💖 HOMILY - JUNE 2 💖

First Reading - Ecclesiasticus 44:1,9-13

Gospel - Mark 11:11-26

Aristotle has beautifully said:"Self-examined life is worth living." It explains that our self-examination of life gives a purpose in life. The readings of the day invite us to discover a meaningful purpose in life through faith which makes our life fruitful and a legacy.

The first reading exolls the magnificent legacy of those who lived their lives and gone ahead of us. The passage drops the mention of two categories among the glorious legacies of our ancestors: The first category includes those who lived their lives without making a great impact in the history so the history doesn't mention them; On the other side, we have a list of those who outshine in the history because pf their works and the impact they made in the history of humankind. The passage outlines the legacy of those who lived their lives with an impact.

The gospel passage lays emphasis on two great events and didactical instructions of Jesus. The two great events marked by the gospel are the cursing of the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple. Many scholars try to connect the two events. According to some, the fruitless fig tree symbolizes the fruitlessness of Israel. It's to say, God showered his blessings on Israel yet Israel remained barren because of their failure to appropriate the grace of God. The same failure is further demonstrated by their commercialization of the temple, which Jesus cleanses. The commercialization of the temple infact occluded the purpose of the temple that was to pray and appropriate the grace of God to be fruitful in life.

Furthermore, the teachings of Jesus on faith redirects the motive of prayer and faith-relationship with God and one another. What surprises the disciples is the dried fig tree at the words of Jesus. Jesus explains that the impact of faith is so great that even impossible can become possible which is further expounded by the moving of the mountain. However, in order to furnish faith, it's important to maintain a good relationship with God and one another in love and peace.

Dear friends, we have a short life. This life should become fruitful. We all expect fruits from fruit-bearing trees so also from our lives, God expects fruits because He has blessed us with His blessings. We can remain barren by not appropriating God's grace or recognizing it. We can be fruitless by making our lives commercialized by appropriating worldly values or living aimlessly. The first reading invites us to leave a legacy in the history by our lives so that our life becomes fruitful and purposeful. The life without a purpose or a meaning is like having a life which doesn't bear any fruit.

Jesus instructs his disciples how to make more sense of the life we have. It's by cultivating a deep faith in God and harmonizing our life with peaceful and loving relationship with God and one another. Jesus underlines that our relationship with God will be right when we have right relationship with one another (And when you stand in prayer, forgive whatever you have against anybody, so that your Father in heaven may forgive your failings too.) 

Let's pray that we may be able to live a purposeful life accompanied by our deep faith in God.