Homily For The 30th Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year C.

 

Sirach 35:15-17, 20-22; Psalm 34:2-3.17-19,23; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14. 

“ALL ARE WELCOME!” 

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·       Today, the church celebrates the 30^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. We are gradually edging closer to the end of the church’s liturgical season. There is no better time to remind us that all are welcome in God’s presence – both saints and sinners are all God’s children.

·       God is our loving father and does not despise any of his children, regardless of our human weaknesses. God desires that all be saved. That is why Jesus boldly declared that “I have come not to call the righteous but sinners.” In another place, he said, “There is more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than ninety-nine righteous persons.”

·       The church of God should be where anyone who comes in should feel welcome and proud to share in the blessings of the children of God. What this means is that no one should impede any child of God from the chance to work out his or her salvation with fear and trembling.

·       Sadly, many of us have become “deputy Jesus”, speaking in the name of God and speaking for God. We chose those who should be excluded from the mercy of God and those who should benefit from it. The good news is that man is not God and God will always be God! It is in the nature of God to be a merciful and loving father.

·       In the first reading (Sirach 35:15-17, 20-22), Ben Sirach makes a case for the nature of our God. He is a God who hears our prayers regardless of our human weaknesses. The Lord hears the prayer of the humble. In fact, God hears the prayers of those who are oppressed and neglected by society even more.

·       The reality of the first reading is fulfilled in the parable of the two people who went into the temple to pray in the gospel reading (Luke 18:9-14). The two men, one a tax collector and the other a Pharisee. The tax collector acknowledged his weakness before God and humbly refrained from even approaching the sanctuary of God.

·       Today's Gospel reading presents the parable of two men who went into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee who considered himself a “saint”. And the other was a tax collector, who considered himself a "sinner". The fact that they were both in the temple to pray at the same time underlines the fact that the church, which is the temple of God, welcomes all, both saints and sinners.

·       The Pharisee, on the other hand, was not just self-righteous but arrogant in the way in which he approached God. He thought to himself that he had done so well that even God should acknowledge that he is owed. Rather than pray to God, he was recounting his “good deeds” while looking down on the Tax Collector, whom he referred to as a “sinner”.

·       Dearly beloved, we may be so quick to blame the Pharisee for his approach to prayers while denigrating a fellow human being. Are they really different from these Pharisees? Many of us pass judgment on people even without hearing their stories. Those who are privileged to know the sins of others now call them by their sins and not by their names any longer.

·       If God does not judge us despite being a just judge, why then are we so quick to judge one another? God exalts the humble and humbles the proud. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We must desist from passing judgment but humbly approach God, acknowledging our weaknesses and asking for his help.

·       Let us not be afraid of approaching God because he is our loving Father. He is always looking out for us to return from our sins and come back to the place of grace. In the presence of God, no one should be excluded, but a place to seek the mercy of God and be saved.

·       In the church, saints are strengthened and encouraged while sinners are purified and redeemed. What this demonstrates to us today is that no one should feel left out in the church - all are welcome. No one should feel too sinful not to come to the presence of God. In God's presence, we ought not to look down on anyone but pray for the grace to always do God’s will.

·       The book of Sirach tells us that God will judge without partiality. He will give everyone a chance to work out their salvation. Saint Paul, in the second reading, hopes that we will seize this opportunity that God has given us today to do his will so that on the last day we will be crowned with righteousness. Come to Jesus now, because you are welcome!

·       The Psalmist even makes this more vivid by stating that, “The lowly one called, and the Lord heard him” (Ps. 34:7). May the Lord give us a humble heart to trust him and the faith never to doubt his merciful heart.

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

·       Happy Sunday!!!