Ephesians 5:21-33; Psalm 128; Luke 13:18-21
The aim of the devil has always been to steal, kill and destroy. He looks for every opportunity to destroy what God has established.
When many people hear news about priests leaving the priesthood or being involved in a scandal, they immediately become very angry, they criticise, they judge but they fail to see the signature of the devil in the event.
The family is also another institution very dear to the heart of God. As such, it has been the object of the devil’s attack, if any family opens the door carelessly, the devil will establish his stronghold and reduce the home to a shack.
The only way we can stand against the wiles and schemes of the devil is to be spiritually awake and alert and be obedient to godly principles.
Some people build their marriages on a feeling of love, that foundation is ridiculously weak. Feeling is ephemeral, it changes and fades any time and most times it leaves no traces of its pre-existence.
A family stands not on the feeling of mutual love alone but by firm obedience to solid godly principles as clearly taught in the Scriptures.
Sadly, many families have deviated and established their principles as dictated by the world or their comfort.
In the first reading, St Paul gives us godly principles for building a home.
There must be mutual love that is not just a feeling but a decision, mutual respect not just one way but by both parties, sacrifice, selflessness, mutual faithfulness.
Anything different from these is antithetical to a healthy union.
It is very sad, the kind of abuses, injustice, and evil that go on in many homes today even in a developed society like ours. Some husbands and wives are celebrating anniversaries but these are anniversaries of infidelity, insincerity, abuses, tyranny and bondage.
I know some of you listening to me were married before I was born and you are still in the marriage. (One of the greatest miracles in the world is a husband and wife growing old together in love).
Some of you listening to me have lost your spouses so you may think this message is not for you.
This is where we are all concerned, the principles that God expects in a family, He also expects in a considerable degree among us in the Church, the Church is also a family, these principles are also to be projected to our relationship with others.
God expects us to respect others, not to always insist on our ways, to make a decision to love others even when we don’t feel like, to be faithful and true to our words and promises, to be selfless and considerate of others.
In today’s gospel, we have the illustration of Jesus comparing the growth of God’s kingdom to a mustard seed and the yeast mixed with flour.
This can also be applied to a family or any significant human relationship. When we infuse our relationship with godly principles, it grows, it sprouts and it’s healthy and attractive. When we allow evil and vices to survive unabated, it gradually spreads like a virus and destroys our relationship and the extent of destruction may far surpass our imagination.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami October 27, 2020.