DAILY HOMILIES

Deliberately thank God always so you can confidently ask God when you are in need. Ten lepers were cured, but only one was made well. Being cured of our problems is one thing: gratitude makes us whole, complete, and well.

No matter how we try to escape death, it follows us like our shadow. The more we run from it, the more it sticks to us. Today, the Book of Wisdom teaches us that the death cure is not in trying to avoid death but in living a virtuous life: “The souls of the virtuous are in the hands of God, no torment will ever touch them… they are at peace.”

Today, Jesus warns that even if I did not sin, I would be punished for leading others into sin. This is serious. It is not enough that I avoid sin; I must go the extra mile to ensure that I am not a source of another person’s downfall.

Some Christians hold onto the false doctrine of “once saved, forever saved.” If you think that because you are baptised and confirmed or because you were close to God in the past, you no longer need to make efforts to be good, you are making a serious mistake. Perhaps this was the mistake of the scribes and Pharisees who refused to practice what they preached. Do not relax spiritually. Instead, work out your salvation in fear and trembling. (Cf. Psalm 2:8)

Jesus teaches us to avoid telling lies and other dishonest practices for the sake of money: “He who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much… And if you have not been faithful with that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?”(Luke 16:10-12) Someone once said: “If you lose money, you lose nothing. If you lose friends, you lose something, but if you lose your character (perhaps, in a bid to make money), you have lost everything.”

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.

Jesus did not only prove that He is God, He also taught us that our bodies are temples. If a water of blessing issues from God’s sanctuary (as Ezekiel describes) and I am a temple of God, what kind of water issues from my sanctuary? Am I a blessing to the world? Have I abused my temple as the chief priests did to the Jerusalem temple?

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.

You may not like those who hurt you, but at least be kind to them if you are in a position to help them. Be like David, who spared the life of Saul when he had a chance to kill him in his sleep. The good you do to your enemies will come back to you as a reward from God.

Why did Jesus insist we should invite the poor? They cannot repay us. If we invite our friends and relatives to our parties, they will pay us back by either giving us money or inviting us to their parties. Jesus wants us to invite those who cannot pay us back so that our reward will come from God. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me.”

The sad part was that while the scribes and Pharisees were busy multiplying the commandments, they never practised them, but they made the people believe they were holier-than-thou. Jesus could see through their hypocrisy. He knew that beyond the wearing of broad phylacteries, standing to pray in public places, and salutations in the market were empty hearts – far from God and lacking in love, which is the most important commandment of all. There are so many lessons contained in today’s readings.

The moment we see ourselves as better than others, we start going down. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus, having put the Pharisees to shame by healing a man with dropsy, taught us a lesson in humility. Jesus described pride as taking a seat at the high table (when invited for a ceremony) only for the host to politely ask you to step down for a more important guest.