OT XXVI [A] (Oct 1) Sunday (Eight-minute homily in one page) L/23
Introduction: What will decide our eternal reward or punishment? Our final decision for or against God — our choosing to obey Him gracefully by doing His will or our choosing to go against His will! Gifted with free will, we are the ones who choose our eternal destiny. (You may add an anecdote).
Scripture lessons summarized: In the first reading, Ezekiel, corrects two incorrect Jewish beliefs i) Children inherit the guilt of their ancestors and are punished for their sins. ii) God is more strict than merciful. Jesus explains through the gospel parable that God will punish us only for our sins and that God’s mercy overrules strict justice.Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 25) appeals to God’s compassion and mercy, begging Him to wipe away our sins and to extend mercy to us. The second reading: Our final choice for God, made by perfect obedience to Him, will be rewarded. Example: It is because of Christ’s perfect obedience to God’s will in “emptying himself, taking human form” and humbling himself by accepting “even death, death on a cross,” that God the Father “exalted Christ, bestowed on him the Name above every other name,”and made Jesus the recipient of universal adoration.
In today’s Gospel parable, a man with two sons tells both to go out to work in the vineyard. The first son says he will not go, but later he regrets his refusal and goes to work. He represents tax collectors and public sinners who refused to obey God’s commandments, but, after listening to John the Baptist and Jesus, repented and became eligible for eternal reward. The second son says that he will go but does not. He represents the chief priests and the elders, the Scribes, and the Pharisees. By their pride, and their refusal to obey God’s call to repentance through John the Baptist and Jesus, these so-called “religious” people excluded themselves from eternal reward. The lesson taught: The necessity for offering a continual “yes” to the saving act of God. Even when we say no, God gives us many chances of conversion, repentance, and doing His will.
Who are these two sons at present? The first son: 1) A repentant alcoholic, drug addict, chronic gambler sexual-deviant. 2) Members of a poor village parish who reach out to the needy in the community. 3) A Pastor who calls parishioners to true repentance. 4) A Church member who decides to tithe or a young person who decides to remain abstinent until marriage. All these choose to obey Christ sacrificially. The second son 1) A regular church goer who refuses Christ, entry into his or her heart and life and lives a pagan life on weekdays. 2) A Christian who refuses to obey Christ in the sensitive areas of sex, money, and power. 3) A priest whose sermon is designed to please people rather than to please God. 4) A Church that ignores issues of justice and mercy. 5) A Sunday School that neglects to teach children the great Biblical stories — in short, all people who appear to be faithful but, deep down in their hearts, are not.
Life messages: (1) We need to do God’s will every day: Each one of us is responsible to God for every action, and the just God will punish or reward one according to one’s actions. Since we are not sure about the moment of our death, our only guarantee of dying in God’s friendship is to live in that friendship always, saying “Yes,” to God by doing His will cheerfully and daily.
2) It is never too late for us to repent, be converted, and allow the Holy Spirit to renew our life: If we have been disobedient to God in our past life, we need to knock at the door of God’s mercy. God can, and will, do for us what, in his mercy, He, did for the repentant tax-collectors and harlots in the parable. Hence, every morning we must pray for the strengthening power of the Holy Spirit to do God’s will and every night we need to repent of our sins and ask God’s pardon and forgiveness. May the huge number of Covid deaths serve us aa a strong warning that we may not get a chance to be anointed before our death. If we are in serious sin we needto get reconciled with God, the Church and our brothers and sisters through the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as possible. Let us remember that it is never too late for us to turn back to God, ready to do His will.
