Homily of Fifth Sunday of Easter
of Year A: USA Mother’s Day, 2020
Ten quotes on motherhood:
· There
is no role in life that is more essential than that of motherhood. - Elder Russell
Ballard
· A
mother understands what a child does not say. - Jewish proverb
· A
mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else
can take. - Cardinal Mermillod
· The
influence of a mother in the lives of her children is beyond calculation.
- James Faust
· Moms
are like buttons - they hold everything together. – Unknown
· When
you are a mother you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always
thinks twice, once for herself and once for her child. - Sophia Loren
· Mother
is the bank where we deposit all our hurts and worries. - Dewitt Talmage
· Mothers
are like glue. Even when you can’t see them, they’re still holding the family
together. - Susan Gale
· Mother
is the heartbeat in the home; and without her, there seems to be no heart
throb. - Leroy Brownlow
· A
mother’s love is more beautiful than any fresh flower. - Debasish Mridha
God demands our respect for
mothers:
· The
Lord confirms a mother’s authority over her children (Sirach 3:2).
· “They
store up riches who respect their mother” (Sirach 3:4).
· “They
multiply sin who demean their mother” (Sirach 3:11).
· “Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ loved the Church and handed himself over for
her… Husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his
wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:25-28).
An important question every
mother needs to ask herself is whether she fits in, in the description above;
because, there is such a thing as bad mothers. Sometimes, too, some mothers
lose their God-given authority and become subservient to their children and
manipulated by their children.
A good mother is the greatest
gift. God stopped the work of creation when he made woman. God blessed her with
the gift and power of reproduction. God could have used any other means of
bringing human beings into the world. He did not. Rather, he designed the means
of reproduction through woman. Child bearing is the greatest and highest
responsibility. It is very sad that in some cultures women are maltreated; in
some cultures, they are abused. In some cultures, women are discriminated
against; some positions and benefits are denied them. The good news is that women
are rising up all over the world and breaking the human made yoke. We encourage
our girls and young ladies to join in the “march of progress.”
The first reading tells us the
segregation that existed in the early Christian community in Jerusalem between
the Hellenists and Hebrews. The Hellenists were said to be Palestinian Jews who
spoke only Greek, while the Hebrews were Palestinians Jews who spoke Hebrew or
Aramaic. The Hebrews discriminated against the Hellenists. Unfortunately,
segregation, racism, discrimination, and tribalism have continued their ugly
impact in our world.
The apostles advised the
Christian community to select among themselves people with the following
qualities: reputable men, filled with the Holy Spirit, and wisdom. That was the
origin of deaconate ministry. It was totally a ministry of service. Of special
importance are the qualities of leadership recommended by the apostles:
reputable men, filled with the Holy Spirit, and wisdom. If those who present
themselves or those we present for leadership positions have these qualities,
our world will be a better place.
We, also, need to learn from the
amicable way the apostles resolved the crises in the community. The apostles,
without any imposition, urged the community to select those they wanted to be
their servants. The choosing of the deacons was from both isles (the Hellenists
and the Hebrews) without reports of fighting, manipulation or rigging.
In the Gospel Jesus tells us: “Do
not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”
He continues, I am the way and the truth and the life.” If we bring our
troubles to him; he will show us the way out, set us free, and renew our life.
Jesus says, “Whoever believes in
me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I
am going to the Father.” How can we perform greater works than Jesus? Is this
possible? What is Jesus trying to communicate to us? Jesus lived for about 33
years and did his ministry for three years and in Israel only. But today,
Christianity has reached every corner of the world. This is the “greater work”
believers have done from the apostles to our time. We pray that God will
continue to use us to do “greater work” wherever we find ourselves. Amen.
Fr. Martin Eke, MSP
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