A Preacher’s Perspective:
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Turn from Lord of the Flies to Lord of Mercy
What monstrous act did God’s people commit to stir up His “burning wrath” (Ex. 32: 12) against them? Their offense was bad enough that he called his very own chosen people depraved (de-pravus)! God’s own people have become stiff-necked and depraved by quickly turning aside from God their savior to worship a self made calf that can be likened to Beelzebub-Lord of the Flies (Ex. 32:8-9). They sinned against God and God was going to destroy them but for the intercession of Moses. Sin corrupts and destroys our original innocence, pre and post baptism stages. Like “the Beast” figure in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, sin is a violation of God’s established order, an evil thought or action that triggers a descent of God’s children into spiritual savagery and to an erosion of divine order in their relation to God and neighbors alike. Despite our self-willed walk into path of depravity, God still loves us enough to want to keep his promise of divine life to us his sinful children by sending us his Son Jesus Christ to save sinners (1 Tim 1: 15). God’s abundant grace is at work in Jesus Christ, the Lord of Mercy who seeks out sinners and welcomes anyone who repents and returns to “God, who is rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4). God is patient and forgiving; all who have acted corruptly, anyone who has strayed away from his love and repents will be treated with mercy and strengthened (1 Tim 1: 12).
Like the prodigal son (Lk 15:21) and like Saul, “a blasphemer, a persecutor and an arrogant man” (1 Tim 1:13), each one of us has needs for repentance and to his honor and glory, we have a generous Lord of mercies patiently awaiting our journey back to His love by way of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, back into his waiting joyful embrace. Let’s bring about waves of “rejoicing among the angels of God” (Lk. 15:10) today by repenting of our sins, turning away from sinful fixation on Lord of the Flies to the Lord of Mercy.
Dear friends, do you turn frequently to the Lord of Mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to confess in similar humble words of St. Paul: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost.” (1 Tim 1:15)?
After praying about it and putting into consideration the result from last week in-pew survey, I hereby announce the new weekend mass schedule taking effect from October 4/5:
Saturday 5 pm (4 pm during winter), Sunday 8:30 am, 10:30 am and 7:15 pm (E-Town College ).
Thanks for your understanding on the new changes.
In His Divine Mercy,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Turn from Lord of the Flies to Lord of Mercy
What monstrous act did God’s people commit to stir up His “burning wrath” (Ex. 32: 12) against them? Their offense was bad enough that he called his very own chosen people depraved (de-pravus)! God’s own people have become stiff-necked and depraved by quickly turning aside from God their savior to worship a self made calf that can be likened to Beelzebub-Lord of the Flies (Ex. 32:8-9). They sinned against God and God was going to destroy them but for the intercession of Moses. Sin corrupts and destroys our original innocence, pre and post baptism stages. Like “the Beast” figure in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, sin is a violation of God’s established order, an evil thought or action that triggers a descent of God’s children into spiritual savagery and to an erosion of divine order in their relation to God and neighbors alike. Despite our self-willed walk into path of depravity, God still loves us enough to want to keep his promise of divine life to us his sinful children by sending us his Son Jesus Christ to save sinners (1 Tim 1: 15). God’s abundant grace is at work in Jesus Christ, the Lord of Mercy who seeks out sinners and welcomes anyone who repents and returns to “God, who is rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4). God is patient and forgiving; all who have acted corruptly, anyone who has strayed away from his love and repents will be treated with mercy and strengthened (1 Tim 1: 12).
Like the prodigal son (Lk 15:21) and like Saul, “a blasphemer, a persecutor and an arrogant man” (1 Tim 1:13), each one of us has needs for repentance and to his honor and glory, we have a generous Lord of mercies patiently awaiting our journey back to His love by way of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, back into his waiting joyful embrace. Let’s bring about waves of “rejoicing among the angels of God” (Lk. 15:10) today by repenting of our sins, turning away from sinful fixation on Lord of the Flies to the Lord of Mercy.
Dear friends, do you turn frequently to the Lord of Mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to confess in similar humble words of St. Paul: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost.” (1 Tim 1:15)?
After praying about it and putting into consideration the result from last week in-pew survey, I hereby announce the new weekend mass schedule taking effect from October 4/5:
Saturday 5 pm (4 pm during winter), Sunday 8:30 am, 10:30 am and 7:15 pm (E-Town College ).
Thanks for your understanding on the new changes.
In His Divine Mercy,
Fr. Bernard Oniwe, OP
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