Homily – Saturday of the Third Week of Lent (Year II)
By Fr. Williams Onyilo, CSSp
Readings: Hosea 6:1–6; Luke 18:9–14
As human beings, there are things we like most, things we like more, and others we simply like. For example, I value peace and love most in my life. I value honesty very much, and sometimes I simply enjoy fun. In this way, we all have what may be called a scale of preference: First: Love and peace, second; honesty and third: Fun.
Every human person has a scale of preference, though it may differ from that of others. Interestingly, God, too, reveals to us what matters most to Him—His own scale of preference. From Scripture, it seems that love stands first. Little wonder that 1 John 4:16 says: “God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”
Next, mercy or compassion appears prominently among God’s cherished attributes. The Psalms repeatedly emphasize this truth: Psalm 145:8–9: “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and of great mercy.” Psalm 86:15: “But you, O Lord, are a God full of compassion and gracious, abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 103:8: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.”
The New Testament echoes the same truth. In Ephesians 2:4, God is described as “rich in mercy.”
Faith, too, is among the virtues God greatly values. But interestingly, sacrifice appears to rank much lower than many people think. This is why the Lord says clearly in Hosea 6:6: “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” The Gospel reading (Luke 18:9–14) illustrates this beautifully. Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee proudly listed his sacrifices and religious achievements, while the tax collector simply begged God for mercy. In the end, it was the humble tax collector who went home justified.
Among the Jews of Jesus’ time, many misunderstood God’s scale of preference. They placed sacrifices, tithes, and religious observances above the deeper values God truly desired. Jesus corrected this misunderstanding in Matthew 23:23:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”
Even today, some people in our churches may still misunderstand what God truly desires from us. This may explain why some prayers seem unanswered, why some committed Christians become frustrated, and why divisions sometimes arise within the Church.
Our relationship with God is like a journey toward a destination. If we begin that journey on the wrong bus—the bus of mere external sacrifice without love, mercy, and humility—it may be difficult to arrive at our destination correctly or on time.
May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and inspire us to embrace what truly matters to God: love, mercy, faith, and humility. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