OT XXVI [A] (Oct 1) Ez 18:25-28; Phil 2:1-11; Mt 21:28-32
Homily starter anecdotes: 1) “Tell that woman that I want her here in the White House.” Professor John Kenneth Galbraith, the world-famous Harvard economist and author of four dozen books and over a thousand articles, also served as economic advisor to four American presidents. In his autobiography, A Life in Our Times, Galbraith illustrates the devotion of Emily Gloria Wilson, his family’s housekeeper: “It had been a wearying day, and I asked Emily to hold all telephone calls while I had a nap. Shortly thereafter the phone rang. President Lyndon Johnson was calling from the White House. “Get me Ken Galbraith. This is Lyndon Johnson.” “He is sleeping, Mr. President. He has instructed me not to disturb him.” “Well, wake him up. I want to talk to him.” “No, Mr. President. I work for him, not you.” — When I called the President back, he could scarcely control his pleasure. “Tell that woman that I want her here in the White House!” Today’s Gospel reminds us that perfect and graceful obedience to God is real love, and so is more rewarding than reluctant obedience. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) Blind obedience: How we admire the obedience a dog shows to its master! Archibald Rutledge, the American storyteller wrote that one day he met a man whose dog had just been killed in a forest fire. Heartbroken, the man explained to Rutledge how it happened. Because he worked outdoors, he often took his dog with him. That morning, he left the animal in a clearing and gave him a command to stay and watch his lunch bucket while he went into the forest. His faithful friend understood, for that is exactly what he did. Then a fire started in the woods, and soon the blaze spread to the spot where the dog had been left. But he did not move. He stayed right where he was, in perfect obedience to his master’s word. Later with tearful eyes, the dog’s owner said, “I always had to be careful what I told him to do, because I knew he would do it.” — This, and more, is the kind of obedience to which Christ has called us. The short parable in today’s Gospel illustrates what true and graceful obedience is. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3) Not doing something that was promised: The Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina, released a study of twenty-one high-potential executives who were terminated or forced to retire early from their companies. The one universal character flaw which always led to downfall was not doing something that was promised. Motivational speaker Cavett Robert learned from an English professor long ago that “character is the ability to carry out a resolution long after the mood in which it was made has left you.” — The second son had good intentions, but he never made it to the vineyard. Dale Carnegie said that one of the most tragic characteristics of human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of cultivating the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4) Trouble under obedience: “A companion of Francis of Assisi, Brother Juniper is remembered as a ‘fool for Christ,’ and there are all sorts of wild stories about his antics. He was notorious for constantly giving his possessions away and living with a winsomeness that sometimes got him in trouble. At one point he was ordered by a superior not to give away his outer garment to the beggars anymore. But it wasn’t long before he met someone in need who asked him for some clothing. He said, “My superior has told me under obedience not to give my clothing to anyone. But if you pull it off my back, I certainly will not prevent you.” (Another version: “I can’t give, but you can take.”) Fr. Tony Kayala. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
Introduction: Today’s Scripture passages warn us that it is our final decision for or against God that is most important because we are rewarded or punished according to it. In the first reading, Ezekiel’s message from the Lord God to Israel answers the objections of those who think it is not fair that God should give such weight to one’s final decision because a person who, after a very long virtuous life, finally chooses sin will be punished, while another, who finally chooses virtue after a life of loose morals, will be rewarded. Today’s Responsorial Psalm (Ps 25), appeals to God in His compassion and mercy, begging Him to wipe away our sins and extend mercy to us. The second reading, taken from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, also affirms the truth that the final choice for God, made by perfect obedience to Him, will be rewarded. Paul emphasizes the fact that, because of Christ’s obedience to God’s will, emptying himself, taking human form and humbling himself by accepting death on a cross, that God the Father exalted Christ, bestowed on him the Name above every other name, and made Jesus the recipient of universal adoration. In today’s Gospel parable, a man with two sons tells both to go out to work in the vineyard. The first son says he won’t go, but later regrets it and works. The second son says he will go but does not. In each case, it is the final decision that is more important. Jesus says, that repentant tax-collectors and prostitutes, represented by the first son who initially refused to go, will make their way into the Kingdom of God before the chief priests and the elders, represented by the second son in the parable.
The first reading (Ez 18:25-28) explained: In chapter 18, the Lord God, through His prophet, Ezekiel, challenges two old beliefs common among His people: that children inherit the guilt of their ancestors and are punished for it, and that God is more strict than merciful. Here, the Lord God declares His option for personal responsibility, which means one is to be rewarded or punished according to one’s individual actions, not for someone else’s. In today’s passage, Ezekiel answers the objection raised by the Jewish slaves in Babylon, “Our ancestors sinned, but we are punished, and so God is not fair!” God’s message is that His mercy overrules strict justice, and He doesn’t hold our past against us. Hence, if God is “not fair,” it is to our advantage, because He doesn’t hold the past against us and always gives us another chance. In the same chapter of Ezekiel, God returns this “not fair” accusation, asking the House of Israel if their ways are “fair” when they turn from God’s love to serve false gods and their own false sense of what life is.
