2 Kings 4:8-12a, 14-16 | Romans 6:3-4, 8-11 | Matthew 10:37-42

Have you ever noticed how the smallest acts of kindness can change a person’s life? A warm meal, a listening ear, a place at the table. We often remember not the grand speeches people gave us, but the simple ways they made us feel loved.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about discipleship in a way that sounds demanding: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10:37). At first, these words may seem harsh. But Jesus is not asking us to love our families less. He is asking us to love Him first, because when Christ is at the center, we learn how to love everyone else better.

The woman in the first reading understood this. She welcomed the prophet Elisha into her home, not because she expected a reward, but because she recognized God’s presence in him. Her generosity sprang from faith, not calculation. Her hospitality became a channel of grace, and God blessed her beyond her expectations.

This Gospel reminds us that discipleship is not merely believing in Jesus but making room for Him daily. Sometimes that means carrying the cross of forgiveness when we would rather hold a grudge. Sometimes it means choosing integrity when compromise seems easier. Sometimes it means offering a simple kindness that no one notices except God. It also means a parent caring patiently for a child, a neighbour checking on someone who is lonely, a parishioner visiting the sick, these are not small things, in God’s eyes no act of love is ever wasted.

Jesus assures us: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me” (Mt 10:40). Every act of kindness offered in His name becomes an encounter with Christ Himself.

Saint Paul reminds us that through Baptism, we have died and risen with Christ (Rom 6:3-4). Our lives are no longer centered on ourselves but on Him who gave His life for us.

A child once asked his grandmother, “How do I know if Jesus lives in my heart?” She smiled and replied, “People around you will feel His love.”

As we leave this church today, let us ask ourselves: If someone looked at my life this week, would they see that Jesus has the first place in my heart? As such, it is not merely speaking about Jesus but living in such a way that others can recognize His presence in us and say, “Christ must live there.” Amen.

Your Priest,

Fr. Charles Enyinnia