DAILY HOMILIES

Our Gospel passage today presents us with three examples of persons called to ministry. One came to Jesus on his own declaring his intention to follow Him. Another Jesus himself called to follow but wanted to bury his father. While the third wanted to follow Jesus but at the same time said needed to say farewell to his family. From these three persons, we learn some important lessons about ministry.

The power and working of the Angels is a testimony to the greatness of God and the fact with him, nothing is impossible. As we read in the Gospel passage, Jesus said to Nathanael, “Truly, I say to you, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

Job did not have the privilege of attending the meeting where his matter was discussed. Little did he know that his unfortunate circumstance was not coincidental. Job had no idea that he was simply being tested. Yet, he passed the test.

Like the labourers who were standing idle in the market place all day, we may have spent our entire lives in sin but as the prophet Ezekiel makes us understand today, it is our present, not our past that matters to God.

Even today, I still come across many youths who engage in all sorts of immoral activities thinking they have all the time in the world to repent later on. One, no one is guaranteed time as we not know when we shall die. Secondly, even if it is true that you have time, do not forget that bad habits do not die easily.

There is great wisdom in knowing that Life happens in stages and in seasons. There is a particular time for everything; birth time and death time, morning time and evening time; mourning time and rejoicing time; planting time and reaping time. Nothing lasts forever.

“Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” First, what exactly is vanity? Have you ever looked through your wardrobe only to discover you have clothes you haven’t worn for over a year and yet you still feel the need to keep them? That is one example of vanity.

By asking them to “take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics,” (Luke 9:3) Jesus was basically teaching them or rather giving them the power of contentment. Show me a minister who lacks this virtue and I will sure you one who would soon turn the worship of God into the worship of mammon

You may have a thousand reasons for not helping someone or even anybody at all but if you can verify that one is truly in need of help and you are capable of helping, please do not allow the negative experiences of fraudsters (agents of darkness) prevent you from rendering help.

Through eating and drinking, Jesus brought conversion to Zacchaeus as well as his friends and relatives. This stomach strategy also worked excellently in the case of Matthew whose Feast we celebrate today

Last Sunday, Jesus told us to forgive without counting, this Sunday, Jesus tells us He too is willing to forgive and welcome the sinner even at the eleventh hour. God never asks us for something He Himself is not willing to give. No matter what your past has been, you too can enjoy the bliss of heaven with all the Saints. Just say ‘Yes’ and agree to work in His Vineyard today.

As of now, we cannot yet understand how exactly we shall be when we rise from the dead. That should not be our concern. All we need now is to believe that just as Christ rose from the dead taking upon Himself a glorious body, we too shall certainly follow Him into the many mansions He has prepared for us. Of course, this would only happen when we pattern our lives according to God’s Words.