DAILY HOMILIES

Jesus wants us to look inwards. To avoid judging and condemning others, we must look at ourselves. Jesus tells us today: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye.’ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother's eye.” (Luke 6:42)

What does it mean to receive God’s kingdom like a child? It means having an open heart and being willing to learn and accept correction. It means trusting God entirely even when one does not understand Him. It means fearing God and doing everything possible to avoid sin. Today, Jesus wants us to recover our childlike spirit. Unless we revive our dead consciences, we cannot enter heaven.

Marriage works best when the couple are faithful friends to each other. A faithful friend will never cheat on their spouse; they remain companions for life no matter how bad things become. A faithful friend will never turn into an enemy or stop loving their spouse. The best definition of marriage is the union of two imperfect persons who accept each other’s flaws.

Children are the future. If you fail to properly educate one child, at least morally, you literally destroy an entire generation. For Jesus, leading one child astray through bad example is such a grievous crime deserving of death by drowning with a millstone hung around one’s neck.

Give a million dollars to a fool; they will be poor in one year. Give one dollar to a wise person, and they could earn a million dollars in one year. Wisdom is life. The book of Sirach says: “Whoever holds her fast will obtain glory… He who obeys her will judge the nations, and whoever gives heed to her will dwell securely.” Wisdom goes beyond gathering academic degrees, certificates or skills. Wisdom is not being deceptive; telling lies is foolishness. The wisdom that brings life is putting God first and living according to His commandments.

Sad times will come; events and circumstances will bring us to our knees. Do not give up on God when the going becomes tough because difficult moments will not last forever. Sirach says: “You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or you may fall. You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. You who fear the Lord hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.” (Sirach 2:7-9). Jesus says: “For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life” (Matthew 7:14).

It is better to pray than to command. The disciples asked Jesus in private why they could not cast out the demon, and Jesus responded: “This type can only be driven out by prayer.” We all have authority over evil spirits and demons. St. John says: “Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). However, even with our authority, we must never neglect the discipline of prayer and fasting.

Right there on the cross, Jesus was able to summon the courage to say: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). In praying like this, Jesus proved himself as the “Son of David” – a man who had the chance of killing his persecutor, Saul but refused. In praying for forgiveness for His enemies, Jesus gave us, His followers, an example. In words and deeds, Jesus, by His very life, taught us to love our enemies.

The Pope is a manager and a steward of God’s flock, and every ordained minister is a servant of the souls entrusted to their care. Hence, our responsorial psalm today reminds us that “The Lord (not the Pope) is our shepherd.” Having reposed such enormous power on St. Peter (and his subsequent successors), Jesus, knowing that Popes will be prone to human weakness, added: “And the gates of hell will never prevail against the Church.”

We all desire an easy life, but the truth is that “ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship.” Do not be afraid of embracing hardship, especially when it aims to achieve something good. Do not shy away from the cross. If you are ashamed to identify with Jesus in this world, Jesus would be ashamed of you in heaven. If you desire to true bliss tomorrow, embrace suffering today. The choice is yours to make, whether to follow the beatitudes or to disregard God and face the consequences.

Is it possible for satan to speak through a man of God? Yes. The question is not whether it can happen but whether you will be able to sift between the voice of the person and the voice of the devil. This is why we all need to pray for the gift of discernment (the ability to distinguish between spirits).

Even though most of the people who approached Jesus for healing got instantaneous healing, this man’s case just happened to be different. I believe this particular story is in the Bible so that we would know that sometimes, God could choose to work things out for us in stages. Yes, there are times we get instant answers, but could it be the case that right now, God may be blessing you little by little without you even noticing it?