DAILY HOMILIES #St. Paul

Even after preparing Mary, God still allowed her to accept or reject His plan. Hence, He sent the Angel Gabriel to seek her consent by announcing that she would be His Mother. The fact that God has showered us with sure gifts and blessings does not remove our free will. God called you before you were born, but would not force you to say “Yes” to His call. God, who made you without your cooperation, will not save you without your cooperation.

As people drew near to John the Baptist, the religious leaders of the day arrived. John the Baptist called them a brood of vipers! Jesus later explained this further when he said: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth.” (Matthew 23:27)

Things may appear very tough for you right now; you may have felt disappointed in God, the Church or its ministers for not meeting your expectations. Nevertheless, know that God has not changed; He is still Faithful and has not failed you yet. Christmas is a reminder that God has not yet given up on humankind.

In St. Paul’s words, Advent is a time to “avoid drunkenness, licentiousness (anything goes), quarrelling, jealousy, and indulgence of the flesh.” As Isaiah states, this is a time to allow the mountain of the Lord to be established as the highest of the mountains. In other words, this is a time for us to pay more attention to the things of God, to put God first, and to talk about God, so that those living in darkness (those who think that there is no God) may, through our celebration, begin to recognise and worship God.

God is a king who can never be destroyed. He is greater than anything we can imagine or think of. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the one who made us and sustains our lives. Jesus assures us today, “Heaven and earth may pass away, but my words will not.” Let us renew our faith and confidence in Him daily, casting off our fear of evil spirits, for we know that no one is greater than God.

By “raising your head high”, Jesus wants us to remain faithful like Daniel, who refused to be intimidated by the threat of being fed to the lions. This is not the time to stay away from the church. This is not the time to relax in your prayer life. Prayer itself is power. Whether or not you get what you are asking for, learn to enjoy prayer. Cherish the moments you spend with God. Daniel went so far as to open his windows so that everyone could see clearly that he didn’t stop praying.

While Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was about the future, we also see Jesus, in our Gospel passage, discussing the future: the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and the rise of many false prophets claiming they are the Christ. This teaches us one lesson: The only person who knows the future is the one who is already in the future – God. Humans can only guess based on calculations from the past.

Being wealthy is not a sin, but when one’s wealth stems from rejecting God, such riches are worthless. If your income comes from disobeying God’s commandments, engaging in illegal activities, or even worse, taking lives, you have prioritised riches above God. It is better to be content with little than to find comfort in ill-got gains. It is preferable to face persecution than to risk losing your soul for money.

Today’s first reading also addresses persons who worship idols. They supposed that either fire, or wind, or swift air, or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water, or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world. If, through delight in the beauty of these things, men assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is their Lord, for the author of beauty created them.

The wise person is not worried about when the world will end because they are ready at any time to give an account of their life to God. Jesus says, “The kingdom of God is in your midst.” In other words, the best time to prepare for God’s kingdom is now. It is here already. There is no point in procrastinating goodness. Be the best version of yourself today. Practice wisdom; do not be carried away by the foolishness of those who practice worldly wisdom.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes us as salt and light. We are supposed to lead the way, not lead others into darkness. Our lives should inspire goodness, not confusion. Do not tell a child one thing while doing the very opposite. If our behaviour encourages others to remain in (or even increase) their sinful lifestyles, we will share in the punishment. Ours might even be worse.

As Jesus was hated by so many, anyone who wants to follow Christ’s footsteps should prepare to have many enemies. Do not be a people-pleaser, or you will compromise your Christian values. Love your neighbour as yourself, but at the same time, don’t be afraid of losing friends if such friendship opposes your relationship with God.