Homily For The 22nd Sunday In Ordinary Time Year B.

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Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalm 14:2-5; James 1:17-18,21-22,27; Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23.

“KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide 

·      In my major seminary days, at some point it became a cliché for those in charge of our formation to always remind seminarians that the only secret to a successful formation is to keep the seminary rules and regulations. They reminded us that, “If you keep the rules of the seminary, the seminary will keep you”

·      On this 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B, God is telling us that if we keep his commandments, he will keep us as his children. We cannot hold on to God like a pinch of salt and expect him to carry us like a bag of rice. If we take God seriously, he will take us seriously too.

·      Unfortunately, we live in an era where people shop for the religious values they will keep and the ones they will outrightly ignore. These kinds of people are called the “cafeteria Christians”. They do not want to be challenged by the teaching and the commandments of God. They keep the commandments of God if it is easy and convenient for them. 

·      Today the Lord is simply saying to us all “Keep my commandments”. The commandments of God are ultimately good. They are for our sanctification and salvation because God is intrinsically good and all that flows from him is eternally good. Hence when we choose God, we must also obey his commandments.

·      In the first reading (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8), Moses enjoins the people of Israel and by extension, we the Christians of this era, to observe the laws and commandments of God because it is good and rewarding. They must not be picky about what to consider as the commandments of God and what not to consider as the commandments. We are not to take out any part of the commandments of God or water it down. We should accept it entirely because there is great wisdom in doing so.

·      In the second reading (James 1:17-18,21-22,27), St. James asserts that all that is good, everything that is perfect is guaranteed for us those who keep the commandments of God. In the promises of God for his children, he does not change, he has decided to call us his children and he will always be committed to that, and we, as his children must now strive to live up to that expectation.

·      In gratitude to this God who has called us his children, we must do away with all forms of impurities and bad habits and accept and submit to the word that has been planted in us and can save our souls. We must always, do what the word tells us and not just listen to it, only to pick and drop what we want or do not want.

·      In the gospel reading (Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23), Jesus particularly warns us of the dangers of hypocrisy because it is the greatest damage, we can do to ourselves. Hypocrisy means telling lies to ourselves, claiming to be what we are not, self-deceit. The problem is that we know the truth, but we choose to ignore it to win the admiration and accolades of others.

·      In hypocrisy we appear as though we are clean outside, but on the inside, we are filled with horrible stench. Today, Jesus is telling us to open up and come to him that he may wash us clean inside out, that he may restore us to his love and mercy so that keeping his commandments will be something sweet and nice again.

·      We need to go beyond ritual purification into a genuine examination of conscience and firm resolve to return to God with a firm heart. Rather than put aside the commandments of God, we must embrace them with our whole hearts as that which leads us to salvation. We must keep our hearts in check and peace with God so that we are not corrupted by the evil desires of fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, malice, deceit, indecency, envy, slander, pride, and folly.

·      Friends in Christ, all that the Lord asks of us today is to always keep his commandments and like the psalmist become just in the sight of God and only “the just will live in the presence of the Lord” 

·      Happy Sunday!!!

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