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Homily for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

READ: (Amos 7: 12-15; Eph 1: 3-10:1; Mk 6: 7-13)

REFLECT: A call to be prophets and Disciples of Christ, resembling Christ in prophetic courage, holiness and witness…

My dear friends, we are in the 15th Sunday in Ordinary time. The liturgy of the word calls us to be prophets and Disciples of Christ. We all know that the prophets and disciples have been called by God from different walks of life and situations. Indeed, anyone who has encountered or experienced Christ cannot keep it for themselves rather they become completely enveloped by the grace of God and become or create an apostolic outreach to humanity like the disciples, who were like a fiery furnace after Christ breathed upon them the spirit of God. That’s why Peter and Paul were able to say, “We cannot keep our mouth shut about Christ, whom we have seen and heard (Acts 4:20). Yes, we are not called today to make our lives more informative and reflective rather formative forming ourselves in the formation of Christ and making it transformative, transforming our lives to be and to become Christ like. So based on the liturgy of the word, I would like to share with you three points of reflections;

1.     A call to be prophet:

We all know that a prophet chosen by God speaks and does the work on behalf of God. The role and responsibility of a prophet is a noble task, yet challenging, where he does only what God wants him to do. A prophet does not entertain himself with his own works, because he is called to announce the ways of God and the work of God. However, it is not we who choose to be prophets rather God who chooses and empowers us with power and authority to exercise one’s prophetic role in life. That’s what we find in the first reading from prophet Amos. Looking at the background of prophet Amos we understand that he is simple, poor, a shepherd and gardener. But God chooses him play the role of a prophet to prophesy in the name of God. That’s what we hear in the first reading, “Go prophesy to my people Israel.” God chooses Amos and gives him the power to prophesy to the people Israel.

The reply from prophet Amos to Amaziah the high-priest and a royal official that Amos was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but a herdsman and a dresser of Sycamore figs and the Lord took him from the flock manifests the choice of God over prophet Amos. Here we see the hand of God at work in prophet Amos. Therefore, it is not self-acclamation of Amos as a prophet but God calls, chooses, appoints and commits Amos as a prophet to prophesy to people of Israel, the love of God and their guilt and sin, so that, they could return to the Lord with repentance and renewal of life. Most of the time, we claim to have obtained power by ourselves, but the power of God is what makes us prophets and works in us to play the role of a prophet in our lives. Let us remind ourselves that if God does not give us power, we would only prove to be powerless. So today, how can we become a prophet and how can we play the prophetic role in life?

Very beautifully Pope Francis shares that “A prophet is one who points Jesus out to others and bears witness to Him, helping them to read the present under the guidance of the Holy Spirit so as to understand God’s plans for them.” He further enlightens us saying, “Each one of us, brothers and sisters, is a prophet. We must be living signs who point God out to others. Therefore, it is important to recognize and listen to each other as messengers of God, whether in the family, the church or in our communities, workplaces and society.” Yes, we need to point God out to others. That’s what prophet Amos did. He pointed out who God is and what God hates. He pointed out to the leaders, their failure to exercise the leadership roles and engaging themselves in social injustice to people. As a prophet, Amos stands for the rights of the people and wishes to act justly in the name and the power of God. Today, although being and becoming a prophet is hard task, yet God could make this hard task simple, provided we surrender ourselves to God and his plans like prophet Amos. So let us rely on the power of God than our own power to play the role of a prophet in our lives for God’s work.

2. A call to Holiness:

We all know that holiness is a call to purity and be clean at heart, mind, body and soul. The place where God dwells is holy and a person who is holy God dwells in him or her, because, holiness is a doorway to have God with us in life. The second reading from St. Paul’s letter to Ephesians present to us the spiritual blessings that we have inherited in Christ and how since the foundation of the world, God has chosen us to be holy and blameless before him. What is the spiritual blessing and why we have been chosen to be holy and blameless before God is what we need to realize and live accordingly. some of the spiritual blessings that we have received as mentioned by God is first of all we have been chosen and adopted by God as his children through Jesus Christ as beloved; the free offer of redemption and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. The purpose of this spiritual blessing is to unite all things in God, because we are from him and so we belong to God.

In a world of pretence and pretext, an invitation is placed before us to be holy and blameless as Disciples of Christ. Indeed, holiness can never be obtained effortlessly rather we need to spend time at length in prayer; for prayer connects our hearts to God’s heart; prayer brings us in constancy and intimacy with God. When our mind, heart, body and soul is in union with God, we become completely his and our entire selves become holy and blameless. That’s why Pope Francis very beautifully says, “We are all called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves. This holiness to which the Lord calls you will grow through small gestures. Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy.” Yes, holiness of life is never blame-worthy act rather praise worthy act, where we please God by an act of purity and cleanliness at all levels.

