DAILY HOMILIES #God

Many believe they would rise by destroying others. Remember that the razor blade and the axe can cut, but while the razor cannot cut trees, the axe cannot shave. We would do a great disservice to God if we fought each other because of their gifts. Count your blessings, develop your gifts, and work on yourself. Stop comparing yourself with anyone else; compete only with yourself. Seek to become a better version of yourself each day.

Jesus described Godly perfection as loving our enemies, praying for our persecutors, letting our rain (kindness) and sun (warmth) fall on our friends and foes, and greeting unfriendly persons. Godly perfection is to return blessings for curses, food items for stones, and good deeds for harsh treatment.

Beyond refraining from pointing accusing fingers at others, the season of Lent offers us ample opportunity to pray for the conversion of sinners. Let us become like Jesus to the Levi’s in our world today. Don’t stop condemning evil, but go beyond pointing fingers; show love to sinners, reach out to them, and lead them out of darkness to God’s marvellous light. This is the fasting that God desires.

Today, we learn that if we must fast, *our fasting must be necessary and purposeful.* Avoid following the crowd. Your fasting should be between you and God. Am I fasting because it is fasting season (or because I see others fasting)? What exactly do I hope to achieve by my fasting? Don’t fast if you have no prayer intention (purpose). Fast for an end to kidnapping in our country, inflation, injustice, corruption, etc.

Jesus looked at his disciples and said, “How hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” The question is: “What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and suffers the loss of his soul?”

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.

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.

Trust in God. Do not be distracted by your poverty and lack. Do not worry about your empty stomach or your empty store. Seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first; God will provide abundant bread when needed. (Cf. Matthew 6:33). Let it not be that you participated in evil because you were hungry. God will be so disappointed. Trust that God will provide your needs; pursue righteousness. Dare to be different like Noah.

To emphasise the importance of trusting only in God, Jeremiah says in today’s First Reading, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from God.” Today’s Responsorial Psalm also echoes: “Blessed is the man who has placed his trust in the Lord.” In today’s Second Reading, St. Paul mentions another reason to trust God: Jesus kept His promise about rising from the dead. God never promises and fails. Since Jesus rose from the dead, we know that the promises of the Beatitudes are genuine. If we are persecuted for righteousness (if we weep now), our reward will be great in heaven.

Every sin carries a mark of rebellion and mistrust in God as the one on whom our life depends. That is why there is a direct and immediate punishment for every sin for direct offenders and those who aid and abet the sin. This is the message behind our First Reading

In every temptation, Satan tries to disprove what God has said; he makes us doubt God, and then he goes further to make us believe that there is something we stand to gain by disobeying God’s instructions, such as the pleasure we hope to get, the excitement of it all, the fun it promises, the hope of becoming richer, more beautiful, more powerful, and connected, and so on. When we listen to the devil, we start seeing God’s commandments as restrictions rather than as keys to our happiness and fulfilment.

Having been created in God’s image and likeness, only God knows how best we ought to live. Hence, He gave us the manual of life, the commandments. These instructions are not restrictions on our freedom but the key to enjoying life to the fullest. We must, therefore, trust God and follow his commandments rather than mere human traditions. God cannot be deceived; He knows when we pay lip service to His commandments.