It’s Time To Follow God!

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

St. Mary of Assumption Church, Whittier, California 

Sunday, January 21, 2018

After the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus entered the stage with the biggest announcement: God is now here; his Kingdom is dawned upon us; his reign has begun; God’s arrival is here; the time designated by God, that is, the appointed time for him to fulfill his promises and will has come. God himself is calling, therefore, drop everything and listen to him. After that Jesus added: it’s time to abandon the old ways and follow God’s way. If you are a liar, Jesus says, stop telling lies. If you are a hater, stop the hate. If you eat and drink too much, cut it off. If you have a lackluster faith, “fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you…” (2 Timothy 1:6); if your life lacks the juice of the Spirit, pray! Stop your rebellious attitude towards God. Abandon disobedience. Abandon excessive pursuit of pleasure, power, wealth, and fame. Seek God with a sincere heart. Most importantly, follow God. Come to God. It’s time to say yes to him. 

To really demonstrate that it is time to follow God, Jesus invited  Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, James and his brother, John, to follow him, to learn his way and to also become fishers of men. Like Simon, Andrew, James and John, he has also invited us to follow him. The Pope, Bishops, priests and religious are not the only ones who have been called and chosen. Every one of us seated in this church has also been called and invited to follow after the Holy Redeemer. Like I often said, when God calls, drop everything, nothing could be more important. 

Now, it is important to understand the reason why God has called us. He did not call us because we are perfect. He hasn’t called us because we are upright, holy, spotless, strong, amazing, awesome and good. God calls us because we are simply the opposite of all that. If we were spotlessly upright, there would have been no need for Jesus to suffer what he suffered on our behalf. After all, he himself said, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10); “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17). It was long ago that I realized that the reason why the Lord called me to become a priest is not due to my goodness and holiness, but rather due to my weak and sinfulness. He chose me not because I am such a great man, but because I am imperfect. He chose me so that by following him closely I will learn about his ways, learn how to live, how to serve God and others. Jesus called me to follow him so that he can fix me, adjust me, heal me, lead me, guide me, and pick me up when I fall down. The same goes to you as well. You have not been called because of your awesomeness or your amazing attributes and qualities. He chose you because you are not perfect. But by following him, you will learn from him and also find rest for your souls. 

So, when you find someone who comes to Mass daily, prays daily, has every form of religion but still struggles to stay upright— morally and spiritually, still struggles to live the life expected of the disciples of Jesus, do not be discouraged. God is still working on that person. Moreover, that person was not called because of his or her spotless nature, but because the person is weak and needs God to save him or her. And in your own life, if you are still struggling to overcome a particular sin, if a particular habit has become very difficult for you to overcome, do not be discouraged. Do not give in to the notion: “I will never get over it!” No, you can! Yes, you can! We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13). Do not give up the habit of following the Lord. Jesus, the greatest physician ever, is still working on you. You were not called because you had no spiritual or moral wrinkle. You were not called because you had no blemish. You and I were called and chosen because we had all that. Jesus saw we needed help, salvation, healing, mercy, strength and direction. As we follow the Lord, let’s allow him and his words to transform us from inside out. Some of this transformation will be instantaneous, others will be a process. Remember, Jesus is the Porter, and we are the clay. Stay close to the Porter; he is still working on you. Okay?