DAILY HOMILIES #teaching

Practising God’s words is like planting a tree. The more you do what the word of God says, the more you become used to it. Your natural mode of thinking and acting aligns with God’s expectations. Hence, Jesus says, “A good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, produces good.” That treasure is a combination of good deeds which have been practised over a very long time. You cannot become a saint overnight. You cannot suddenly repent from sin; you must first erect a solid foundation through practice. The saying is true: “Practice (not words) makes perfect.”

Be poor in spirit; do not be haughty, rude or arrogant. Be eager for salvation. Do not simply gloss over evil in the world. Do not be indifferent to the problem of immorality, indecency and corruption. Of course, fighting evil and injustice by shining your light will create more enemies than friends for you. Jesus says we should rejoice even in our sufferings for His sake.

The truth that with God all things are possible shines out again in today’s First Reading. An Angel of God addressed Gideon as a “mighty man of valour.” Gideon did not believe it until he saw a sign. Gideon was the least in his family, and his clan was the weakest in Israel, yet God chose him to save Israel. Relying on our strength, we are powerless, but all things are possible with God.

If we want our goods to be secure, we must store them in heaven, where thieves and robbers cannot break in and steal. How do we do this? Giving things away and helping those experiencing poverty and in need around us.

Jesus warned against giving that is loud, that is, giving to attract attention, not from the heart, but to make a statement to others. Jesus teaches us that this kind of giving is not to God, but to people. Instead of receiving our reward from God, we often receive only the praise of others.

Today, Jesus wants us to know He is more pleased with our reconciliation with others than our offerings. Just as our gifts to God are expensive, forgiveness is also costly. Forgiving others can be painful if the person refuses to acknowledge their fault. However, this pain is worth it because it is pleasing to God and it purifies our hearts from unnecessary burdens.

You will experience true bliss if God makes your heart His home. You will taste the sweetness of heaven even while still on earth, and you will have peace. Rather than spending your energy on fleeting pleasures, turn to God and deepen your love for God. Spend more time in prayer, ask for the Holy Spirit to come into your heart, and you will find peace. He who has God lacks nothing, but He who lacks God lacks everything.

The Ethiopian Eunuch must have prayed for insight, and God sent Philip to him. When Philip asked if he understood his reading, the eunuch was humble enough to admit: “How can I unless someone guides me?” This story teaches us that the Bible alone is not enough. The Bible is just one leg of a tripod; the other two are Sacred Tradition (which existed before the compilation of the Bible) and the Magisterium (the church’s teaching authority). The Bible contains God’s word, yet without the other legs of the tripod, we cannot fully benefit from it.

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.

God instructed Hosea to marry a harlot to demonstrate the idolatrous practices of the Israelite nation. Just as a harlot leaves her husband for other men, we cheat on God when we break the first commandment. Hosea says: “Return to the Lord. Say to Him: ‘…Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; we will say no more, ‘Our God’, to the work of our hands.’” (Hosea 14:2-3).

We often find it difficult to forgive others because we think we are guiltless. When you listen to two people quarrelling, each thinks the other person is a devil. Forgiveness begins with an honest examination of my conscience. If I had noticed the log in my eye, I would have seen that I could have avoided the problem or prevented it from escalating.

Esther’s prayer teaches us the difference between asking and complaining. While asking is done with a disposition of love and humility toward God, complaining expresses our bitterness toward God without faith in His ability to grant our requests. Prayer is always optimistic, but complaining is highly pessimistic.