THE CRIPPLING EFFECTS OF OVER FAMILIARITY, Fr Oluwafemi Victor Orilua, CSSp

HOMILY OF WEDNESDAY OF THE FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Heb 12:4-7,11-15, Mk 6:1-6

THEME: THE CRIPPLING EFFECTS OF OVER FAMILIARITY

“So, he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.”

Jesus was stunned at the faithlessness of his native people. He was unable to perform mighty deeds among them going forward.

It was St Augustine who said “He who created us without our help will not save us without our consent.” God needs man to respond to his call of love. It was not a big deal sitting on his throne in heaven and commanding that the world be made new. He left his glory and came down to earth to dwell among men. He sought Mary’s consent prior to her conception.

Unfortunately, over familiarity tilted towards disdain was evident in the attitude of his native people. They didn’t want to believe in him because they knew where he was born. Familiarity, they say, breeds contempt. Many have lost opportunities in life simply because they ignored their destiny helpers on the grounds of being overly familiar. And some individuals who prefer life in a foreign land may not know that their relevance can only produce fruits in their own homeland. The love of the extraordinary has led many into missing the eternal beauty embedded in the ordinary.

More so, when people judge us only by who we are, they cannot know our worth by what we do. Our actions will be judged only by their perception of us. If they hold us in contempt, they wouldn’t see anything good in us. But if otherwise, they will cherish our actions and this might equally lead to the inability to point out our mistakes.

Probably, whatever our heart rejects hardly manifest in our life. And what we do not believe in may not have any serious implications for us. Our desires are possibilities seeking expression. When our mindset prevents us from picking interest in what is beneficial to us, we run the risk of missing out on life as it unfolds.

We pray to possess the right attitude and disposition when what we desire or need in life comes our way. We pray never on any pretext to reject those sent to favour us. Amen.