HOMILY, 13TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
2Kings 4:8-11.14-16a, Rom 6:3-4.8-11, Matthew 10: 37-42.
It is a privilege to have the knowledge of where and in whom the grace of God is at work. If we are able to recognize the hands of God in someone’s life and subscribe to it, we will surely get the reward. Subscribing to it may mean to appreciate him and support him by sowing into his life. It may simply mean thanking God for his life. When we appreciate good things, good things come to us. If we take the posture of antagonism and think evil of God’s anointed, the minus is simply to our account. God forbid bad things.
The Shunamite woman said to her husband, “I perceive that this is a holy man of God who is continually passing our way.” 2Kings 4:9. When the appointed time has come for God to bless us, he usually sends some of his servants to pass our way and minister to us. I pray that we have the perception to recognise them when they come. At times, such visitation is seasonal. We must pray not to miss our own season.
Many people have missed their helpers simply because of their attitudes towards strangers. Some missed theirs because of how they relate with their neighbours. Some never believed that their next door neighbour can be used by God to take them to the next level. The hospitality shown to Elisha and Gehazi finally paid off.
Hear the Lord saying,
“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward……………And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” Matthew 10:40-42
On our part, we must give attention to our attitude towards God’s grace in our lives. At times, we concealed the hands of God in ourselves, or better put, we do not want to put to use the grace of God upon us. We hide our identity forgetting that there are people out there who need us, people who are looking for God representatives to minister to them. We often do this because we think that we are not ready to make all the sacrifices proper to our state. The Lord says, “He who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 10:39
Dear beloved, let us imbibe the right attitude towards others. Let us put to use the grace of God in us.
PRAYER
May the Lord help us to recognise and appreciate him in others. May his light in us never grow dim.
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