RECOGNIZING THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN US

HOMILY, WEDNESDAY, WEEK 9, IN ORDINARY TIME

[SS CHARLES LWANGA &COMP, MEMORIAL]

2Tim 1:1-3.6-12, Gospel, Mk 12:18-27

The Holy Spirit does not produce a chicken heart in us.

In order to bear witness to God,

1. We must be courageous
2. We must be people with power to break through barriers. If every little breaks us down easily, then we have not recognize the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our life. We have not given him the chance to rule in us.
3. We must possess deep love for others. We cannot pray for who we hate. We cannot wish who we hate well.
4. We must possess self control. We can’t control others if we cannot manage ourselves. We need self-discipline.

Paul puts it straight to Timothy in our today’s’ first reading.

“for this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and of love and of self-control.” [2Tim 1:6-7]. The Spirit of God produces a manifest presence of God in our lives. It helps us to be loving, accommodating, patient, forgiving, peaceful, joyful, happy, kind and generous. It helps us to curtail the excesses in our thoughts, words and actions.

Moreover,the gift of the Spirit was given to the church because of God special love for her. Sharing in this gift should be seen as a great privilege which we must not misuse. Even if we don’t mind how we lead our personal lives, our membership of the noble family which we belong to should remind us of who we are.  We must not toil with the spirit of God in us.

The Uganda martyrs were able to face death joyfully because they were confident of God’s presence in their life, for our “God is not God of the dead but of the living.” Mark 12:27. “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.” Roman 14:8.

[SS Charles Lwanga and companions were Uganda martyrs who died between 1885 and 1887 for resisting the impure demands of the kings. They were recent coverts to the church and were attendants, soldiers and officials of Mwanga, ruler of Buganda. ]

PRAYER

O God, help me to recognise your presence in my life. May I not toil with your gifts in me. Help that I may always walk in the daylight of your presence, through Christ our Lord. Amen.