DAILY HOMILIES

We are not celebrating Mary’s birthday because God chose her. We are celebrating her birthday today because she accepted God’s plan for her life. She said “Yes” to God. Like Mary, God will do great things in you and for you if only you would say “Yes” to Him; if only you would walk according to His Commands and obey His Words.

By ‘hate’, Jesus is referring to ‘detachment.’ To better understand what Jesus means, recall what He taught in the Sermon on the Mount: “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; you should lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; you should lose one of your members rather than that your whole body goes into hell” (Matthew 5:29-30). Whatever could lead us to sin, including our own family members, must be cut off from us.

Avoid the single story. It is easy to point fingers, accuse others, and condemn them when we do not know the whole story. The fact that “everybody says so” does not mean they are right. Do not get carried away by public opinion. Be open to the truth, and be ready to shift ground. Learn to ask yourself: “What if I am wrong?” Ironically, these Pharisees who condemned Jesus for breaking the Sabbath did far worse things on the Sabbath. Hence, Jesus described them as hypocrites and white-washed tombs.

So long as the Jews failed to recognise Jesus as God in human flesh, Jesus seemed to them as a law-breaker. To this day, the world continues to grapple with this truth. Did God really take our human flesh? How could Jesus be fully human and fully God at the same time? Surprisingly, even amongst Christians today, many seem more comfortable addressing Jesus as the Son of God but not as God Himself.

A society where there is no rule of law (where the law only applies to the poor) is doomed to fail. In the same way, anyone who has no respect for God’s laws can never succeed. How can one enjoy a product while contravening the manufacturer’s instructions? In today’s First Reading, St. Paul says to the Colossians, “Lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We cannot continue in sin and expect miracles.

Jesus rose very early the next morning and went to a quiet place to pray. When the Holy Spirit leads us, we are stirred to pray. Jesus went to a quiet place to pray, teaching us that prayer is intimacy with God: “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites… go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:5-6).

We will be playing the ostrich if we deny that there are no demon-possessed individuals in our churches. Do not be deceived; it is not everything that glitters that is gold. It is not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” that will enter God’s kingdom. (Matthew 7:21) It is not everybody you see in church who is there to worship God. Some go to steal, kill and destroy. (Cf. John 10:10). Don’t get caught off-guard.

Jesus was surprised at their poor reception. He told them, “A prophet is never appreciated in his hometown.” We often despise what belongs to us. We look down on our family members, our home, our community, and even our country. Like the people of Nazareth, we don’t believe God can take flesh among us. Jesus further told them how they had always looked down on the prophets. As a result, foreigners like the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian received Divine intervention while they (the chosen children of God) were left out.

Humility is giving God reverence; it is coming to terms with our nothingness before God, our creator. Humility is channelling the praises we often receive from others to God as the source of our talents, our riches, and, in fact, everything good in our lives. It is ensuring that we do not take the glory that rightfully belongs to God. Humility is being able to give God thanks from the very depths of our hearts, not grudgingly, as though we are being forced.

Why would God give others more talents than me? We do not all have equal opportunities, but we all have equal abilities to make the best of our unique opportunities. God gives to each according to their ability. Some people are more fortunate than others, but just as our abilities differ, so do our problems. Avoid envy; no one is better than you. Avoid pride; you are not better than anyone else. We are just different.

Let us learn to practice self-control. Herod was not thinking straight when he promised even half his kingdom to a little girl. What if she had asked for his head? Think before you speak. Be a master of your emotions. In moments of anger, hold it. In moments of excitement, keep it also. Develop the habit of speaking to God and listening to Him before speaking. Avoid making promises. Remember, seeking God’s guidance in all our actions can bring us peace and clarity.

The best way to stay vigilant is to keep busy. Just as a good security officer never sleeps while on duty, being watchful requires keeping our hearts engaged. If we are not busy, we will soon find ourselves sleeping, allowing the enemy to sow bad seeds in us (Cf. Matthew 13:25ff). The consequence of being unprepared for the end in Jesus’ words is this: “The Master will… punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.”