From: joachim omolo ouko
Father Omolo Beste’s Homily
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Today’s first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (IS 49:14-15). The Prophet is assuring us that God will never abandon his people even in suffering, just like a mother who cannot forget her infant. “Even should she forget, I will never forget you”, says the Lord.
We should learn from Job who at first lamented the day of his birth; he would like to die, but even that is denied him. He is consoled by his three friends Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite.
Job then confesses his lack of wisdom, meaning his lack of understanding of the workings of the cosmos and of the ability to maintain it. In the concluding part of the frame narrative God restores and increases his prosperity, indicating that the divine policy on retributive justice remains unchanged.
The second reading is from the first Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians (1 COR 4:1-5). We are once again reminded by Saint Paul that divisions in the Church cannot be tolerated; we are all members of the one body. Because we all belong to the one body, we can’t judge other parts because in doing so we are judging ourselves. There is only one judge, Christ, and we must all answer to him.
The Gospel is taken from St. Matthew (MT 6:24-34). The reading is very categorical. That God must have first place in our lives if we really believe in him. That is why we should count our suffering as nothing. We should count things of this world as nothing compared to things of the future.
We should not get so attached to, and so enslaved by the things of this world, that we neglect God and our own eternal happiness. Most of us are enslaved by the wealth of this world so much and so when we don’t get them on the appropriate time.
Some people can get so attached to the things of the world to the extent that they are ready to kill in order to posses them. Some are ready to commit suicide should they miss them. The reason for cursing God or think God has abandoned you.
While we make the wealth and the goods of this earth serve our eternal purpose we can be true followers of Christ, but if we let them enslave us to the exclusion of that purpose then we are indeed on the wrong road.
Of course, Jesus is not against wealth, but they should not deprive us from serving God. For no one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ All these things the pagans seek.
Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.”
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
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