DAILY HOMILIES

When the tax collector approached the Temple, he stood far off (like the prodigal Son at the gate of the Father, scared of entering the house), he couldn’t even lift his eyes to heaven but beat his breast (as we do during the “I Confess” at Mass), saying “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus tells us that this man went home justified. The time of prayer is not the time to boast; it is rather a time to look inwards, a time to search deep and beg for God’s mercy.

From Jesus’ response, we can see that sin by itself is just as deadly and dangerous as having a whole tower fall on top of a person, or having one’s blood mixed with sacrifices. While many felt this calamity was due to the sins of the victims, Jesus said they were not even worse sinners than others. This means that God does not punish us according to our sins, but then every sin we commit is a serious matter.

By talking about the flesh as weak, useless, and captive, St. Paul drives home the point that we cannot depend on our strength as far as avoiding sin is concerned. To win the war against sin, we must keep running to Jesus again and again. Left to ourselves, we are such wretched creatures, but thanks to Jesus Christ, by the power of His Grace, we can live above sin.

Sin is not just an offence against God; it is an offence against myself. As long as I do not live by God’s instructions, I can never become all that God desires for me. When a doctor tells you to choose between your favourite meal and death, I bet you will start hating that meal. To live above sin, we must hate sin. If our hatred for sin is not intense, we may abstain for a while only to return.

St. Paul tells us today: “Do not yield your members to sin as an instrument, but yield yourselves to God.” There is an extent to which a slave would give trouble that the master will have no choice but to let the slave go. You only become a slave when you stop resisting and give up the struggle.

An adage says, “When oil touches one finger, it spreads to the others.” In other words, the evil of one person is capable of destroying others. In the same way, the good deed of one person is capable of saving the world. This is what St. Paul explains in today’s reading: “Just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience, many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19).

What is the cure for covetousness? It is faith in God. Trust God to provide when you are kind to others. Remember that when you give to others, you are not losing anything but storing treasures in heaven. We need strong faith to know that no one ever became poor by giving to the needy. We need faith to recognise that there is a better home for us, more precious than this earthly dwelling.

Today’s first reading warns against the “Jonah complex”—the reluctance, prejudice, or anger that can make us unwilling to share the Good News with certain groups or “enemies.” We must have God’s heart for the whole world. Similarly, Today’s responsorial psalm provides the ultimate goal of the mission, which is to ensure that the entire earth sees and praises God for His saving work.

This man, Luke, was a great writer and a trained physician. As St. Paul himself testifies in today’s first reading, Luke was right there with him in prison, looking after his physical health needs and assisting him in the mission. From the statement, “Luke alone is with me,” Luke must have also assisted with writing some of Paul’s letters.

Jesus was not afraid to tell the scribes and Pharisees the truth. Jesus knew they would hate him for this, but He was ready to die. Hence, Jesus said: “Do not fear those who kill the body… fear God who alone can kill the body and also destroy the soul.” Do not be afraid of people. Do what is right, speak the truth, and avoid sin. God will protect you. Remember, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” (Sirach 1:14 & 20).

If I can keep God’s commandments or overcome temptations, I must learn to thank God because, left to my power, I can do nothing. All this boils down to the fact that we must avoid passing judgment on others while boasting about our goodness. Nevertheless, it is different when we correct others in love. This is what we see in today’s Gospel passage.

At the heart of our readings is a deep call to an examination of conscience. Am I guilty of the evils which I point out in others? Do I laugh at people in public for committing the sins which I do in secret? Am I more concerned about maintaining a good public image than maintaining a strong relationship with God?