DAILY HOMILIES

There are different hearts: the stony heart, the rootless heart, the distracted heart, and the rich heart. There are different ways people respond when they hear the word of God, but the beauty of it all is that the word of God is so powerful that in whatever heart it enters, it does not remain stale. Something must happen. The seed must grow. Whether it bears fruit eventually depends on us and the kind of reception we give to God’s words.

Dear friends, in God’s vineyard, there is no need to look down on the function anyone plays. We all have different callings, but none is more important than the other. Albert Einstein said: “If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.” This is just an example of how roles could be different yet complementary. Everyone’s role is different, but we all need each other.

In kissing the feet of Jesus in public, this woman was expressing her rejection of her past lovers. This is what we do when we publicly recite the Creed. Using our lips to confess our allegiance to God, we denounce any attachment to the devil. It is not wrong to confess our sins secretly, but the church, in its wisdom, recommends confessing “our sins to one another” (James 5:16). If you truly desire to repent of a sinful habit, talk about it in the open; this way you break your attachment to it.

St. Paul did not stop at merely asking us to love; he clarifies the kind of love when he says, “Love is patient, kind, not jealous, not boastful, not arrogant, not rude, not irritable, not resentful, not rejoicing in wrong, bears all things, believes, hopes and endures all things and above all, love never ends.

If you agree that Mary carried Jesus in her womb for nine months and went through labour pains to have him, I do not know of any mother who would not feel a thing while watching her innocent son go through all of these. Whatever our present sorrows in this life may be, let us be consoled that we have a mother who was no stranger to sorrow and reach out for our rosary in asking for her intercession.

When I look at the Cross, I realise Jesus Christ will forgive every sin. It was on the cross that Jesus said to the thief, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). It was also on the Cross that Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). Meditate on the Cross, place yourself in the shoes of that repentant thief and say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Who suffers more when I don’t forgive? Is it me or the one who offended me? So far, we have seen that I suffer more when I don’t forgive. Forgiveness is hard, but better than holding on to past grudges and pain. If it weren’t a better option, Jesus would not have recommended it. In today’s second reading, St. Paul says, “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.” Remember: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return.” (Job 1:21). Make your life a blessing to others; forgive and be kind even to those who hurt you. This world is not our own; we are just passing through it.

Jesus wants us to understand today that our goodness, that is, our ability to bear good fruits, depends on how well we practice what his words teach us. By practising the word of God we hear daily, we become like a house built on a firm foundation, impossible to shake. Refusal to practice God’s words amounts to a refusal to feed the good dragon, and this leads to a cycle of perpetual sinfulness.

A blind man cannot lead a blind man. To be a good leader, one must be above his followers. You must have a vision, see the future you intend to create, and ensure your followers see it. You cannot be a good leader if you cannot see beyond your followers. Perhaps this explains our situation in this country.

It is easy to help those who help us, but Jesus wants us to go the extra mile to help those who can never (or will never) repay you. Cultivate the habit of putting smiles on the faces of everyone you encounter, no matter who that person is. When you give, Jesus says, “Never expect repayment, but your reward will be great.” (Luke 6:35). Humans are naturally ungrateful, so don’t expect people to thank you. However, nothing escapes God’s watchful eyes; He will reward you in due time.

When detached from worldly riches, we will realise that suffering, taunts, hatred, exclusion, ridicule and injustice are a blessing for Christ’s sake. It is a blessing to be attacked for doing good. You should be worried if you are not suffering anything for being a Christian. As the saying goes: “If the devil is not fighting you, it is probably because you are not a threat to him.”

Mary is not a goddess; she is a woman whose life inspires anyone who wants to follow God. She is a human example of what it means to be a Christian. Say ‘Yes’ to God. Let God have His way in your life; generations to come will honour you.