Preaching and Listening to the Word

Jonah 3:1-10
Psalm 129:1-4,7-8
Luke 10:38-42

You have heard that the world of today don’t need preachers but doers. But,what exactly are doers doing if not the Goodnews that is preached. So, it’s still important that the Goodnews is preached and that is the point of today, without which there may be nothing to be done. That’s the point of today.

In the first reading, Jonah obeyed and preached the word of God in Nineveh, for repentance. The result was awesome; the people of Nineveh listened and repented both the nobles and the commoners. Consequently, they were given second chance and that’s grace.

So, the preaching of Job brought the grace of repentance.

There’s power in the Word.

In Gospel reading Luke 10:38-42, Jesus demonstrated once more the importance of preaching and listening, when he said, “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.”

Yes, Martha was running errands and may be preparing what their Divine guest should eat, but Mary stayed with their Divine guest and listened to what he said; what he preached. Remember, Martha was doing something good but Jesus upheld the listener to the Word, who listened to the preacher; Himself.

How would repentance come if there’s no instrument to stir up the Holy Spirit. We must always preach that Word and leave the rest to the Holy Spirit.

God still needs preachers so that there may be listeners. Listening leads to doing just as Job listened to God and did the preaching, and just as Job preached and the people of Nineveh listened; thus there was repentance.

There’s power in the Word. It is alive and active. So, we all must preach it no matter what.

©Fr. Henry Charles N. Umelechi