DAILY HOMILIES #stations of the cross

How do we make our proclamation of Christ’s resurrection concrete? a. Choose Jesus instead of Barabbas. b. Prioritise Jesus over money. (Do not sell Jesus for 30 silver coins.) c. Defend your faith in public. Don’t keep quiet when people ask what you believe. d. Don’t hate or envy anyone like the Jews who wanted Jesus dead by all means. e. Don’t follow the crowd (like Pilate); stand by your beliefs. f. Don’t build your faith on signs and wonders, as the people who wanted Jesus to jump down from the cross did. g. Forgive wrongs patiently, as Jesus said: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Why must we make efforts during this Lent to repent? Joel says, “He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in mercy and repents of evil.” Look around you; there is already enough evil and suffering in the world. Your decision to repent today goes a long way toward making the world a much better place. More still, you may also be averting punishment for your sins.

St. Paul tells us today: “Do not yield your members to sin as an instrument, but yield yourselves to God.” There is an extent to which a slave would give trouble that the master will have no choice but to let the slave go. You only become a slave when you stop resisting and give up the struggle.