Readings: Acts 8:1-8; Psalm 66; John 6:35-40
In today’s First Reading, we see two opposing forces at work. We have Saul going from house to house persecuting Christians and seeking to destroy the Christian faith and then we see the early disciples, who were intent on spreading the message that Saul sought to destroy. Philip, for instance, was testifying to the power of God, teaching the truth that leads to life, making new converts and bringing joy to people.
The same contradictory forces are at play today. The only difference is that whilst the enemies of Jesus are so intent, ferocious and aggressive in attacking faith and morality, many of us Christians are weak, lukewarm, indifferent, undiscerning and complacent.
Faith in Jesus and objective moral values based on the Word of God are still being attacked today.
Many of our young ones are being deceived, misled and confused. Enemies of the faith are propagating their agenda, celebrating and canonising values that oppose the Gospel ethics. More and more people are now attracted to atheism, agnosticism and radical scepticism.
The sanctity of life and marriage is being contested and the ideal of human sexuality is being redefined. Children are being taught satanic ideologies and erroneous theories in schools. People are being taught to rebel against legitimate spiritual and secular authorities and critical values that form the foundation of a sane society are being undermined.
There is a sudden increase in interest in new age religion, magic, sorcery and witchcraft now.
The devil is working so hard to redefine the face of society, to kill faith and morality, to ridicule the bride of Christ and to keep the people for whom Christ shed His Blood in bondage.
As Christians, we must wake up and oppose the forces of error with the weapon of truth. We must wake up to our responsibility as the light of the world and the salt of the earth. We must be uncompromising in proclaiming that Jesus is the only one who can satisfy the deepest yearning of the human heart – He is the Bread of Life. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life and to reject Him and His teaching is to reject life, and to reject life, is to embrace the culture of error, emptiness and death.
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on April 17, 2024