be careful to ensure that our hearts do not grow cold to love all in a bid to avoid the hurt that comes with loving and not loved in return. One who is maligned for doing what is right may be discouraged from doing the right thing next time. Such a person is trying to save his/her live.

Jesus says that he who saves his lives will lose it and he who loses his life for his sake will find it. Here Jesus is asking us not to give up good acts on account of the pain it may bring. When we keep loving despite the hurt it brings, we are losing our lives for Christ’s sake. Jesus assures us of healing our pains. On the other hand, if we stop being good on account of the hurt it brings with it, we are trying to save our lives. Jesus says that we shall lose it. This means that on the Day of Judgment, we will be judged for not doing the good we could do and the fact that we were trying to avoid hurts will not justify or excuse us.

Beloved, as Christians, there are many crosses we will have to carry. One of them is to repay evil with good. This is difficult and unsupported by our natural instinct for survival. Jesus tells us to follow him as we carry our cross. This is because, ultimately, only God will suffice as a motivation to remain good. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow; your noblest intention will be turned against you; friends, authority and relatives may disappoint you.

These and many more will turn a heart of love into a heart of stone. It is only because of God that a heart of love will persevere in the midst of such experiences. Beloved, if you want your goodness to remain, then do it only for the sake of God for someday, when we are faced with the wickedness of men, we will realize that only on Christ the solid rock we can stand; all other grounds are sinking sand. 

Remain blessed