THURSDAY HOMILY OF 11TH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B

THURSDAY HOMILY OF 11TH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B

HOMILY THEME: GOD KNOWS, BUT WE NEED TO ASK!

BY: Fr. Obinna Ezeaputa

Ecclesiasticus 48:1-15; Psalm 96(97): 1-7; Matt 6: 7 – 15

In our gospel reading today (Matthew 6:7–15), Jesus teaches us a valuable lesson on prayer. He warns us against babbling like the pagans, who think that their many words will earn them divine favor. But our Heavenly Father is not impressed by our verbosity. Instead, he desires sincerity, humility, and trust.

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Jesus reminds us that our Father knows what we need before we even ask. He is a loving and provident God who cares for our every need. So, why do we need to pray? St. Augustine reminds us that “God knows what we need before we ask, but prayer is a way of acknowledging our dependence on Him.”

A young girl, Sophia, was on a trip with her family to the beach. As she was playing in the waves, she suddenly felt scared and overwhelmed by the strong currents. She couldn’t swim and was afraid of drowning.

Without hesitation, her father, a strong swimmer, rushed into the water and swept her up in his arms, holding her tightly. Sophia was safe and sound, feeling her father’s warmth and protection.

As they walked back to their towels, Sophia’s father asked her, “Sophia, why didn’t you call out for me when you were struggling in the water?” Sophia looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “Daddy, I knew you were watching me, and I knew you would come for me if I needed you.”

Her father smiled and hugged her tightly, saying, “That’s right, Sophia. Even without calling out, I was watching you and would have come for you. But by calling out for me, you acknowledged your need for my help and allowed me to rescue you.”

Sophia’s father represents God, who always watches over us and knows our needs before we ask. But by praying and calling out to God, we acknowledge our dependence on Him and allow Him to work in our lives, just like Sophia allowed her father to rescue her.

Let us approach prayer with simplicity, trust, and gratitude. May our words be few, but may our hearts be full of love and devotion. May we pray like Jesus taught us, with the simplicity and beauty of the Our Father. Amen.

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