Fr. Emmanuel Megwara, MSP - Homily for Tuesday Week 30 Ordinary time - October 27, 2020

DATE : 27/10/2020, Tuesday of the 30th Week in Ordinary Time (A) EVENT : Mass of the Weekday COLOUR : GREEN READINGS : Eph. 5:22-33; Resp. Psalm 127:1-5; Luke 13:18-21. THEME: RESPECT AND LOVE ARE EARNED, NOT DEMANDED Greetings beloved people of God. I welcome you to "My Catholic Homily Digest". Today, I want to reflect with us on the theme " Respect and love are Earned, not Demanded" Often times, people feel they are not respected or loved enough by their wives, husbands, colleagues, juniors and all those they expect to receive these feelings from. So, in a bid to satisfy these basic needs, they try to demand these love and respect from their subordinates. Listen to me dear friends, you are not supposed to ask someone to respect or love you. People respect and love you because you deserve their respect or when you have earned their love. The very moment you ever ask someone: Am I your mate? why didn't you greet me? So you did not see me? Why don't you respect me? A whole me? Then know that you have begun to lose your value for respect and love. Because, if you comport yourself properly, keep to your responsibilities, and act with discipline, people would ordinarily respect and love you, even your seniors and enemies would have no choice. Beloved, in today's First reading, taken from the epistle of St. Paul to the Church in Ephesus, 5:22-33; St. Paul admonished wives to love and respect their husband because the husband is the head of the house as Christ is head of the Church. Holding tenaciously to this verse of Scriptural, most men now demand love and respect from their wives, even when they themselves are not submissive to Christ and the Church, neither are they responsible in fulfilling their fatherly and husbandry duties. Most men who demand respect from their husband are not faithful to their marital vows, they do not even provide sufficient welfare package for their families, they keep late hours, are usual soaked in alcohol, do not teach their family how to pray, do not set good examples to their children, and often embarrass their wives with insults and bruises. Child of God, hear me, no matter who you are or the position you occupy, you will always reap what you sow like the Gospel reading of today tells us. If you sow acts of respect, kindness, generosity, empathy, discipline, self restraint and love, no matter how small (like a mustard seed), you will definitely reap a bountiful harvest of all the above and even more. I pray God to help husbands, bosses, and all those in places of authority to recognise that Respect, loyalty and love are earned through personal discipline, rather than demanded. God bless you #End Sars, #End Political Oppression #End Bad Governance #End High handedness Oh that today you would listen to his voice harden not your hearts (Ps.95:7-8) LET US PRAY : Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit and transform me into the Christ-like holiness you desire. Increase my zeal for your kingdom and instill in me a holy desire to live for your greater glory...Amen @ Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara, MSP. ⛪