Homily for Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Williams Onyilo, CSSp
Readings: Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27; Luke 16:9-15
My elder sister once assisted a young man in sponsoring his traditional marriage. In gratitude, the young man came and knelt on both knees before my sister, me, and our other siblings to express his thanks. My sister was deeply moved by his gesture and wished she could do even more for him because of the sincerity and respect with which he showed appreciation, much like the Yoruba people do.
However, for me, the young man’s gesture felt a bit uncomfortable. I was not raised in that culture, and as a Catholic, I felt such an act of kneeling was reserved for God alone.
Be that as it may, I want to reflect on appreciation, greetings, and acknowledging people’s presence, because these are indispensable parts of African culture-and indeed, of many other cultures. This is beautifully demonstrated in the writings of St. Paul in Romans 16:3-9, 16, 22-27.
In that passage, Paul takes his time to greet, appreciate, and acknowledge the efforts of many individuals, groups, and even God himself—Priscilla, Aquila, Epaenetus, Andronicus, Junia, Ampliatus, Urbanus, Stachys, various house fellowships, and the Gentile churches. Beyond Paul’s letters, we also see this spirit of gratitude and acknowledgment expressed in the opening pages of many books, at the end of movies, or during events such as birthdays, convocations, and ordinations. It is clearly an integral part of many cultures.
Sadly, however, this culture of appreciation, greeting, and acknowledgment seems to be fading in our generation.
The effort St. Paul made to mention individuals and groups shows how valuable this practice is. I believe the world would be a better place if those nurtured in this culture of gratitude and recognition would help enlighten others who have not had the privilege of learning these vital aspects of our shared humanity.
May the Holy Spirit help us to appreciate one another more deeply, through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