We often think that it is not fair for God to reward or punish one based only on one’s final option for God or against God, without considering one’s lifetime indulgence in vices or lifetime practice of virtues. The prophecy’s response is that God always gives people a chance to change and to accept the consequences of that change. The Lord further explains that that it is possible for a wicked person to renounce his sins, begin respecting God’s law, and live an upright life. Such a person will not die but live, and God will not remember any of his crimes against him. Likewise, it is possible for a good person to turn away from uprightness and to forfeit the favor of God and neighbor. Such a person’s past good deeds will be “forgotten from then on,” and he shall die for his sins, — unless, of course, he repents and turns back to God. The Good News is that God is always ready to forgive; we need only show willingness to accept God’s forgiveness through our forgiveness of each other. Can one who “denies one’s Faith” ever come back into the Church? Yes. This issue confronted Pope Cornelius in the 3rd Century, and he called a Synod of Bishops to proclaim that an apostate who, after the persecution ends, truly repents, changing his mind and his way of life, can be readmitted to the Church community after receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and doing penance.
The second reading (Phil 2:1-11) explained: Here, citing Jesus as the supreme model of obedience to the Father’s will, St. Paul also affirms the truth that those who make the final choice for God will be rewarded. Using lines from a hymn of early Christian belief which existed long before Paul penned his letter to the Philippians, the Apostle reminds his community of their obligation to look to others’ interests rather than their own (Phil 2:1-11). As the hymn states, they need only take Jesus as their model for such behavior, because Jesus obeyed his Father completely, emptying himself, taking human form and humbling himself by accepting death on a cross. Paul emphasizes the fact that it is because of Christ’s loving obedience to the Father’s will that God the Father exalted Christ, bestowed on him the Name above every other name, and made Jesus the recipient of universal adoration. The message is that if we are united with Christ in his faithful obedience to God, we will also share his glory. Paul adds that such faithfulness and obedience to God demand that “we do nothing out of selfishness or vainglory.” Instead, we should “humbly regard others as more important” than ourselves, “each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” The hymn exemplifies the “mind” of Christ that we must “put on” when we face each other, which means that we will find unending joy and consolation only when we die to ourselves.
Gospel exegesis: The context: Jesus has now entered Jerusalem, the scene of all the Passion events he has predicted. When he reaches the Temple – the most religiously sensitive area for all of Judaism – Jesus becomes furious and drives out the merchants and moneychangers (Mt 21:12). It is not surprising, then, that the “chief priests and elders” should show great concern and great caution about Jesus’ presence in the Temple. That is why Jesus addressed this parable to those (v. 23) who approached him while he taught in the Temple and asked for his credentials: “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” The parable of the two sons serves Jesus as a master strategy for defending his honor and presenting a counterchallenge to his adversaries. The purpose of this parable was to give a wake-up call to the chief priests and elders. The parable hints that their position as leaders of the Chosen People and their observance of Mosaic Law give them no guarantee that they will possess the Kingdom of God. Rather, because of their pride and their refusal to obey God’s call to repentance, they will exclude themselves from that Kingdom, while the tax-collectors and sinners, whom they despise, repenting of their sins and obeying Him, will be welcomed by Him into the Kingdom.
The parable and its meaning: Barclay calls this parable “The Better of Two Bad Sons.” Jesus presents us with a vineyard owner who has two sons. Both sons are asked by their father to go and work in his vineyard. The first son, when asked, says, “No.” He later changes his mind and goes. The second says “Yes, sir,” but does not go. Jesus then asks his listeners which of the two did the father’s will. They answer, “The first”, and their correct answer strengthens Jesus’ case against them. The message of the story is crystal clear. There are two very common classes of people in this world. First, there are those like the parable’s first-asked son, whose practice is far better than their profession. Second, there are the people like the second-asked son, whose profession is much better than their practice. While the first class should be preferred to the second, neither is anything like perfect, because the really good man is the man in whom profession and practice meet and match. The ideal son in this parable would be one who accepted the father’s orders with grace and respect and who unquestioningly and fully carried them out as Jesus obeyed his Father’s orders. The only sign of belonging to the kingdom is faithfulness to the will of God.
