DAILY HOMILIES #sermon on the mount

Jesus says, “If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away.” In convenient terms, Jesus is saying that all sexual sins have root causes; they do not happen in a vacuum. Something always leads to something before that big something happens. Your right eye is something you often take for granted or consider as usual, but then, it has the potential of landing you in sin.

Today, many have lost their “taste” as salt and their “brightness” as a light. We claim to be Christians, but we make life difficult for others. We are a source of scandal to those who look up to us as role models. We have given bad examples and corrupted the minds of the young. Never assume that it is okay to do evil since no one is looking. Jesus describes us as cities built on a hill, meaning there can be no hiding place for us, even in the most secret places. What we do in the cover of darkness comes out openly to bring us to our knees. “For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.” (Mark 4:22).

Today, we learn that if we must fast, *our fasting must be necessary and purposeful.* Avoid following the crowd. Your fasting should be between you and God. Am I fasting because it is fasting season (or because I see others fasting)? What exactly do I hope to achieve by my fasting? Don’t fast if you have no prayer intention (purpose). Fast for an end to kidnapping in our country, inflation, injustice, corruption, etc.

Regardless of your religion or denomination, life will always give you an abundance of whatever you give to others. It doesn’t matter whether you are the person who offended first; the golden rule is that whatever you give out must return to you. This is why Jesus told us to love our enemies and do good to them.

The story of Noah teaches us one lesson: “If you cannot beat them, do not join them!” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus basically told us that as Christians, we are called to be Noahs of the world. He said: “You are the salt of the earth… (and) You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13-14). Salt preserves. Noah, by his goodness, preserved the entire world from going extinct. Be good! Be different!

Striving for Christian perfection surely sounds like foolishness to the world. The world we live in today has lost its moral values. Saying the truth at all times, refusing to tell a lie, staying away from sex before marriage, remaining faithful to your spouse even in tough times, keeping one’s heart pure, forgiving others freely and continuously, and staying away from secret sins may not command the respect of people but these are the characteristics of truly wise people.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.