DAILY HOMILIES #unclean

Peter’s experience also reminds us of Jesus’ warning to the Jews: “Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able, from these stones, to raise children to Abraham.” (Matthew 3:9). Let us avoid pride. The fact that someone is not a church member does not mean they don’t have access to God. To successfully convert a person, you must respect and recognise their previous beliefs.

Today, Jesus distinguishes the shepherd from the thief. The thief does not enter by the door but climbs another way (jumps the fence). Did I get into power through legitimate channels or “snatching, grabbing and running away with the ballot box”? Secondly, another quality of the thief is their intention. Am I in power to help the sheep (give them life) or steal from them? Is my continued stay in power destroying my sheep?

From a spiritual perspective, we may define leprosy as a sin, given that it is not only deadly but also highly contagious. Hence, Jesus warned: "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!"