DAILY HOMILIES #God

Child of God, you have no reason to be afraid of the devil or persons possessed with demonic spirits. God has put all things under your feet. You are a child of God; you did not receive the spirit of timidity. He that is in you is greater than any power on earth. Never look down on yourself. You are so powerful that your very presence is a threat to demons. “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.”

Some Christians say: “I just want to serve God and mind my business. I don’t need anybody. Let everyone be on their own.” Are we serving God when we are indifferent to the problems others are facing around us? In Luke 10:25-36, Jesus told the story of a man who was robbed and beaten to a pulp while travelling alone. A priest and a Levite saw this man half-dead and continued their way, but a Samaritan stopped, took him to an inn and treated his wounds. Which of these three worshipped God?

When we face troubles, challenges and difficulties, when things do not go as we planned, when we are tossed from all sides by the waves of disappointments, falsehood, failures, betrayals, setbacks, etc., we tend to ask questions such as, “God, where are you?” “Why me?” “Why this?” and “Why that?” Today, God says: “Even in your troubles, I am still with you.”

St. John says: “The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.” (1 John 3:10). The children of the devil are never happy seeing others behave well. Also, the children of the devil do not love; they are always carrying hatred and bitterness in their hearts, always looking for an opportunity to steal, kill and destroy.

Believe that you can eliminate sin. Trust that you can completely overcome your bad habits with God on your side and continuous efforts. God wants to see your efforts. Remember the saying: “Practice makes perfect.” If you fail today, get up and try again. Try a different method. Just keep trying till you get over it. No one becomes a professional athlete, tech guru, etc. in days. It takes years of consistent practice.

God could have decided to come in another way, but because He wanted us to have a physical, flesh-and-blood connection with Him, He took flesh in the womb of a woman. This is to say that God became a son of man so that man can truly become the son of God. God chose to have a mother to show us how close He is to us. God wants us to have that feeling of warmth in His presence so that we see ourselves not just as slaves but as His children.

Remember that song: “When Jesus is in the family, happy home, happy home…” When Mary and Joseph noticed that Jesus was not with them, they didn’t even sit down to rest till the next day. They immediately began a very tedious journey back to Jerusalem. Dear friends, it is not too late if Jesus is not in your family. Thank God you are now in Jerusalem. Please, as you leave today, take Jesus with you.

Herod’s action casts a dark shadow on Christmas. It raises many questions about God's power in failing to protect these innocent children, but it also reflects our human nature. The book of Jeremiah says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Herod’s action shows the darkness of humanity in need of salvation. It explains what could have become of the world if God had not taken our flesh.

In Jesus, God has shown his face to mankind. With the birth of Jesus, we can put a face to God. We know that God is not just a figment of imagination but a father whom we can touch. When Philip asked to see the Father, Jesus said: “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ Do you not believe I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.” (John 14:9-10)

Christmas is a time of visitation. As God visited us, we are called to visit (bring glad tidings) to one another this season. Again, as God came to redeem us, we are called to redeem (assist, support, encourage, rescue, forgive) those who are down. As much as there are so many parties and celebrations during this period, let us not forget that many are lonely, sad, hungry, sick, and hopeless. Some are even mourning their loved ones. Celebrate Christmas by spreading love, joy and hope.

Zachariah was given a writing tablet to name his child. His relatives wanted him to name the child Zechariah. However, his silence helped him remember the Angel’s words: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer, has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” (Luke 1:13-14).

The joy of Christmas is God giving away his only son, Jesus, to save mankind. When we give gifts to others during Christmas or even make time to be with others, regardless of what it costs us, we incarnate Jesus. No wonder in today’s Gospel passage, we hear John the Baptist saying: “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”