HOMILY FOR THE 25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.

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Wisdom 2:12. 17-20; Psalm 54:3-6.8 R/ v.6; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37.

“SWIMMING AGAINST THE CURRENTS OF THE WORLD”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·      For those who are conversant with swimming, you will realise that it takes a lot of courage and strength to swim against the current or the flow of the river. We run the risk of getting tired on the way, sinking, come against dangerous sea animals or sharp objects in the water.

·      Today through the readings, the Christians are likened to people who are swimming against the currents of the world.

·      Scripture tells us that we are in the world but not of the world (Jn. 17:16). We are passing through this world because it is not our permanent home. While we may be in the world, we must not lose focus of our destination which is heaven. Our standard is the heavenly standard.

·      It is scary to swim against the currents of the world, the Psalmist of today gives us a lot of confidence that “The Lord upholds our lives” (Ps. 53:6). He saves those who put their trust in him and call upon his name.

·      Even when proud men rise up against us, ruthless men seek our lives who have no regard for God (Ps. 54:3), the Lord will uphold our lives. 

·      He is our help and our shield, therefore we are encouraged to swim gracefully against the currents of the world because God will deliver us and we will praise his name for he is good.

·      The 1st reading encourages us to brace up and be ready because there is a constant battle against righteousness. Vice wants to bring down virtue, “Let us lie in wait for the virtuous man, since he annoys us and opposes our way of life, reproaches us for our breaches of the law” (Ws. 2:12).

·      Dear friends in Christ, remember that “Many are the trials of the righteous, but from them all, the Lord will rescue him” (Ps. 34:19).

·      The worldly and the unrighteous will always lie in wait to see the calamities, but the Lord will continue to uphold the righteous.

·      When we decide to swim against the currents of the world by confronting evil headlong, speaking the truth always, fighting for the cause of the defenceless, evil will always fight back, they will test our resolve to follow God, test our patience, test our honesty of purpose, sometimes even dare to put us to death. Remember that “the Lord upholds the life of the righteous”.

·      The Second reading tells that righteousness is essentially pure and spotless, makes for peace, has no hypocrisy or partiality, and bears fruits of holiness. Saint James tells in the same reading that there will always be a battle between good and evil, light and darkness, vice and virtue, righteousness, and unrighteousness. Evil will always go all out. If we stand firm in the Lord, despite the turbulence in swimming against the currents of the world, the Lord will uphold our lives.

·      Rather than give up, we must pray fervently and consistently. Pray hard and pray rightly, so that despite the torrents of the world, the Lord will uphold our lives.

·      The image of the little child in the gospel reading, not only teaches humility, forgiveness, or service, it also teaches us the fact of the innocence of a person who has no inordinate ambition, who is totally dependent on God. Because the child is ‘weak’ and depends on others for survival.

·      Dearly beloved, only those who come to God from the perspective of weakness can be strengthened. If we kneel before God in prayers, then we can stand before all men.

·      The promise of God to uphold our lives is true and everlasting. Without him hiding us in the shelter of his wings, evil will swallow up good, vice swallow up virtue, unrighteous swallow up righteousness.

·      Our only hope is to take the advice of Saint James in the 2nd reading to pray fervently and rightly and surrender completely to God.

·      May God continue to defend us, protect us from the currents and turbulences of this world, give us the grace not to be swallowed up by the standards of the world and uphold our lives. Amen!

·      Happy Sunday!    

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 18, 2021 at 7:36 AM

    Amen
    Thank you father,for this wonderful homily
    I appreciate the new/higher levels.
    May God grant all that it takes to work in His vine yard through Christ our Lord amen

    ReplyDelete
  2. Onyinye IbeanuSeptember 18, 2021 at 10:03 AM

    This is so inspiring! Thank you Padre!

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownSeptember 18, 2021 at 10:07 AM

    Amen.God bless you Father

    ReplyDelete

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