OUR MISSION AS TODAY’S CHRISTIANS

 

Homily for the eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Scriptural Texts: Exodus 19:2-6a, Romans 5:6-11, Matthew 9:36-10:8

 

Today is the 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The Ordinary Time is the longest of all the seasons in the Church’s liturgical calendar. It is usually divided into two parts. The first part begins from Monday after the baptism of the Lord and continues until the day before Ash Wednesday. The second part begins from Monday after Pentecost and extends until the Saturday before the first Sunday of Advent. What this shows is that we are currently in the second part of the Ordinary Time.

Few years ago, I was examining a group of catechumens about the different seasons in the Church’s liturgical calendar and what each of them celebrates. They perfectly explained the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter and what each of them celebrates. But when it got to the Ordinary Time, one of the catechumens answered that the Ordinary Time is that season when nothing serious is happening in the Church. To the catechumen, it is more like a relaxation period.

Apparently, the catechumen had taken the adjective in the phrase “Ordinary Time” on the face value. While the name “Ordinary Time” may seem ordinary, the season itself is extraordinary in its invitation to encounter the extraordinary grace of God. For instance, the color green which is the liturgical color of the Ordinary Time reminds us of the green leaf and vegetation. The greenness of the leaf is a testimony of the nutrients that the plant has received from the ground and sun. These green leaves on the plant will eventually bring forth flowers and later on fruits that will feed the world. In the same way, the Ordinary Time is the time when we put on green to remind us that like the green vegetation, we are to bear testimony to the nutrients we have received from Christ during the other seasons of the liturgical year.

As we read in today’s gospel passage, Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw the crowds because they were like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36). This feeling of compassion compelled him to action. Similarly, the Ordinary Time invites us to cultivate a compassionate heart, to see the needs of those around us, and to respond with love and care. It is a time for us to develop a shepherd’s heart, reaching out to the lost, the broken, and the marginalized in the society.

Jesus also instructed his disciples to pray for laborers to be sent into the harvest (Matthew 9:37-38). In Ordinary Time, we are called to be those laborers. We are entrusted with the responsibility of sharing the Gospel, bringing healing and hope to a world in need. We are invited to be instruments of God’s love and mercy, bringing his message of salvation to others. We are called to engage actively in the work of evangelization, both through our words and our actions.

Going further, as Jesus commissioned his disciples in Matthew 10:1-8, he granted them authority to heal the sick, cast out demons, and proclaim the kingdom of God. In Ordinary Time, we are reminded of our own call to share in this mission. We may have our own flaws like the disciples of apostles; we may not possess the same miraculous powers as the apostles, but we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring healing and restoration to those around us. Through acts of kindness, forgiveness, reconciliation, and prayer, we can be agents of God’s kingdom, bringing about transformation and renewal.

Lastly, Ordinary Time invites us to embrace fully our identity as the covenant people of God, a kingdom of priests, a holy nation (Exodus 19:6) and the disciples of Christ. It challenges us to live out the teachings of Jesus, the one who died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:5); to embody his love and mercy in our relationship with others. It reminds us that our faith is not meant to be confined to special seasons but should permeate every aspect of our lives. It is a time for us to examine how we can better align our thoughts, words, and actions with the teachings of Christ. May God help us to embrace these missions.