Fr. Emmanuel Megwara, MSP - Homily for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary time Year A - November 15, 2020

DATE : 15/11/2020 EVENT : 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A). COLOUR: GREEN READINGS : Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20,30-31; Responsorial Psalm 127:1-5; 1Thessa. 5:1-6; Gospel Accl. John 15:4-5; Matthew 25:14-30. THEME: EQUITY IS BETTER THAN EQUALITY; APPRECIATE WHAT YOU HAVE INTRODUCTION : Greetings beloved people of God and fellow pilgrims. I welcome you to the penultimate 33rd Sunday in the Ordinary time of the Church. (An Ordinary time is the season when the Church has no particular celebration). This Sunday beloved friends, I wish to reflect with us on the theme, " Equity is Better than Equality; Appreciate What You Have" Beloved, as we gradually come to the end of the Church's liturgical year, through the well calculated readings of today, the Church wants us to reflect and evaluate how we have spent our lives, how we have made use of talents God has given us, how we have been able to transform the challenges and opportunities thrown at us into valuables, how we have been able appreciate the little favours that came our way despite the turbulent storms of the year. As human persons, God has blessed us all in a unique but different ways and in various degrees. Thus, no two persons are blessed exactly alike, though several persons may have similar gift, say singing for instance, but, the manner, disposition, and grace with which they sing, differs. Child of God, the Lord knows each of us, and He blesses us according to our capabilities, He is never an unjust God. This is the theology behind the Christian notion of equity. Equity does not mean giving everyone equal share of talents or opportunity, but giving each one a talent and opportunity that equals their capabilities. Dear friends, in the Gospel reading of today, Jesus gave us the parable of the land owner, who on embarking on a journey, gave his servants talents to trade with, based on the principle of equity. But on his arrival and to his greatest dismay, the servant which he gave the one talent, made no profit, just like the master had feared. Listen to me child of God, you have been entrusted with a talent by God, maybe not as much as you would have expected, and so you bury it like the servant did. You might say to yourself: I am not handsome or beautiful, I do not have sound health, I am not rich, I cannot sing or dance, I am not an orator, I cannot write, I can not slay, I do not have connections, and so on. But you fail to notice that you are easily moved to render assistance, that you can listen patiently, that you can love tenderly, that you can pray, that you can cook and do lots of domestic chores. Beloved, while not improve on these seemingly little things and talents that you can do. So that, when God comes, as He will suddenly surely do, you will not meet Him with an empty hands, bearing no fruits from the small talents He gave to you. Listen to me you husbands, wives, parents and elder siblings, do not compare your husband/wife, children and siblings to other people. Desist from using the terms "Look at your mate, good for nothing, and you are useless", they are sinful comment about the talent God has blessed the person with. Although you may admire the gifts, riches, beauty, intelligence and class you see in other people, but remember that God has not given them to you. So appreciate your spouse, children and siblings, and always encourage them even with their limitation and seemingly 'one talent' gift. And as we do so, may God bless us all. OH that today you would listen to his voice harden not your heart (Ps.95:7-8). LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, help me to make good use of the gifts, talents, time, and resources you give me for your glory, your kingdom and the good of my neighbours....Amen HAPPY SUNDAY MY DEAR FRIEND. @Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara MSP.⛪