DAILY HOMILIES #sin

A society where there is no rule of law (where the law only applies to the poor) is doomed to fail. In the same way, anyone who has no respect for God’s laws can never succeed. How can one enjoy a product while contravening the manufacturer’s instructions? In today’s First Reading, St. Paul says to the Colossians, “Lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” We cannot continue in sin and expect miracles.

The simple truth is that even though many of us are frequent at Holy Communion, we have no real connection with God. At the gate of heaven, God will deny knowing us because we refused to take our hands off evil. We tried eating our cake and having it; we thought we could serve two masters. We pretended to be good externally, but we soaked ourselves in sin in secret. On the last day, it is those things we did secretly that will count.

Like Jeremiah, we shall surely face persecution, but everything we suffer is a form of fire that purifies us from impurities just as gold is purified by fire. Our real enemy is not people but sin. As St. Paul would say: “For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).

Prayer is not one-way traffic. We ask God because we are His children, and by asking Him, we also declare that we live according to His instructions. Sin destroys our relationship with God. When we pray, we should have complete confidence in God. At the same time, our prayer must affect the kind of life we live. If we beg from God, we must not forget that others are begging from us; others who need our charity; others who need our forgiveness; and others who need us to intercede for them, just as Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Joseph was just a child when he suffered betrayal from his brothers. The worst acts of man’s inhumanity to man today are evils meted out against children. Think of the millions of children whose lives are destroyed through abortion, child abuse, sexual assault, neglect, forced labour, and even prostitution. Be good to children. Help these little ones; help them achieve their dreams.

When we fear God, we can rest securely knowing that He is the protector of those who place their hope in Him. We need not be afraid of danger when we know that God is with us in the same boat. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus was highly disappointed with the disciples because they panicked during a storm. “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26). Whenever you begin to panic or expect the worst outcome in any situation you may find yourself, it is a reminder that you are gradually losing faith in God. To believe in God is to know that your life is in His hands and His plans for you are for your welfare.

Today’s Solemnity also challenges us to be the best version of ourselves as we strive to follow Christ’s footsteps on earth. Peter and Paul have long since passed away, but their legacies continue to shine. If they had approached their calling with the same lackadaisical attitude displayed by many Christians today, we would not be celebrating them today. Our time on earth is relatively short, but our impact can last for eternity. Live in a manner that the world would feel obliged to celebrate you long after you have gone.

Do not be carried away with sayings such as: “A bird in hand is better than a thousand in the wind.” As long as God is ignored in that plan, the so-called “bird in hand” will become a bone in your throat later. Our people have a parable: “If one rushes to put food into their mouth, they could easily put the food in their nose.” Although it is true that “heaven helps those who help themselves”, if such “help” involves sin, we are no longer helping ourselves but setting ourselves up for regret.

Lent is finally over. Am I also in haste to move on with my life? No more Stations of the Cross, no more fasting and abstinence. Am I going to return to my old habits and vices? Mary Magdalene refused to move on. Her actions proved she was a true friend of Jesus. She was among the Women of Jerusalem who wept for Jesus while the crowd cheered and mocked, but when others moved on, she went to the tomb early in the morning. For this, she became the first to see the Risen Jesus.

This is the night when God led our forebears, Israel’s children, from slavery in Egypt and made them pass dry-shod through the Red Sea. This is the night that God banished the darkness of sin with a pillar of fire. This is the night that, even now, throughout the world, sets Christian believers apart from worldly vices and the gloom of sin, leading them to grace and joining them with his holy ones. This is the night Christ broke the prison bars of death and rose victorious from the underworld…

Last Sunday, Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son whose repentance, though motivated by hunger, was celebrated by his father. His Prodigal Son’s elder brother refused to attend the feast because he felt cheated. We act like the elder brother when we think God should not be merciful to sinners. Today, Jesus shows us how failing to examine our conscience leads us to believe we are better than others.

We may point fingers at the Israelites, but we only need to look carefully to see the golden calves we have erected around us. Those things you don’t need and you cannot give them out (use them to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, etc.) are your idols. Seeing these things may give you joy, but they cannot save you.