Sunday, October 25, 2020
HOMILY: 30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 2020
I have a fascinating experience way back my days in my former parish. Two of my new knights of the Altar have a taste of baptism on how to serve at the altar. Right after the mass I personally thank them for a job well done. One of them said, “Why is the mass too short this morning? I want a long mass! I said, why? It’s more fun to be standing at the altar with this long white dress. I was greatly impressed! The lesson I’ve learned from this little angel is that whenever you give you give everything every time you come to church, one hour wouldn’t be enough. When love is burning in our hearts and enjoying what we are doing for God, time flies by!
We are now on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The readings that we have for today speak about love and charity. Love God first of all. The gospel of Matthew says about Jesus’ response about greatest commandment, He said, “you shall love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind. The second is, you shall love others as yourself”. Every time I encountered these words, the basic question that I tried to ask is that why should I need to love God and my neighbours? What significance do they play in my life? Before God told us to love Him, He had already loved us first. By the very fact that we are here on earth is a sign that God loves us. From the air we breathe, to the rich land we dwell are signs how great the love of God is to us. For us to continue to exist, we have to be connected the source of life. Are you familiar with the song, “the more you love, the more you live, the long you live, the more you love!
Love is definitely nourished by faith. The First letter of Paul to the Thessalonians tells us how we are to connect with God. “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord. In every place your faith in God has become known”. It is through faith that our love for God and neighbours greatly increased. This is the very reason why we come together regularly in the home of the Father because it is where we can encounter Jesus in the proclamation of the word and in the breaking of the bread. Listening is understanding the will of the Father and receiving Holy Eucharist is shaping our life after the very person of Christ. In short, we can gain so much from worship if we focus all our faculties and powers on what we are doing that very moment. The fruit of true worship is no other the conversion of the heart.
Love others with the love of God. The first reading which is taken from the Book of Exodus reminds us “Do not oppress other, neither abuse them. Give something to the poor without expecting anything in return”. God tells us to love them as He loves us because He wanted us to experience real happiness. There is indeed joy in helping others. I am pretty sure that it is how you wish to be treated by others. Always remember that the sweetest time of the day is when you pray because you are talking to the one who loves you most and the happiest moment of the day is when you are able to love your neighbour with unconditional love!