Do you remember the story of the first time I left home? The first time I left my parents and siblings and was away from home for up to three months was when I gained admission to the Minor (High School) Seminary at about twelve. As a twelve-year-old, leaving home for the first time was very difficult. A part of me was excited in anticipation of the experience ahead, but another part was missing home. I was in tears when it was time to begin the journey of about two to three hours by car. Seeing how I was weeping, my mom came up to me, hugged me, and said, “My son, I know it is hard for you; it is also hard for us to see you go. But you need to go to add value to yourself. If you don’t go, you won’t grow. You need to go for your good, the good of the family, and the good of the world. See you in three months!” Those words gave me the determination to embark on the journey; they kept me while I was away from home.
So many years have passed since I heard those words from my mom, but they continue to serve as my source of strength whenever I start feeling homesick. At the end of one of my vacations in Nigeria, it was another emotional moment for me when it was time to return to the United States. Right before I left, we gathered for a family prayer. While we were praying, it dawned on me that I was about to embark on another long journey; I was going to be away again from my immediate family for a long time. I almost broke down in tears, but priests don’t cry. After exchanging farewell hugs, I got into the car and could no longer fight the tears. Yes, priests also cry, so I wept. In the course of the drive to the airport, I kept replaying the words my mom said to me the first day I left home for the Minor (High School) Seminary, “…you need to go to add value…; if you don’t go, you won’t grow.”
My dearly beloved in Christ, today is the Fifth Sunday of Lent. The second reading for this Sunday’s Liturgy is from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. It is one of the indisputable letters attributed to St. Paul in the New Testament. Philippi was a commercial center founded by Philip, the Father of Alexander the Great. It was on his second missionary journey that Paul first came to Philippi. He wrote this letter while he was in prison in Rome. In this letter, he writes, “Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.” By this, he means he will never glory in any of his achievements or use them as an excuse for relaxation. As much as possible, a Christian must forget all he has done and focus more on what lies ahead.
Human beings generally find comfort in the familiar. It takes a lot of effort and pain to let go of that which we have always known to embrace something new. Paul was a Pharisee and a strict observant of the law. For him, salvation could only come from following the traditions of the elders. He found his comfort in studying the law and observing the law. But when he found Christ, he was willing to let go of his attachment to the law, and to embrace the grace that comes from Christ.
Focusing on the past can keep us from growing and moving forward. When we focus too much on the past, our past failings may discourage us as they make us feel we are up to no good. When we focus too much on our past success, we may think we are already at our best. In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, the Lord says, “Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something new!” Going forward is the way to go, no matter how enticing or discouraging the past might have been. It is like driving a car. The rearview mirror is way much smaller than the windshield. No matter what the past was, any look at the past must spur you on to your next achievement. My dearly beloved in Christ, the season of Lent is a season for our spiritual growth. This growth entails sacrifices, pains, and discomfort. Some comfort comes from going back to or doing only that which is familiar, but in the long run, that comfort will be counterproductive. Pope Benedict XVI said, “The world offers you comfort, but you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” As we continue to grow in our Christian maturity in this season of Lent, kicking out vices/sins from our lives, and embracing virtues, we must never befriend the word “impossible.” If God requires anything of us, it is because we can do it by his grace. What is that sin you think is impossible to leave behind? What is that good thing you think is impossible to do? Remember, as they say, “Everything is impossible until someone does it.” What if that someone is you?
Homily for 5th Sunday of Lent Year C 2025
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