At this juncture, with a flow, I would like to share with you the life incident of St. Mother Theresa of Kolkatha. It so happened one day a journalist asked St. Mother Theresa when she was at the death bed, “Dear mother, many call you as living saint and to be called to be living saint in the world is really great. What do you feel and how do you feel when people address you as saintly person so holy. Mother Theresa responded to him gently, “my dear man, “holiness is not the luxury of the few individuals rather it is the duty of everyone to be holy. And after a while she turned to him and said again, “you are journalist, therefore be holy in your profession as journalist.” Yes, this answer reminds us to remain and live a holy life. If everyone is holy and pure in the work that we do or engage, the world will be a happy place to live in and to love one another. All the more, we as Christians are called to be holier than ever, because, our founder Jesus Christ himself is holy. Therefore, a call to holiness is extended to all and no one is excluded from God’s plan to receive his grace unless we choose to avoid it insistently or deliberately.

3. A call to be witnesses:

As Christians we are called to be sent out on a mission, the mission of proclaiming the gospel of Christ, where Christ has not taken root. The reason why the disciples were sent is to share the story of Jesus to others and bring them to repentance and renewal of life. The reason probably why they were sent two each may be to help and support and complement each other in the proclamation of the Gospel. Very aptly the gospel reading exhorts us to be witnesses of Christ in proclaiming about the kingdom of God. That’s why Jesus sends them on a mission two by two, giving them authority over the unclean spirits, charging them to take nothing for the journey, but to accept people as they welcome or treat us. It is a very significant point to note that Jesus sends them on a mission with his power and authority, so that the disciples rely on Jesus’ strength and power than their own strength and power. We too as Disciples of Christ are invited to rely on the power and strength of Jesus in our journey to discipleship or apostleship or worthy witness of Christ.

We can be sure that missionaries have been so faithful in carrying out the mission of Christ. The history of the Church shows that St. Thomas, the apostle, St. Francis Xavier and the many others came to India. Perhaps if St. Thomas had not come to South of Kerala and Tamil Nadu and St. Francis Xavier to Goa, Christianity may not have been established in India. There are still many more saints who have landed in India to proclaim Christ and made him know. These are all works of God, inspiring them and making us renew our lives in God. In fact, the shedding of their blood and the witness of life have played vital role in making known Christ to all. They have taken adventurous steps and courageously marched forward for the spread of faith. Therefore, we as Disciples of Christ are also called to be missionaries making known Christ everywhere. I am just reminded of a saying of Mahatma Gandhi, “my life is my message”.  Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our Nation was able to say because his action reflected his life. Can our lives be a message that conveys principles and guidelines of holiness of Christ to another? Can our lives be a message that conveys missionary charism that alleviates poverty and grants liberty to people who are enslaved by evil forces and evil elements of the world?  It is a time for action.

Today, we are in the world of globalization and the Church is in need of revisit, revival and rekindling of the mission of Christ. Today, in the world of machines, computers and computerized materials have taken upper hand. The mission of Christ is still behind and has not reached in all places. It is all the more relevant and apt that we allow ourselves to be moved by the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit for the successful completion of the mission of Christ. The author Cliff Richard in his book, “you, me and Jesus”, says, “The suffix ‘Ian’ at the end of a word means ‘connected to’. Further he substantiates by giving examples; a politician is the one who is connected to politics, a librarian is the one who is connected to books or library, a musician is the one who is connected to music. Similarly, when we say that we are Christians it implies that we are connected to Christ.”

In our scenario, if we want this twenty first century to be the spring time of the gospel, then all of us need to co-operate and co-ordinate together as Christians connected to Christ in the wires of prophetic courage, holiness and a true missionary spirit by a witnessing life. As Pope Francis inspires us saying, “Wherever you are, bear witness to God’s love and exemplify His closeness through your good deeds,” let us bear witness to Christ by good deeds that reveal our closeness to God and connectedness with one another as God’s children. Today, let us pray to the Lord of all that he may bless us with holiness and infuse in us the missionary dynamism to bear witness to Christ in our lives.

RESPOND:

Do we realize the prophetic courage is the need of us Christians to bear witness to Christ for a change within and around us?

Do we realize that we are made holy by the blood of Lamb, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us to make us holy and took upon him all blame?

Do we realize the witnessing of life means not merely by words but by deeds with faith and trust in God about the known and the unknown?

Let us have the spirit of prophetic courage in us, live a life of holiness and be a witness after the heart of Christ. Amen. 

God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968