DAILY HOMILIES

There is something that Jesus did after the great session of healing and casting out demons that we must learn. When you are successful in fighting satan and destroying the forces of darkness, do not become puffed up with pride.

As we struggle to make progress in our spiritual lives every day, let us realize that every step we make in the right direction pisses off the devil more and more. This is a truth clearly hidden from the worldly-minded; a truth which St. Paul says in our first reading, always sounds like mere gibberish to the unspiritual man.

Herod was obviously not thinking straight when he promised even half his kingdom to a little girl. What if she had asked for his own head? Think before you speak. Be a master of your emotions. In moments of anger, hold it. In moments of excitement, hold it also.

When we are proud, we have only one life goal; to outshine others. We never have peace of mind because when the ego is in charge of our lives, we are constantly under threat. We are never satisfied with what is ours. Whatever progress anyone makes becomes a problem to us because as soon we know about it, we refuse to sleep until we achieve something greater. Nothing frightens us more than the laughter of others so we live basically to please people and as a result, despite all that we show to the world, there is always this feeling of emptiness within us.

Envious people are never tired of complaining and speaking of others in a bad light. This man was so used to complaining that when the master arrived, he complained about the master’s character saying he was a hard man blah. blah. blah. Stop blaming God, stop asking “why me?” Stop looking at the expanse of your lack or the seemingly “unfairness” of God, take your one talent today, and start working!

To be wise in the spiritual sense is to trust little in your wealth, your current status, your education, your connections, and even your present devotional practices. To be wise is to have a backup; something extra, something to hold on to should everything else fail. To be wise is to have some extra oil. What is that extra oil? It is, in the words of St. Paul in today’s first reading THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS.

Always remember the end; always remember that even the air you breathe is borrowed and you will have to relinquish it someday. Thinking of our death often helps us to be less materialistic, it also helps us to forgive easily. Reminding ourselves that we shall die helps us to take life lightly and refrain from complaining when we don’t seem to have all we need.

Bartholomew was touched merely by the fact that Jesus saw him under the fig tree. He was convinced immediately that only a Son of God could have known he was under a fig tree at that time. What was he doing under the fig tree? Could it be that Jesus was saying: “Young man, I know your secret oh.” Anyway, we would not be celebrating him today if he did not stick to Jesus and remain with him to death.

True change can only begin from the inside. As the saying goes, if you want to change the world, begin with the man you see in the mirror. If my preaching must be of any relevance, I must first do away with my hypocrisy and love for money. I must admit the truth and lead by example so as not to demand certain standards from the people which I am not even willing to meet.

Jesus accused the scribes and Pharisees of not teaching the truth regarding swearing and oath-taking. Jesus called them blind guides because they were teaching things that they themselves did not even know.

We cannot follow the narrow door if we cannot dare to stand out from the world and be different. To enter by the narrow door is to love God’s commandments regardless of what the world thinks about them.

Am I a religious leader who does not practice what he or she is preaching? Do I have skeletons in my cupboard? Am I doing God’s work just for the fame and material benefits? Am I living out the life that my title connotes? These are very important questions for our self-examination today. Jesus said: “whoever exalts himself will be humbled but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11-12)