DAILY HOMILIES

Today, we read another healing episode of Jesus occasioned by some really good friends who went all the way to bring a paralyzed man to Him. Matthew tells us that Jesus was moved by their faith. These friends believed completely in Jesus so much so that their faith was visible to Jesus

Worshipping God is not just a matter of avoiding sin, it is more importantly about doing good deeds. Seek the good, love what is good, establish justice in your gates and let righteousness flow from your actions.

Just as the disciples were shocked to find Jesus sleeping while they were facing a great storm, many of us today just cannot understand where God is in the midst of this pandemic that is threatening almost all life on earth.

The life of Saints Peter and Paul teach us that the Christian life is tough, full of challenges and hardships, yet, it contains a lot of great rewards if we do not give up.

Our Gospel passage today is somehow a continuation of that of last Sunday. Jesus is still instructing the twelve apostles as He sends them out to preach the Gospel. Indeed, Jesus is repeating the same message but this time with very compelling graphic illustrations. What is this message?

The irony of life is that while we look down on what is ours, others value it more. While many were struggling to believe in Jesus, a Centurion; that is, a Roman Soldier in charge of a hundred soldiers had enough faith to see that Jesus is God; that He only needs to speak the word and the whole world would obey.

While today’s first reading contains a very sad tale of King’s Nebuchadnezzar’s capture of Jerusalem, our Gospel passage presents us with a comforting story of the mercy and love of God in the healing of the leper. This seeming contradiction is beautifully summed up by the leper’s plea: “If you will (if you want to), you can make me clean.”

The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel passage are quite blunt and direct. It is not all those who call on the name of God or identify as Christians that would behold the blessedness of heaven.

Today is June 24. It is now six months before Christmas. Today, we are celebrating the birthday of the one of whom the Angel Gabriel spoke when he said: “Your kinswoman, Elizabeth, the one whom people call barren is now in her sixth month for with God, nothing will be impossible.” We celebrate the birth of John the Baptist not just because it was a miracle, but it also marked the beginning of God’s plan for the redemption of man.

When faced with threats from enemies of the faith, let us learn to surrender completely to God. Hezekiah, like Jeremiah, simply went down on their knees to pray. “Lord, you test the mind and heart, let me see your vengeance against them for to you have I committed my cause.” (Jeremiah 20:12).

Why do I notice the speck in my neighbour’s eye but do not notice the log in my own eye? Simple answer: I can’t see the log. Isn’t the log bigger than the speck? The truth is that I have an ego that likes to think of itself as perfect.