DAILY HOMILIES #disciples

Today should be a day of joy for us, a day to celebrate the final victory of life over death, a day to celebrate our firm assurance that heaven exists, that just as Christ ascended to heaven, we too shall one day depart this earth and be united with God in heaven. Luke concludes by saying: “The disciples returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God.” The disciples entered a mood of prayer in preparation for the descent of the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what we must now do as we await the Comforter, the Paraclete, the Holy Ghost from heaven.

The election of Saint Mathias whose feast we celebrate today teaches us that no matter how good we are, there would always be someone who can take our place. We have been chosen by God but our election does not mean we have become indispensable. The will of God must be done and the work of God has to continue. If you serve in any capacity in God’s house, avoid pride; be good to people, never think that without you, everything will end.

We cannot claim to love God if we are not willing to suffer even a single insult on behalf of God. We cannot claim to love God if we are not willing to abandon our dreams of becoming rich and wealthy in life to answer our calling. Of course, not all of us have been called by God to become ministers like Peter and the other apostles but each of us has been called to love God with all our minds, our hearts, and our strength.