DAILY HOMILIES #God

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.”

God has never lost a battle. Even now, God is still winning. Those who wait on God (who never give up on prayer) will run and never be weary. They walk and never faint. Do not interpret your present circumstances as a weakness on the part of God. He knows what He is doing. For instance, it may be difficult to believe that failing that exam was God’s gift for you. What if that failure was the fuel you needed to sharpen your skills and motivate you to discover your true potential?

In today’s Gospel passage, we hear Jesus describe Himself as a shepherd who abandons the ninety-nine in search of the lost sheep. Even though the sheep deserves to be punished for going astray, the shepherd’s attitude depicts pity, care, and concern. In other words, by taking our human flesh, Jesus brings to pass the prophecy of Isaiah. As if it wasn’t bad enough to risk the ninety-nine in search of the lost sheep, most of us reject the shepherd who has left everything to look for us.

We often ask ourselves, “Where do I start? What impact will I even make?” Jesus came to save the whole world, and He had only thirty-three years to live on earth, thirty of which were spent in preparation. Today, the work Jesus began is still changing lives. The good you begin today, no matter how small, could snowball into something great; it might even outlive you.

Many of us claim to trust God, but our actions betray this trust. Actions speak louder than words. If we trust God, our actions will show it. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus told us: “It is not those who say ‘Lord, Lord’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.” If we trust God, we will obey Him. For instance, God says: “Do not steal.” (Seventh Commandment). To obey this commandment and avoid stealing, you must trust that God will provide your needs.

Today, our Responsorial Psalm describes God as a shepherd who never lets his sheep down. A shepherd who gives his sheep repose along fresh and green pastures; a shepherd who guides the sheep along the right path; a shepherd who never abandons his sheep even when they walk through the shadow of death, and a shepherd who prepares a table for the sheep even in the presence of the enemies.

The Book of Revelations may appear difficult to understand, but the message is clear—God will judge the world, and only those whose names are found in the Book of Life will eventually merit heaven.

Look up and raise your head. Look beyond this world. Look beyond the satisfaction you will gain by making money through dubious means. Look up; raise your head above the suffering you see around you. In a few years from now, we would all be dead and buried. No one will ask who drove the best car, ate the best food, or wore the best clothes. The only thing that would matter then is where we are spending eternity.

To many, the widow’s mite was insignificant, but for that widow, these two coins meant the whole world to her. The others gave money, but she gave value. The others gave what they didn’t need, but she gave what she needed for survival. She, like Abel, sacrificed the best, and God accepted her sacrifice.