DAILY HOMILIES #wisdom

For Jesus, greatness is not having others serve you but becoming a servant to others. “If anyone wishes to be first (great), he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). In Matthew’s version of this passage, Jesus says: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3-4).

Perhaps Jesus is asking me to let down my nets for a catch, yet I procrastinate and give God excuses. Trust God and obey His commands. Forget what people around you are saying. Do what is right, and God will reward you with an abundant catch—more than you would have dreamt of if you had disobeyed.

To be wise spiritually is to trust little in your wealth, current status, education, connections, and devotional practices. To be wise is to have a backup, something extra, to hold on to should everything else fail. To be wise, you have to have some extra oil.

The story of Susanna tells of the courage of a well-trained woman who preferred death to sin. The judges thought they could blackmail her, but God came to her rescue. In today’s Gospel passage, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus whom they accused of adultery. Like the Judges in our first reading, they thought they had cornered Jesus. In the end, Jesus, God in human flesh, displayed a wisdom far superior to any human imagination.

Every time you face trials, know you are on the verge of a breakthrough. Something great is coming your way; you only need to pass this test. Trials are like promotion examinations we write before moving higher. St. James says: “Count it all joy when you meet various trials.”

Thoughts are powerful; thoughts defile - if it is happening in your mind, you are already doing it. Jesus taught that anyone who looks lustfully is guilty of adultery. When you think of killing someone, you are guilty of murder. Thoughts are not as harmless as we assume. The fact that no one can ‘see’ your thoughts does not make them okay. Stop feasting on bad thoughts.

Prayer is therapy. Prayer is medicine. Prayer is life. When we pray, we should not be so concerned about the outcome of prayer but the privilege of being with God. Get used to enjoying prayer now because it is the only thing we shall be doing in heaven.

In our Gospel passage, Jesus teaches us that we do not know the day or the hour when we will be called to give an account of our lives. Just as it is foolishness to deny God’s existence, it is foolishness to ignore God’s instructions. Living as if your life belongs to you (and you can do whatever you like) is foolish.

The kingdom of God is me loving my neighbours as myself. The kingdom of God is me helping the poor and needy, treating people just as I expect to be treated. The kingdom of God is letting Jesus reign around me by following His teachings.

The steward made friends by reducing the debts of his master’s debtors. We are to make friends by giving away whatever is at our disposal. After all, nothing belongs to us in the first place. Empty we came, and empty we shall return.

To be covetous is to live in a world of “I”, “me”, and “myself”; a world where I care only for one person – me. To be covetous is to be like the rich man in the parable Jesus gave us in today’s Gospel passage, who thought only about himself in his plan to enjoy his riches.

Why has life been tough for you lately? Do you think God no longer cares about you? Are you thinking of joining a cult or doing something illegal or immoral? Think again. God still cares about you. Make the right choice today – put God first, and you will never regret it.