HOMILY FOR THE 13TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A.
Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi
2Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 Matthew 10:37-42
It is clear from the readings that the central message of this Sunday is about hospitality, about being charitable towards other people and going the extra mile for them. Today’s Gospel is taken from Christ’s missionary discourse (Mt ch. 10) which concludes with statements of Jesus concerning welcoming others and ministering to them as if we were welcoming Christ Himself. In His reassuring message to His apostles, Christ stated: Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me… (Mt 10:40). It is Christ’s command that we welcome and assist those who devote themselves to preaching and living out the gospel. We will be rewarded for doing so. We shall not only be ministering to the divine spark of the Christ Himself within them, but shall also be rewarded for the kindness and care we show to them as people made in His image (Gen 1:27). What a lesson for churches as to how they welcome and assist their ‘holy men of God’ (2K 4:9)! Bearers of the Gospel are assured that somebody will be called by God to welcome them and to minister to their needs. Christ calls His messengers (meaning His Gospel-bearers) ‘little ones’ (Mt 10:42) because they are targets of the Prince of Lies, and are so vulnerable. The Gospel message of hospitality works both ways: if the faithful will look after God’s messengers, God’s messengers will repay the faithful by invoking God’s reward upon them.
It’s not only the clergy who are tasked with bearing the Gospel message to the world. We Christians are all of us messengers of God. Each one of us is a missionary for Christ. That being the case, the message of hospitality and generosity is for everyone rather than the few. Having been baptised into the death of Jesus (Rom 6:4), as St. Paul said in the Second Reading, we have a duty never to become weary of ministering to the Christ in other people. There are so many needy people out there, that we may feel overwhelmed about where to start. The Church’s priority is the worship of God, surely, rather than social welfare? Didn’t Jesus say that ‘the poor you will always have with you. You will not always have me’ (Mt 26:11)? Well then, how do we go about juggling worship and hospitality in order to fulfil Christ’s command of Mt 10:40? The answer is that hospitality to one is hospitality to all when it is done for the sake of Christ. You can’t hope to solve the world’s problems single-handedly, so start by looking to help each needy person God sends across your path. The lovely story in the First Reading, of the prophet Elisha and the wealthy couple at Shunem, puts flesh on the command in the Gospel. A married couple goes the extra mile to provide food and lodging to Elisha, and he in turn promises them God’s gift of a longed-for son.
Having identified Elisha as ‘a holy man of God’ (2K 4:9) whose mission caused him to journey to-and-fro, passing her house each time, the wife sought for a practical way to help him. In her willingness to put herself out for him, she sacrificed her time and money to cater for his needs. She didn’t anticipate or ask for a reward, but one was given by God through the prophet. Her generous heart attracted a massive blessing. She gave what she could afford (2Cor 9ff) to Elisha - and how abundantly she was repaid! Give some thought to what kind of hospitality you yourself are able to offer to God in those needy people who cross your path, in terms of your finances, your time, your listening ear, your talents and your practical skills. Whatever you decide you are able to offer can yield abundant fruit, both for them and for you.
No doubt the married couple at Shunem were delighted at the prospect of welcoming a third person into their family. A lot of changes lay in store for them. We are well aware of how the arrival of a new baby changes everything at home. Of course, the nursery would have to be set up and items purchased for it, but there would also have to be major changes made to every aspect of their lives. Along with the joy of expecting their child, their lifestyle would need a makeover. Some personal pleasures would have to be sacrificed, because the home was no longer solely for the use of the couple. The decisions taken at home would henceforward be affected by the needs of that third person. Now, project this whole scenario in terms of Jesus as this third person, Jesus in the ministers and messengers of God, and Jesus in the people we meet who would welcome our help and support. How far are we prepared to welcome the Christ in other people, just as an expectant couple does? How far are we ready to let the presence of Christ makeover our lifestyle? How far are we willing to give of ourselves, our time and such wealth and goods as we can spare to put smiles on the faces of others? Has it occurred to us that the couple at Shunem became ready for that longed-for child on the very day that they agreed between themselves to offer hospitality to God’s prophet? That extra room they made available to Elisha wouldn’t remain empty for long after the prophet had moved on. Thereafter it was available for their baby. The measure of our readiness to engage in hospitable and charitable acts is the measure of the warmth of the reception of Christ in our hearts. As we welcome Christ today, just as the woman of Shunem welcomed the prophet Elisha, may I encourage us to renew our promise to Christ always to be willing to witness to Him by serving one another in Christ, even in the least of our brothers and sisters. Amen. God bless you.
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