DAILY HOMILIES #faith

When we fear God, we can rest securely knowing that He is the protector of those who place their hope in Him. We need not be afraid of danger when we know that God is with us in the same boat. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus was highly disappointed with the disciples because they panicked during a storm. “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). Whenever you begin to panic or expect the worst outcome in any situation you may find yourself, it is a reminder that you are gradually losing faith in God. To believe in God is to know that your life is in His hands and His plans for you are for your welfare.

Today, we celebrate the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, following the celebration of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus yesterday. The heart is the core of one’s being; it is where decisions are made. Hence, the word “heart” is used figuratively to refer to the whole person. Today, we celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Heart – we honour her as a woman who was preserved from original sin, firmly believed and cooperated with God, kept her heart pure and lived a sinless life.

Do not be carried away with sayings such as: “A bird in hand is better than a thousand in the wind.” As long as God is ignored in that plan, the so-called “bird in hand” will become a bone in your throat later. Our people have a parable: “If one rushes to put food into their mouth, they could easily put the food in their nose.” Although it is true that “heaven helps those who help themselves”, if such “help” involves sin, we are no longer helping ourselves but setting ourselves up for regret.

Watch out for envy in your heart. Ask yourself: “Are there certain people I don’t like just because they are good at what they do?” Celebrate the gifts of others. Avoid developing hatred for someone simply because they do not attend the same church or hold the same doctrines as you. They may interpret the Bible differently, but this does not necessarily mean your interpretation is superior.

Do you believe you can do greater things than what Jesus did on earth? Do you trust God will do whatever you ask in Jesus’ Name? Praying without faith is like running on the spot; you exert much energy but no movement. Let us strengthen our belief in the power of prayer, for it is through faith that we truly connect with God.

How Do We Turn Off The Worry-Machine in Us? Jesus answers: “Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms.” In other words, the cure for constant worry is faith in God. Remember that the book of Hebrews defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). To have faith is to be assured of God’s protection even when all you see with your eyes is danger. To believe in God is to be convinced that God sees and knows what to do regardless of your present circumstances.

By asking if the twelve wished to leave, Jesus was testing their commitment. Like the crowd, Jesus knew that the twelve did not understand the Eucharist, but He wanted to know if their faith was strong enough to withstand tough times. If you cannot endure the bad times, you won’t be around to enjoy the good times. If Peter had walked away from Jesus when He taught about the Eucharist, would he perform signs and wonders in today’s first reading?

Today, we celebrate two gallant soldiers of Christ, Saints Philip and James, who fought not with guns and armoured tanks but with righteous deeds and the proclamation of the Gospel. Philip and James fought to defend the Christian Faith to their last breath, willingly offering their lives for the convictions they held dearly. Philip was born at Bethsaida and started as a disciple of John the Baptist. After the Baptist’s death, he followed Christ. James, the son of Alphaeus, is called “James the Less” to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee.

Peter addressed them: “Men of Israel, why do you stare as though we had made him walk by our power or piety?” Never worship God’s ministers; even the devil can heal in the name of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, never assume you are too small (or too sinful) to invoke the name of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be ordained to be a healer.

Today is Palm Sunday, otherwise known as Passion Sunday. Unlike the usual liturgy where the priest alone reads the Gospel passage, we have not only listened but also taken part in reading the Passion narrative. We have been able to relive the experience of Jesus’ Last supper, His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, His trial by Pilate and Herod, His scourging at the pillar and the harsh treatment of the soldiers, His sentencing and carrying of the cross, His crucifixion on the Cross alongside two criminals and His death on the cross.

A Roman Court official whose son was sick met Jesus, pleading that Jesus would go with him to heal his son. Jesus told him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” The official did not understand what Jesus meant by “unless you see signs.” He prayed even louder: “Sir, please come down before my child dies.” Jesus assured him: “Go; your son will live.” Without further questions, “the official believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went his way.” When the priest says, “Go forth, the Mass is ended”, consider these words as coming from Jesus’ lips. Go home joyful, hopeful and happy. Go with positive expectations.

Esther’s prayer teaches us the difference between asking and complaining. While asking is done with a disposition of love and humility toward God, complaining expresses our bitterness toward God without faith in His ability to grant our requests. Prayer is always optimistic, but complaining is highly pessimistic.