This parable underlines the necessity of our responding with a continual “yes” to the saving act of God. Further, this parable teaches us that promises can never take the place of performance, and fine words are never a substitute for fine deeds. In other words, the parable clearly teaches that the Christian Way is followed in performance, not in promise alone, and that the mark of a Christian is obedience, graciously, promptly, and courteously given. That is, we are not supposed to say “yes” to God on Sundays and “no” to God on weekdays. God does not want polite but hypocritical words, for that isn’t obedience at all. “Merciful and quick to forgive,” God tolerates willful, even blasphemous disobedience, provided repentance follows. God remains faithful, always ready to receive repentant sinners. He never abandons us even when we abandon Him. The parable teaches us that there are indeed two conditions for entering the Kingdom of God. One of these is giving up sinful ways. The second condition is believing the words of Jesus, and then acting accordingly. In both cases, or conditions, the emphasis is on the response of the listener to the word of God.
The twofold application of the parable: (1) This parable, found only in Matthew, outlines two responses to God’s call. The first son says, “I will not,” but changes his mind and does what is needed. The second son says, “I go, sir,” but does not go. Verses 31-32 make it clear that the repentant tax collectors and prostitutes are seen in the first son, and the second son signifies the self-righteous among the chief priests and elders. When John the Baptist called people to repent, tax collectors and prostitutes repented and were baptized. It was easy for them to repent, because their sins were obvious, even to themselves. The religious leaders, however, were not able, or ready, to admit their need for repentance, and therefore they rejected John and his call. So also, they rejected Jesus. We are reminded of Jesus’ words earlier in this Gospel, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in Heaven” (7:21). The life-saving difference between the two sons was the fact that one had the good sense to remember the love of his father, to turn from evil and decide to do what was right.
(2) Today, the first son, the faithful son, has still another face — a repentant alcoholic, a small band of worshipers in a storefront, a Church that reaches out to the needy in its community, a Pastor who calls parishioners to true repentance, a Church member who decides to tithe, a young person who decides to remain abstinent until marriage — all people who, however reluctantly or painfully, obey Christ. The second son is now the person in the pew who refuses Christ entry into his or her heart and life — a Christian who refuses to obey Christ in the sensitive areas of sex, money, and power; a Preacher whose sermon is designed to please people rather than to please God; a Church that ignores issues of justice and mercy; a Sunday School that neglects to teach children the great Biblical stories — in short, all people who appear to be faithful but, down deep, are not.
Life messages: (1) We each need to lead a responsible Christian life, saying “yes” to God. Each one of us is responsible to God for every one of our actions, and the just God will punish or reward each of us according to our actions. As we do not know at what moment death will take us, our only guarantee of dying in God’s friendship is to live in that friendship always, saying “Yes” to God in our deeds. We should become men and women who profess our Faith in word and deed, remembering that, “Not all those who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but those who do the will of my Father Who is in Heaven” (Mt 7:21). God is ever with us to strengthen us, to pardon us, and to lift us up again when, through human weakness, we stumble on the road. God is calling us right now, inviting us to work in His vineyard, inviting us to say “Yes” to Him with our words and actions. Let us accept God’s invitation by purifying our hearts in the Sacrament of Reconciliation; by resolving to act upon our promises each morning before we get out of bed; and by declaring interiorly that people will be able to identify us as followers of Christ, not by empty words or pious gestures but simply by our Christian actions. In this way, we shall live a life filled with the joy that doing the will of the Father brings.
2) Instead of trusting in lame excuses, we need to seek God’s mercy. We often use flimsy excuses to silence our conscience. They run like this: “I didn’t realize how sinful I was”; “I was just too busy with work, family, and a decent social life to have time for Sunday Mass”; “That’s what all my family does – it’s got to be OK!” ; “The devil made me do it – it wasn’t my fault!”; ””I couldn’t be different from everyone else—I’d look stupid!”; “I meant to straighten things out – I just didn’t get to it.” These are not valid excuses at the judgment seat of God. Hence, if we have been disobedient to God in our past life, we need to knock at the door of God’s mercy now. We need to remember that what God in his mercy did for the tax-collectors and harlots in the parable, the Matthews, the Augustines, the Margarets of Cortona, and the millions of unknown penitents who are now Saints in Heaven, He can, and will, do for us, if we repent of our past sins and renew our lives as the first-asked son in the parable did. It is never too late for us to be transformed.
