DAILY HOMILIES

Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel passage “Let the children come to me.” This is a very important instruction. Allow your children to come to Jesus. Never assume that they would not understand. Come to think of it, if your children can understand cartoons (which they often consume excessively), what would stop them from understanding Bible Stories?

Take away faithfulness marriage/religious life becomes a caricature. An unfaithful spouse does great damage to his/her family just as an unfaithful celibate does great damage to their flock.

Compared to what we owe God, that which others owe us is nothing! Think of the worst thing anyone has done to you for whom you strongly believe he or she does not deserve to be forgiven. Does it occur to you that God has already forgiven you for a greater offence than that?

Step 1: Go to the person who has hurt you and discuss ONE on ONE with him or her. (Matthew 18:15). Avoid having to tell others without first, this is gossiping and it damages the image of the one who has offended you.

Let us learn from Lawrence the need to be charitable and the willingness to let go of our life itself so that we can have a better life in heaven

Jesus asked Peter to get a shekel from a fish in the sea. Jesus, not minding his double citizenship (being God and Man) still obeyed the law. Is it not a great contradiction that while we Christians obey the civil authorities just to maintain our status as double citizens in foreign nations, we complain about keeping God’s commands?

The crowd wanted bread but Jesus was offering the Holy Eucharist. Imagine the huge difference in value. Elijah wanted food and water but God removed his hunger and tiredness for a whole forty days. Imagine the huge difference. Flee from bitterness, trust God! He surely has something better ahead of you.

The fact that you prayed and did not get what you asked for does not mean that God does not care for you; it does not mean that God is powerless. Keep speaking faith-laden words. Trust God.

In the Transfiguration, God himself preached a very powerful short sermon to us: “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” Do I take out time to listen to Jesus daily? Do I long to hear from Jesus as much as I long to hear from social media?

How did it happen that Peter could be inspired by the Holy Spirit and within a few minutes still speak under the influence of Satan? I really get scared each time I reflect on this passage. If this can happen to Peter, it can happen to any church leader.

It is when you encounter a serious problem that you are able to know whether or not you have faith; whether you will move forward like Caleb and Joshua or whether you will sit down to cry your brains out like the Israelites.

Mariam and Aaron must have fallen into the trap of over-familiarity. They looked down on Moses and questioned his spiritual authority. Be careful about the way you speak of others. Avoid having to run others down especially when you do not know all the facts. The eighth commandment forbids bearing false witness against others.