DAILY HOMILIES

Be meek. It’s okay for people to take you for a ride. Do not fight anyone; you will be happy. Be hungry and thirst for righteousness, not just food and drink; you will be satisfied. Be quick to forgive people, and don’t carry any grudge in your mind. Think only positive things about others. Be merciful, and you will be happy.

We can read John 3:16 in this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave us His Body and Blood that whosoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood would have eternal life and be raised on the last day.” (cf. John 6:54). In other words, today we are celebrating God’s greatest gift to humanity; the gift of Himself made readily available in the Holy Eucharist.

There are so many essential points in Archangel Raphael’s message today: 1. Always acknowledge and reveal the works of God. 2. The Importance of kindness to others. “Do good and evil will not overtake you.” (Tobit 12:7). 3. Effective Prayer. “Prayer is good when accompanied by fasting, almsgiving, and righteousness.” (Tobit 12:8).

Above all, the message of the book of Tobit is that God answers prayers. God cares for His children. God is not pleased with our tears, deprivation, injustice, and suffering. God is ready to go to any extent to save us. Whatever you are experiencing now, don’t give up on God. Continue to pray, and one day, your miracle will happen.

Despite the partying, drinking, and dancing of the marriage ceremonies, Tobias was not carried away; he remembered to pray. When it was time to be intimate with Sarah, Tobias said: “Sister, get up and let us pray.” How many of us remember to pray when we are excited or in love? Growing up, we were taught how to pray before eating any meal. This lesson should apply to all kinds of meals.

Ending your life does not solve any problem; it only gives your enemies a chance to celebrate. We all experience sad and painful moments, but the key to victory is prayer. Surrender your problems to God, and He will not disappoint you. Sing: “Leave it for God, don’t worry yourself, leave it for God, don’t cry anymore. He understands what you are going through. Let Him defend His name.”

Learn to master your emotions. If you do, you will know when to be silent and when to speak. For example, if Tobit had kept his suspicion to himself, he would have realised later that Anna was telling the truth. Well, it is not easy to be silent when you are annoyed. It takes a lifetime to master your emotions, but it will only happen if you keep trying. Know that anger brings out the worst in you.

Stop trying to conform to evildoers. Walk in the light and tell the truth at all times. Indeed, they would not like you, but your persistence in doing the right thing would make them restless. Even though they attack you publicly, they still go home and cry like babies.

How is God both Father, Son and Holy Spirit simultaneously? This question is so complicated that we can only offer examples to explain. One example is that of a grown-up man, let’s say, Mr A. To his children, Mr A is a father. Mr A is a brother to his siblings, and to his parents, Mr A is a son. Mr A is one person but different things to different people. Even though this example gives us some idea, it is still a terrible example because while God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit simultaneously, Mr A cannot be both father, son and brother to any human being.

If the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing, the question is: “Are there still good men in our country today? What exactly are you doing to end corruption? How zealous are you for righteousness?” The book of Sirach in today’s first reading says: “I resolved to live according to wisdom, and I was zealous for good, and I shall never be disappointed.” (Sirach 51:18).

Unlike the fig tree, Jesus did not curse the temple; instead, he restored its original purpose by driving out those buying, selling, and scattering their tables. If we must bear fruits, we must constantly look inwards and cleanse ourselves of those things within us that God hates. At the end of each day, take some moments to examine your conscience and find out if there are things to be thrown away or built upon.

Prayer is powerful, but it is not magic. When we pray, we do not exercise power and authority over God; we beg from Him. We may not always get a “yes” from God, but our prayers are never wasted. Jesus heard Bartimaeus calling, but to test him, Jesus continued to walk along. Many told Bartimaeus to keep quiet, but he shouted all the more. He would not allow the crowd to discourage him.