DAILY HOMILIES #neighbour

Be a master of your emotions. Do not be pushed into action by your feelings; think of the consequences. You will always regret any decision made in anger. Instead of listening to God, Cain chose evil. After killing his brother, Cain wished he could turn back the hands of time. When God asked about his brother, Cain tried to dodge the question by asking if he was his brother’s keeper. In the end, Cain could not escape his punishment for murder. There is nothing to be gained from sin.

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?

Jesus told the Scribe last Sunday that he was not far from God’s kingdom because he spoke on the importance of love. However, if this Scribe joins in oppressing widows (as other scribes), he would receive great condemnation. Jesus wants us to love our neighbours as we love ourselves, but this does not stop us from cheerfully contributing to the building and maintenance of God’s house and the upkeep of persons who have sacrificed themselves for the mission.

Why is it difficult to invite poor people to our celebrations? Why is it difficult to give a helping hand to people who may never help us in the future? Christianity is not about living a normal life; it is about being a “super-human” - helping people who cannot or will not help you when you need them.

Jesus knew that the Pharisees were following him to find fault with him. He could have chosen the path of diplomacy, pretending he didn’t see the man with a withered hand. He could have signalled this man to meet him secretly, but Jesus chose to heal him publicly. Do not be afraid of what anyone would do to you. Only fear God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Cf. Matthew 10:28)

Do you want your prayers to be heard? God says: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:16-17). There is no point moving from Church to Church or subjecting yourself to abuse in the hands of so-called powerful miracle workers; repent from the evil around you, and God will grant your prayers.

Whatever is not yours always has more appeal than what belongs to you. If you think you are missing something by not having what this person has, remember that life is not a competition. We brought nothing to this world, and, at death, we will relinquish everything. Avoid sleepless nights over things you do not have; you probably will not value them even if they become yours.

If we understand the importance of loving God in our neighbours, we will not be far from eternal life. On the Last Day, we shall be judged based on how we treated others, not on how big our tithes (and burnt offerings) were.

Life is all about connection. No human being can survive entirely on their own. No one is an island. Just as we need to remain connected to Jesus to stay alive spiritually, we also need to be connected to our fellow human beings to remain alive.

Godly perfection is doing what is right even though it appears unnecessary. According to street morality, Godly perfection is “doing too much” - that which is good but most people will not consider. For instance, would you obey the traffic light while driving home at 2 am, and it appears you are the only one on the road?

Just as Jesus was hated by so many, anyone who wants to follow Christ’s footsteps should prepare to have a lot of enemies. If you are a people-pleaser, you would end up trying to please the devil and, thereby, compromise your Christian values. Love your neighbour as yourself, but at the same time, don’t be afraid of losing friends who want you to disobey God.

St. Paul says, “If you live according to the flesh, you will die.” This was the same warning God gave to Adam and Eve, but the devil convinced them that they would not die. Many Christians still do not believe they would die if they gratify the desires of their flesh at the expense of obeying God.