DAILY HOMILIES #pride of life

In our Gospel passage, we are told the story of Anna, the prophetess. After losing her husband, she dedicated the whole of her life to serving God, never leaving the temple. Anna is a practical example of what St. John was talking about in today’s first reading; she saw the world's emptiness and stopped loving it.

Our hearts are always restless because only God can bring us true satisfaction. It is pure wisdom to constantly remind yourself that you came to this world empty and will return empty; you are just a sojourner on earth.

Just as every sin begins with a temptation, the struggle against sin begins with the ability to know how to deal with temptations. Hence, on this first Sunday of Lent, our Gospel passage narrates how Jesus succeeded in overcoming temptations in the wilderness.

As much as these things deliver a great deal of happiness, they remain fleeting. We are never satisfied. Our hearts are always restless because only God can bring us true satisfaction. It is pure wisdom to remind yourself constantly that you came to this world empty and you shall return empty; that you are just a sojourner on earth.

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17)