DAILY HOMILIES #Jesus

Today, we are celebrating the innumerable multitude of souls who are in God’s presence. We cannot simply call them “dead people”, just as we cannot refer to the multitude in our first reading today as dead people. They must be more than just dead people if they can cry out and sing praises to God.

In celebrating Saints Simon and Jude, we remind ourselves that, as Christians, we have a history. We are part of a people specially called by God to walk in the light - to be living examples of good conduct to the world. Saints Simon and Jude are foundation members of this special assembly. They remain for us both role models and intercessors.

When the tax collector approached the Temple, he stood far off (like the prodigal Son at the gate of the Father, scared of entering the house), he couldn’t even lift his eyes to heaven but beat his breast (as we do during the “I Confess” at Mass), saying “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” Jesus tells us that this man went home justified. The time of prayer is not the time to boast; it is rather a time to look inwards, a time to search deep and beg for God’s mercy.

From Jesus’ response, we can see that sin by itself is just as deadly and dangerous as having a whole tower fall on top of a person, or having one’s blood mixed with sacrifices. While many felt this calamity was due to the sins of the victims, Jesus said they were not even worse sinners than others. This means that God does not punish us according to our sins, but then every sin we commit is a serious matter.

Sin is not just an offence against God; it is an offence against myself. As long as I do not live by God’s instructions, I can never become all that God desires for me. When a doctor tells you to choose between your favourite meal and death, I bet you will start hating that meal. To live above sin, we must hate sin. If our hatred for sin is not intense, we may abstain for a while only to return.

St. Paul tells us today: “Do not yield your members to sin as an instrument, but yield yourselves to God.” There is an extent to which a slave would give trouble that the master will have no choice but to let the slave go. You only become a slave when you stop resisting and give up the struggle.

What is the cure for covetousness? It is faith in God. Trust God to provide when you are kind to others. Remember that when you give to others, you are not losing anything but storing treasures in heaven. We need strong faith to know that no one ever became poor by giving to the needy. We need faith to recognise that there is a better home for us, more precious than this earthly dwelling.

If I can keep God’s commandments or overcome temptations, I must learn to thank God because, left to my power, I can do nothing. All this boils down to the fact that we must avoid passing judgment on others while boasting about our goodness. Nevertheless, it is different when we correct others in love. This is what we see in today’s Gospel passage.

At the heart of our readings is a deep call to an examination of conscience. Am I guilty of the evils which I point out in others? Do I laugh at people in public for committing the sins which I do in secret? Am I more concerned about maintaining a good public image than maintaining a strong relationship with God?

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

Does it mean we become Mary by obeying God’s words? Yes. After all, how did Mary qualify to be God’s mother? She heard and obeyed God’s words; she agreed to do what God requested. If we follow God’s instructions, we also become carriers of God, and the happiness of Mary comes to us as well. There is nothing wrong with singing the praises of Mary, but remember that if we obey God’s words, we are just as blessed as Mary.

demons are like strong men fully armed, but God is stronger. Do not be deceived into thinking that demons do not exist. It is foolish to deny the power and workings of demons. However, there is no need to fear them when we know that “He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.” (Cf. 1 John 4:4). To be scared of demons is to behave as one who does not know God. Listen to what Jesus has to say to such persons: “Why are you afraid, O men of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26)