WHY MAKE EMPTY PROMISES?

HOMILY FOR THE 26^TH SUNDAY IN THE ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

An empty promise is a promise that was never intended to be carried out or kept. An empty promise is devoid of worth or meaning. Making promises and not keeping them are signs of unseriousness. The making of promises concerns saying, while the keeping of promises concerns action and doing. It is in action that we really know personalities. Actions speak louder than words. 

A good example of promises that are not kept is not far-fetched from us. During political campaigns, politicians promise heaven and hell just to win votes, and after they win do not remember that they made promises to the people who elected them. This is the current case in the Nigerian politics. Today, Nigeria celebrates herself at 57, but when we pay attention to details, we are most likely not to find anything worth celebrating. Yes, it is true that she is 57, but it is even truer that all these years her politicians have failed to keep to the promises of those who vote them in. If every promise in the manifestos is done, this country would have been all the more worth celebrating.

The Gospel of today (Mat. 21:28-32) unravels a clear picture of an empty promise. Jesus tells the story of two brothers who had a father. The father told the first one to go and work in his vineyard, and he disagreed to go, but afterwards went and did it. The same plea was made to the second who agreed to go, but later did not do the work. The second child made a promise to do the work but did not after all do it. Truly, the two examples are imperfect. What one did, the other did not do, and what the other did, one did not do. Neither of them actually brought full joy to the father.

The difference between the two can be read with the eye of change. We can most probably say that the first had a change of mind and attitude; that is why he later on went to do the father’s orders. This change is positive. It is a change from evil to good, a change from negative to positive. The second too changed, but his was one from good to evil, from positive to negative. In this sense, we can say that we are called to imitate the first; that is, to always make a change from evil to the good and not vice versa. It is also in this sense that we can understand the words of the first reading (Ezekiel 18:25-28). Someone virtuous must make effort to maintain his/her virtues, while someone vicious should try to change from his/her vices. The Lord says: if he turns from the wickedness he has committed, and does what is right and just, then he shall preserve his life. He will live for having repented. And so, we ought to make the promise of change for the better and keep it.

The ideal child is the one who says yes and does yes. It is one who accepts the father’s orders with obedience and carries them out judiciously. Promises we must say can never take the place of promise. We must make sure we make promises and keep them.  Broken promises may lead to broken relationships. We must know that making a promise involves making a commitment that God takes seriously. Deut. 23:21-23 says if you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin, but if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth.

Have you made some promises like these:

I will call you back later

I will supply the goods tomorrow

I will meet you tomorrow for lunch

I can finish the project next tomorrow

I will pray for you

I will marry you

I will sponsor your education

I will talk to him about it

I will buy you a gift, etc.

You need now to ask yourself why you made those promises without keeping them. Was it that you never took it seriously, or you thought it was just a manner of speaking? Every word you communicate matters to God. It is through our words that we can be set free, and it is also through them that we can be condemned (cf. Matt. 12:37). Remember the words of Ecclesiastes 5:5: it is better not to make promises and not keep them. Worse still is when we make a promise to God and not fulfilling it. The book of Ecclesiastes 5:2 tells us not to be quick with our mouth to utter anything before God; and in verse 4, we read: keep all the promises you make to God.

One of the major causes of empty promises is the inability to control our mouth. One who talks too much is likely to be breaking promises. One who talks before thinking about what he has said is likely to be releasing empty words. Prov. 10:19 says that sin is unavoidable when there is much talk, but whoever seals his lips is wise. We must therefore remember those empty promises we have made to our fellows and to God, and work to fulfil those promises. Only then has true conversion taken place. May God assist us to fulfil every promise we make now and always. Amen. God bless you.