Homily For The Sixth Sunday Of Easter Year B.

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Acts 10:25-26.34.44-48; Psalm 98:1-4; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17.

“GOD HAS NO FAVORITE!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·      Today the church celebrates the 6th Sunday of Easter. We are gradually rounding up the Easter season. However, we must continue to witness the fact of the resurrection in season and out of season by a worthy way of life.

·      Today the theme for our reflection is “God has no favorite”. As harsh as that may sound and disappointing as it may be, it is the truth about God that we all are his children created out of love in his image and likeness. That is not to say that God has no special friend just like David whom the scriptures say is a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14).

·      The first reading (Acts 10:25-26.34.44-48), today cements the fact that God has no favorite, this is emphasized as a result of the crisis that broke out in the early Christian community as regards the debate between the Jews and the gentile converts about circumcision being a prerequisite for becoming a Christian.

·      The crisis was resolved by the council of Jerusalem stating that those for whom circumcision is a cultural practice can go on with it, but what ultimately makes us Christians is the waters of baptism and our faith in Christ Jesus.

·      Friends in Christ, we have a lot of lessons to learn from the statement of St. Peter that indeed God has no favorite whether white nor black, short nor tall, Hausa or Igbo, Yoruba or Tiv, Jukun or Jarawa. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. 

·      To demonstrate this further, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Jews just like he descended on the Gentiles as a sign that God approves of their admission into the faith. God has no favorite because what is required is that “in every nation, anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:35).

·      In the second reading (1 John 4:7-10), the Lord expects us to live lives full of love because to love is to love God but how can we love God whom we do not see when we have not loved our fellowmen whom we see? We are all created in the image and likeness of God so to love God is to sufficiently love our neighbors.

·      Our love must be sacrificial and selfless just like that of God the Father who sent his only begotten son to die for our salvation. So, we must ask ourselves, have we loved enough to the point of laying down our lives for those around us? Hence, we must re-evaluate our idea of love from the perspective of our love of God.

·      The gospel reading (John 15:9-17), continues with the theme of love. We could refer to it as a sermon on love. For love to be genuine, it must be sacrificial and progressive. If we love God, then we must be prepared to keep his commandments and do his will.

·      Dearly beloved in Christ, our utmost concern is not to struggle to be God’s favorite but to make the favorite part of our lives living and keeping God’s commandments. When we keep God’s commandments, God is happy with us and our joy will be complete.

  • God today refers to us as neither servants nor slaves but refers to us as his friends. Yes, God decided to choose us to be His sons and daughters, hence we must make true that decision by bearing fruits, fruits that will last.

·      For the many times, we have taken the love of God for granted or refused to show it to our neighbors or in showing love, we decided to segregate or show favoritism, today the Lord presents us with an opportunity for repentance because the psalmist assures us that indeed “the Lord has shown his deliverance to the nations” (Ps. 98:2).

·      Today we pray that God will continue to give us the grace and strength to love unconditionally and to make our favorite action to love God and our neighbors, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·      May the good Lord bless his word in our hearts through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·      Happy Sunday!!!

 

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