DAILY HOMILIES #Jesus

Your healing starts with faith. No one who approaches Jesus with faith will ever leave disappointed. As St. John teaches us, faith is our victory over the world. “Who is it that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1st John 5:5). Even in Jesus’ time, there were many lepers and sick people in Israel; many had contact with Jesus, but only those who touched him with faith received healing. God is not weak; you only need to reignite your faith.

We desire everything to be smooth and easy, like children who would do anything to avoid an examination. It doesn’t work that way. There are holiday times and exam times. God often allows us to walk through the valley of the shadow of darkness to show us that even in thick darkness, even amidst all the commotion and turbulence, He remains Lord and Ruler of the World. By walking on water, Jesus said, “No matter how tough your situation may be, it is not difficult for me because I am on top of it.”

It was out of love that Jesus opted to feed the multitude. Again, by asking them to sit down in small groups, Jesus taught us the power of small groups as places where we find love. After blessing the bread and fish, Jesus taught another powerful lesson on love by asking them to share. To love is to share; when we share what we have, it multiplies. As the crowd shared the pieces of the five loaves and two fish with love, it multiplied until all ate and were satisfied.

In today’s Gospel passage, John the Baptist introduces Jesus Christ as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” We can interpret this statement in two ways. One, by dying for us, Jesus has become our advocate (our defence attorney), and his blood continues to plead for mercy on our behalf. We should not be afraid to approach him, regardless of our past sinfulness. Two, as the Lamb of God, there is no sin in Jesus. The closer we draw to the lamb, the less sinful we become. If you want to be rich, you must surround yourself with rich people. If you want to be holy, ensure your inner circle of friends values righteousness.

Anna experienced the peace Jesus spoke about when he said: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.” (John 14:27). Anna recognised God in the baby Jesus because she was at peace. Do not love the world; it is never enough, it is passing away, and it can never take God’s place in your heart. Be like Anna, love God, seek first His kingdom, and you will find peace, as everything else will be added to you. (cf. Matthew 6:33)

Do not become the Herod who kills thousands of innocent children in a bid to kill someone you consider a rival. You may consider yourself a good person, but you do not know how much evil you are capable of doing when you allow hatred to take hold of your mind. We have seen saints behave worse than demons because the wine of bitterness toward others intoxicated them. The saying goes, “When our enemies succeed in making us hate them, they have defeated us.” When we hate others, we become like them. Our real power lies in our ability to remain angels of light regardless of the provocation from others.

By choosing to come as a baby (not a warrior with an army), by choosing to be born to poor people under humble circumstances (not in a palace of gold), and by making Himself so vulnerable (such that Joseph had to flee at night with the baby Jesus for safety from Herod), I believe God was clearly showing mankind: “Love me, don’t be so frightened about me, I am close to you.”

Like Jesus Christ, we all have two names: one that appears on our certificates and one that defines who we are. Although the names we bear may vary, the kind of life we live must reflect our real identity—Christlike, children of God. People should not only call us Christians; they must also see Christ in us.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus offered a vivid analogy for these religious leaders. They make everyone believe they are close to God, but in reality, they mounted the most tremendous opposition to God. They are like the first son who said “Yes” to his father, but eventually, his actions betrayed his words. Do my actions betray my promises to God?

The chief priests and Pharisees doubted Jesus, but as today’s first reading shows, Jesus is truly the Messiah. Truth does not force itself on anyone; it does not depend on how we feel about what we choose to accept. Truth is truth, regardless of whatever anyone thinks. Yes, Jesus is God.

Our world continues to experience the effects of individual and collective sinfulness. Today, the devil tries to make us believe God’s commandments are outdated, oppressive, or impossible to follow. Don’t fall for these lies. Following God’s commandments always benefits you. Societal values may have changed, but God’s words will never change. A sin remains a sin no matter how society describes it. The peace and happiness you seek can only come from obeying God. The devil has nothing good to offer.

While Isaiah describes God as the “rock” to illustrate His unshakable nature, Jesus uses the same word to show how unshakable we become when we obey His word. There is a link between trusting in God (the eternal Rock) and finding peace of mind (becoming like a Rock). Jesus says, “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.”