HOMILY: MONDAY OF THE TWENTY- THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR ( A)
R1:- 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
PS:- 5:5-6.7.12(R.9a)
Accl:- John 10:27
Gosp:- Luke 6:6-11
THEME: THE PLACE OF DISCIPLINE IN THE CHURCH*
It is a great privilege to belong to the church. It is an honour to be a member of God household. The encouragement and the prayer of the faithful will always serve as backup and replacement.
Paul in today’s first advice that those members of the church found with grave act of immorality should be handed over to Satan. He was of the opinion that such individual who is living with his father’s wife should be excommunicated.
He said, ” you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your boasting is not good. Do you know that a little leaven leavens all the dough?”
Any group that has no discipline will move towards decay. When we appeal to sentiments, we may tolerate decadence. We must not allow iniquity to spread in our communities. People who are of questionable characters should not be allowed to hold important positions in the church.
At times, people use God’s silence as ticket for indulgence. We often trade on God’s mercy. But we cannot continue to sin and expect God’s grace to abound.
May God help us to make good use of the grace we enjoy as members of God’s household. May no atrocity deprive us of God beautiful presence. Amen.
