DAILY HOMILIES #isaiah

Do I look down on my priest because I knew him as a seminarian? Do I find it difficult to ask my priest to pray for me because I don’t believe God can work through him? Like those who looked down on Jesus, you may assume you know everything about your priest, but you might be wrong. Don’t forget that God is not like us. God chooses the weak to shame the strong.

In fact, it was only after the death of Jesus that it dawned on people that “Truly, this was the Son of God.” Nothing last forever. Don’t worry, the time is coming that those who are laughing at you now will come and kneel before you. Just don’t give up; keep doing what is right.

Today’s feast is a reminder that God does not force his way into our lives. He works in us only with our consent. As one Saint said, God created us without our consent but He will not save us without our consent. We always have a choice either to say “Yes” or “No” to God’s plans for our lives. Great things happen when we allow God to have His way in our lives.

Like Jesus Christ, we all have two names; one which appears on our certificates and one which defines who we are. Although the names we bear may vary, the kind of life we live must reflect our real identity - Christianity. People should not only call us Christians; they must also see Christ in us.

There is an African proverb that says, if a child washes his hands very well, he would be invited to seat at the table and eat with elders. In other words, if we are humble, regardless of our size and status, we would be granted access to high places.

I can only imagine the pain Jesus felt in our Gospel passage knowing that someone who shared the same plate with him was going to betray him. This is the pain Jesus feels when we turn God’s house into a money-making enterprise when we tell lies by pronouncing fake prophecies just to gain popularity and wealth.