DAILY HOMILIES #Christ

In today’s second reading, St. Paul describes Christ as a man of peace, one who broke down the dividing wall of hostility that existed among people. I have seen many on social media condemn Christianity, even blaming it as the source of our problems, but I have never seen anyone condemn Christ himself. This is because a wide gap exists between Christians and Christ. If we who claim to be Christians tried, even a little, to make our lives closer to Christ’s, our country would be better. This can start by breaking down the wall of division and hostility in our hearts.

Like the son who said I will go but did not eventually go, we fall short of the name “Christian” when our actions contradict our words. Many of us are churchgoers; we pretend to be like Christ, but our minds are far from Christ. We don’t think like Christ, we don’t talk like Christ, and we don’t love our neighbours as Christ did.

As proof of His love, God offers us His flesh and blood to eat so that by so doing, we would be in communion (blood covenant) with God, share in His life, and God Himself would enter and remain inside us. “He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him.” (John 6:56). In all the religions in the world, Christianity is the only religion where God is this close to the people.

Being a Christian has never and will never be easy. Living out the dictates of our Christian calling requires a lot of personal sacrifices, because it is not the popular way of the world, and it attracts the world’s hatred. “Because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19).

This is the night when God led our forebears, Israel’s children, from slavery in Egypt and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea. This is the night that God banished the darkness of sin with a pillar of fire. This is the night that, even now, throughout the world, sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them with his holy ones. This is the night Christ broke the prison bars of death and rose victorious from the underworld…

During this season of Advent, we must continually purge ourselves of the corruption of pride. If God could bring Himself to our level to save us, how willing am I to come down to the level of my subordinates? How willing am I to acknowledge my nothingness before God, like the Roman Centurion who did not allow Jesus to come under his roof?

As Jesus was hated by so many, anyone who wants to follow Christ’s footsteps should prepare to have many enemies. Do not be a people-pleaser, or you will compromise your Christian values. Love your neighbour as yourself, but at the same time, don’t be afraid of losing friends if such friendship opposes your relationship with God.

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.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians. Unlike the case of Elijah, Mary’s move into heaven is not directly documented in the Bible, but our readings at Mass today give us helpful clues as to what happened.

Indeed, to be a Christian is to have Christ living in you. It is the presence of Christ within a person that makes them a new creation. When Christ is in you, your approach to life, your behaviour, thoughts, likes, desires, indeed, everything about you should reflect Christ. There should be nothing in you that is contrary to Christ.

Jesus is saying, ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ While the previous commandment depends on yourself, this new commandment is based on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for us. The newness of this commandment is that even if you don’t love yourself, you should try to love others by sacrificing for them.

Lent is finally over. Am I also in haste to move on with my life? No more Stations of the Cross, no more fasting and abstinence. Am I going to return to my old habits and vices? Mary Magdalene refused to move on. Her actions proved she was a true friend of Jesus. She was among the Women of Jerusalem who wept for Jesus while the crowd cheered and mocked, but when others moved on, she went to the tomb early in the morning. For this, she became the first to see the Risen Jesus.