DAILY HOMILIES

In celebrating Mary’s Immaculate Conception, we are reminded that there is no limit to what God can do in us and through us if only we allow God to have His way in our lives by doing His will; that is, by saying “Yes” just as Mary said: “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38). We utter our “yes” to God by living a life that is holy and blameless.

While we celebrate God’s goodness to us at Christmas, it is important to remind ourselves too that amongst us are “brood of vipers.” Who are these brood of vipers? They come in various forms and take on different roles, they are persons who are never happy to see good things coming our way. For instance, the scribes and the Pharisees who could not rejoice to see the paralytic freed from a life of dependency and pain are examples of the brood of vipers.

The prophet Isaiah says: “Every valley shall be lifted up and every mountain and hill shall be made low, the uneven ground shall become level and the rough places shall be made plain.” The valleys to be lifted up represent the good things we ought to do that we have failed to do. The mountains and hills to be made low are those bad habits of ours, our sinful inclinations and evil deeds that must be removed to allow the baby Jesus to enter our lives.

Yesterday, we reflected on the power of faith and the fact that Jesus is constantly asking “Do you believe I am able to do this?” Today, we learn that even if we don’t believe, even if we don’t pray at all, God sees what we are going through and comes to our aid all the same.

Dear friends, your tomorrow is according to your faith. You cannot cheat reality. If you believe something will happen, it has already happened in your heart and because it has happened within you, it will soon happen to you. Like an artist who does not begin a painting without a clear image of the desired outcome, we all need to have a clear image of what we want when we approach God in prayer and faith to believe that as we have seen it in our minds so shall we see it in reality.

While Isaiah uses the word “rock” in describing the unshakable nature of God, Jesus used the word “rock” to illustrate how unshakable we become when we obey His word. There is a correlation between trusting in God (the everlasting Rock) and having peace of mind (becoming like a Rock). As Jesus says, “everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.”

Things may appear very tough for you right now; you may have felt disappointed in God, the Church or its ministers in the past for not meeting your expectations. Nevertheless, know this that God has not changed, He is still a Faithful God and He has not failed you yet. Christmas is a reminder that God is yet to give up on humankind.

If God could “forget” His greatness for my sake, why can’t I learn to bring myself down, why can’t I humble myself as a child in my dealings with others? Pride is really a blinding sickness. Not only does it make you blind to the greatness of God, pride makes you believe you are God.

Andrew was fond of introducing people to Jesus. This characteristic of Andrew is what I call basic evangelisation. Bring people to Jesus and let Him take over from there. Just as Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, the Feast of St. Andrew introduces the Church to the season of Advent. If you notice, advent is always the closest Sunday to the feast of St. Andrew.

Just as we are preparing for a spiritual renewal this Christmas, the devil and his agents are seriously planning and strategizing how to pull our society into more and more sinfulness. For instance, watch out for the kind of dress style you would soon begin to see around, watch out for kind of entertainment and shows that would be organized this period. It is not ordinary, it is a spiritual battle for your soul.

I have heard many people make statements like: “Are we going to celebrate Christmas this year?” Now, the bottom line of this question is the fact that going by the situation of things this year, there might not be as much money as before to spend. Maybe we have forgotten the true spirit and purpose of Christmas.

In the end, the only thing that should concern us is whether or not our names are written in the book of life. What shall it profit a man that he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Nothing! Today is a day to repent, to begin afresh; to perform good deeds that would inscribe your name in that book of life.