DAILY HOMILIES #Luke 18:1-8

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.

Nevertheless, prayer does not replace work. Prayer will not put food on your table; instead, it will give you the confidence to leave your house to search for food. You are not afraid to leave your house because you know God will bless the work of your hands. However, when you remain at home hoping that someone will bring the food to your doorstep or that the food will suddenly appear in your kitchen, you are now attempting to do magic. Prayer does not replace work; it blesses the work we do.