DAILY HOMILIES #Jesus

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.

The best choice in this season of Lent is self-denial. We are called to fast (deny ourselves from pleasures), pray (deny ourselves from pride), and give alms (deny ourselves from greed and selfishness). We live in a world where no one wants to hear about self-denial.

No one who has left anything behind for the sake of the Gospel will go unrewarded. In truth, serving God requires many sacrifices, but as long as our sufferings help advance God’s kingdom, we shall certainly not miss our reward.

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?”

Jesus wants us to look inwards. To avoid judging and condemning others, we must look at ourselves. Jesus tells us today: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck in your eye.’ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck in your brother's eye.” (Luke 6:42)

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.

Marriage works best when the couple are faithful friends to each other. A faithful friend will never cheat on their spouse; they remain companions for life no matter how bad things become. A faithful friend will never turn into an enemy or stop loving their spouse. The best definition of marriage is the union of two imperfect persons who accept each other’s flaws.

Children are the future. If you fail to properly educate one child, at least morally, you literally destroy an entire generation. For Jesus, leading one child astray through bad example is such a grievous crime deserving of death by drowning with a millstone hung around one’s neck.

Sad times will come; events and circumstances will bring us to our knees. Do not give up on God when the going becomes tough because difficult moments will not last forever. Sirach says: “You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or you may fall. You who fear the Lord, trust in him, and your reward will not be lost. You who fear the Lord hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.” (Sirach 2:7-9). Jesus says: “For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life” (Matthew 7:14).

It is better to pray than to command. The disciples asked Jesus in private why they could not cast out the demon, and Jesus responded: “This type can only be driven out by prayer.” We all have authority over evil spirits and demons. St. John says: “Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). However, even with our authority, we must never neglect the discipline of prayer and fasting.

Right there on the cross, Jesus was able to summon the courage to say: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). In praying like this, Jesus proved himself as the “Son of David” – a man who had the chance of killing his persecutor, Saul but refused. In praying for forgiveness for His enemies, Jesus gave us, His followers, an example. In words and deeds, Jesus, by His very life, taught us to love our enemies.