DAILY HOMILIES #Hebrews 11:6

The blindness of the Pharisees was caused by: 1. Envy. When you are envious of others, you are prepared to pull them down by any means, but no matter how hard you try, they remain above you. They couldn’t believe that Jesus was now doing what they themselves could not do. 2. Hatred. When you hate someone, there is nothing the person would do that would make sense. While others praised God, the Pharisees found fault: “He cannot be God because he did this on the Sabbath day.” Watch out when you become highly critical of others; it is a sign of hatred brewing in your heart.

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say, “You shall not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” We must avoid turning the house of God into a place of commerce. Let us ask ourselves some pertinent questions. Have I come to God’s house to worship God or to transact business? As a priest, pastor, evangelist or clergyman, am I repeating the errors of the Jews by turning the church into a business empire? Do I make it impossible or difficult for the poor to worship God through the imposition of unnecessary levies, taxes and other forms of exploitation?

In this thought-provoking blog post, discover how faith plays a pivotal role in shaping our wholeness and understanding of life's true essence.