ACCEPTING GOD'S WORD THROUGH LOVE.

HOMILY FOR 31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR B

R1:             Deut. 6:2-6

R/P Ps 18: 2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

R2:            Heb. 7:23-28

Gospel:   Mk 12:28b-34

Theme: ACCEPTING GOD'S WORD THROUGH LOVE.

I welcome you to last Sunday in the month of October. Today marks the end of October devotion as we await the last two months of the year 2021.

From the readings, God through Moses makes a promise and a reward that awaits us if we keep His commandments.

In the first reading, God says, if we keep His laws and observe His commandment we will prosper and increase greatly. He will make us possess the promised land (these promised land could be identified in various aspects of our lives: success and breakthrough in business, academic excellence, peaceful and a happy home, good life partner, gift of children and so on). Be assured that God's promise will surely come to be and his time is always the best.

Christ who is our ideal priest, despite all he went through in his Calvary ordeals, persevered till the end in obedience to God's will. This merited him the crown of glory on the resurrection day. It  tells us therefore that the reward for obedience to the father which he promised will always be given. We have Christ who is our model and is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He lives to intercede for us who come to God through him (Cf. HEB. 7:25)

Jesus in order to help us sustain, keep and fulfill our convenantal strength with him, gave us a new commandment in the new dispensation: LOVE. He commands us to love God and our neighbor as we love ourself. No other commandment is more important than this. Anyone who loves God and his/her neighbor will definitely not go against other commandments. (CF Mtt 22:40)

Although these may be different avenues through which we express love since faith becomes a given when associated with a good act as St. James made us to understand,

our offerings, charity, sacrifices, almsgiving, etc are not more important than this love which Christ taught us. They are            subsumed in it.

Thus immediately the scribe confirmed in explanation what this love entails, Jesus replied "you are not far from the kingdom of God"(Mk 12:34)

It implies that we need to love in action and in truth. Definitely, we cannot do without act of  listening. For whoever lacks the ability to listen, cannot love. Love begins with listening, graduates to compassion, sympaty, empathy, etc.

One might ask, listening to who?

Listening to the ideal Priest. The Ideal Priest as the second reading tells is the one who is Holy, Innocent and uncontaminated. Other Priests offer sacrifices everyday but His sacrifice was done once and for all by offering Himself. He is Christ who is the only way, the truth and life for us in entering God's kingdom. (Jn 14;6)

The Psalmist therefore encourages us to do this with all our strength if we are to gain this reward promised by the Father.

We can do so by allowing God's words to penetrate our heart. We need to listen to Christ always.

Beloved in Christ, there are seven(7) benefits we received through the relationship between God and His People as was rightly pointed out by St Paul in Rom. 9:4-5.

We need to pay attention to them:

1. Adoption: God gathered us as the New Israel.

2. Glory: God gave us His Glory through Christ.

3. Covenant: God drew us to Himself.

4. Law: God taught us how to live.

5. Worship: God is always present in our assembly.

6. Promises: God promises us life and blessings.

7. Patriarchs: Through them, God shows his care by promising that our land will flow with milk and honey.

If we understand these benefits and keep them with all our heart, soul, mind and body definitely we will not be far from His Kingdom.

The words we receive from Him are Spirit and they are life. (Cf Jn 6:63)

Listening and paying attention to the word of God will save our souls from eternal damnation. 

Shalom.

Reflection by

Fr Richard Anigbogu, SMMM