MAKING THE MOST OF HUMAN FREEWILL, By Fr Oluwafemi Victor Orilua CSSp

HOMILY OF WEDNESDAY IN THE 24TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A

Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest, and Paul Chong Hasang, and their Companions, Martyrs

Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Priest, and Paul Chong Hasang, along with their Companions, were martyrs who made profound sacrifices for their Christian faith in 19th-century Korea. Despite facing relentless persecution and a hostile environment, they remained steadfast in their beliefs, spreading Christianity and providing spiritual guidance to their fellow believers. Their unwavering commitment to their religion and their willingness to endure suffering serve as an inspiring testament to the enduring power of faith and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

1 Timothy 3:14-16. Luke 7:31-35

THEME: MAKING THE MOST OF HUMAN FREEWILL

In a world where people excessively prioritize free will at the expense of their faith in God, they often tend towards ideas or positions that ultimately lead to aimlessness and spiritual emptiness.

Having seen the attitudes of the scribes and the Pharisees towards the good news of Christ, the lamented over the state of their generation.

“What description can I find for the men of this generation? What are they like? They are like children shouting to one another while they sit in the marketplace: ‘We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn’t dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn’t cry.”

However, because of the freedom of choice, we live in a generation where we exercise freedom to embrace the most awful things and reject the most beneficial. Yet, God’s appeal remains an appeal of love. He would not force himself on us.

The Lord Jesus said, “For John the Baptist comes, not eating bread, not drinking wine, and you say, “He is possessed.” The Son of Man comes, eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Yet Wisdom has been proved right by all her children.”

May God open our understanding that we may appreciate him whenever he is at work in our midst. Amen.