We Are All Called to Preach, Are you Ready?

Homily Reflection

Friday, August 1 2014 

(Jer 26:1-5; Ps 69:5,8-10,13; Mt 13:54-58)

 We Are All Called to Preach, Are you Ready?

Friends, Brothers and Sister in Christ,

The readings today are about preaching God’s word. We are asked to do this every day and it’s hard. Are you ready?

The Psalms say, “The ones who will hate me will outnumber the hairs on my head.”  

The Lord tells Jeremiah, “Stand in the house of the Lord and speak to the people…, what I command you,…, and omit nothing.”

The people in the synagogue talk about Jesus, “Where did this man get all this?”  

You’re not saying that about me, yet.  So let us begin with a story. 

Two old friends meet for coffee.  

One sits down and says, “We’ve been friends for 60 years; our friendship is tried and true!”

The second friend looks back and says. “What?”

“I said, we've been friends a long time, our friendship is tried and true!”

The other friend still can’t hear and says, “You’re going to have to speak up.”

Just short of a scream, the first friend says ”Our friendship is tried and true!”

The second friend is taken aback a little and says “Well fine, I’m tired of you too!!!”

This is what we face. Either people don’t understand, don’t hear, or don’t want to hear and understand the word of God. This is the situations in our readings today.

People fight the word of God.  The people of Judah wanted to put Jeremiah to death. The crowd saying “Grab him, Grab him!! Who does he think he is!!” “Put him to death!!”

But, Jeremiah didn't stop and gave God’s message. The people did not want to hear that they were doing wrong.  They didn't want anyone to tell them they were disobeying God.

Kill the messenger! That will get rid of the message.

People fight the word of God, even when it comes from God himself. Jesus was preaching in his home town. You would think that the people there would realize that there was something special about him. The people that knew him, rejected him.

They didn't hear what he had to say. They didn't want to hear. They didn't understand.

“What makes him think he’s so smart?  He’s nobody, just the carpenter’s son!!”

We are all called to speak God's message (to be a living witness) in words, life, and actions; the enemy fights us. Are you ready?

• Do I have time to visit them
• Maybe I don’t feel like I want to smile or say hello,
• I am having a hard time myself why should I help someone else,
• Why should I say that God loves them, they’re mean and ornery, the don’t love anybody

These are the same arguments in different words that Jeremiah and Jesus faced. Are you ready? 

But God’s love is great. God is our constant help. Look back on your life and see God at work.

Think about the times God asked you to be his witness, even in the smallest way. All the times you overcame the enemy to live and speak God’s love to the world.  If you can see that, you're ready. 

Live it again and again.