DAILY HOMILIES

You might ask: “Why can’t I sit in my room and beg for God’s forgiveness?” If we want to deal with sin, we must be willing to talk about it to others. The people of Nineveh did not sit in their rooms to ask for God’s forgiveness. They publicly humiliated themselves and proclaimed a fast from the greatest to the least.

Jonah’s experience, how his ship almost sank, and how he had to spend three days inside the belly of a great fish is a classic example of what we suffer when we live only for ourselves! In the Gospel passage, Jesus teaches us to be kind and generous to everyone regardless of who they are. He offers us a universal definition of neighbour that is not restricted by race, colour, religion, or physical borders.

As children of God, we have been hired (at various times) into His vineyard. Regardless of when we were hired, God expects us to bear fruits – He demands that at harvest time, we will account for our opportunities, gifts and talents.

Even though we gather all the pleasurable things in the world, make all the money, and become the most powerful persons, we would still be UNHAPPY if we lacked a connection with God. The best we can ever get away from God is a tickling of our senses, but genuine happiness is found only in God.

Dear friends, repentance from sin is the ultimate miracle. If we must take from God, it is only right that we give back to God. What does God want from us? The holiness of life, purity of heart, truthfulness, righteousness, virtue, obedience, repentance from our bad habits and vices.

In our first reading today, we see how the people were touched when they heard the word of God read to them by Ezra, the priest. This reading of the Book of the Law would not have been possible without the ground-breaking work of Nehemiah, who rose from the position of cup-bearer to Governor of Judah.

The saying goes that “some give to the mission by going while others go to the mission by giving.” You don’t need to be a priest, a pastor, a prophet, a bishop, etc., to serve God or to contribute to the building of His kingdom on earth. Consider your present occupation as your vocation. Do not only be concerned about your salary; use your connections to promote God’s kingdom.

There is one lesson to learn from the way Jesus reacted to rejection by the Samaritans in today’s Gospel passage. He would not allow the sons of thunder, James and John, to call down fire from heaven to burn them. He even rebuked them for saying such. All Jesus did was ask them to go to another village.

If you learn to listen to your spirit (your guardian angel), you will not go to certain places or be involved in certain deals. You will feel something trying to stop you from what would have brought you great danger. The more you converse with your guardian angel, the less fearful you become.

In today’s Nigeria, even a child of primary school age has mastered the game of corruption, dishonesty and deception. If we don’t watch it, the evils of the next generation will make the evils of the present time seem like “the good old times.” We must start telling ourselves: “I am the problem of Nigeria; if I don’t change, Nigeria cannot be better.”

You feel paralysed with fear now because you find it hard to imagine a better tomorrow; you still cannot see any light at the end of your tunnel but know this: if Jesus rose from the dead, your trials will end one day.

The existence of angels is a mystery, a reality not easily comprehended by human reasoning. Angels form part of what St. Paul talked about when he said: “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9).