JOKES OF THE WEEK:
1) A Non-Catholic Minister recently quit the ministry after more than 20 years of faithful, dedicated service and became a funeral director. When asked why he had changed vocations, he said: “I spent 10 years trying to straighten out John and he’s still an alcoholic. Then I spent three and one-half years trying to straighten out Harold and Susan’s marriage problems and they ended up getting a divorce. Later I tried for two years to help Bob kick his drug habit and he is still an addict. Now, at the funeral home, when I straighten them out, they stay straight! Perfect obedience!”
2) One night an Admiral on a US Navy Battleship ordered a certain course. The navigation officer, seeing a light in the distance, reported that the battleship now seemed to be on a collision course with another ship. So, the Admiral ordered his radio officer to send a message to the on-coming ship that it should change its course 10 degrees to the south. The reply came simply, “Change your course 10 degrees to the north.” After two more unsuccessful exchanges, the Admiral, now quite furious, came thundering into the radio control room, grabbed the microphone, and bellowed into it, “Do you know that you are talking to an ADMIRAL in the UNITED STATES NAVY?!” After a brief moment of silence, the even-tempered reply came back, “This is a lighthouse; alter your course 10 degrees to the North.” — So, when God’s Word asks us to do something, and we wonder why, we need to remember Whom we’re talking to! If we want to avoid disaster in this life and the next, we really need to obey His orders!
USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK (For homilies & Bible study groups) (The easiest method to visit these websites is to copy and paste the web address or URL on the Address bar of any Internet website like Google or MSN and press the Enter button of your Keyboard).
1) Fr. Nick’s collection of Sunday homilies from 65 priests & weekday homilies: https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies
2) Fr. Don’ collection of video homilies & blogs: https://sundayprep.org/featured-homilies/ (Copy it on the Address bar and press the Enter button)
3) Fr. Geoffrey Plant’s beautiful & scholarly video classes on Sunday gospel, Bible & RCIA topics: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant20663)
4) Dr. Brant Pitre’s commentary on Cycle A Sunday Scripture for Bible Class: https://catholicproductions.com/blogs/mass-readings-explained-year-Biblical basis of Catholic doctrines: http://scripturecatholic.com/
5) Agape Catholic Bible Lessons: http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/Bible base of Catholic teaching: http://www.catholic.com & http://socrates58.blogspot.com/
6) The only Catholic TV in the Internet: http://www.realcatholictv.com/
7) No religion, no democracy: Harvard Law professor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YjntXYDPw44
8) https://youtube/8tRAOZGACa8
9) http://www.textweek.com/mtlk/matt21b.htm
10) https://www.sermons4kids.com/index.htm
11) http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_two_sonsGA.htm
12) Video Sunday-Scripture study by Fr. Geoffrey Plant: https://www.youtube.com/user/GeoffreyPlant2066
34- Additional anecdotes
1) Rigorous Arabian horse training: Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers demand absolute obedience from the horses and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainer forces the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle. The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink. — Now this may be severe but when you are on the trackless desert of Arabia and your life is entrusted to a horse, you had better have a trained, obedient horse. We must accept God’s training and obey Him in words and deeds as demanded by the short parable in today’s Gospel. ((https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
2) For ladies only: The old television show Candid Camera had a classic episode in which two telephone booths were placed next to each other. One booth was labeled “Men” and the other “Women.” As the camera recorded the scene, no one who used the booths violated the signs. Men used only the booth labeled for men, and women used only the booth labeled for them. Even when there was a line for the men’s booth and the women’s booth was empty, no man used the women’s booth. There’s this story from the New York Post. On November 30, 1971, five heavily armed men shot out the glass doors of a New York bank and entered the bank firing automatic weapons, wounding twelve people. One of the bank tellers ran from the robbers and made it to an upstairs women’s restroom. One gunman chased her, but he stopped at the door to the ladies’ room, shouting at her to come out. When she refused, he went downstairs to help his colleagues finish robbing the bank. He might be a murderer and a thief, but he would not enter a women’s restroom. [William Lutz, The New Doublespeak (HarperCollins Publishers, 1996).] — Americans are basically tuned to obey the rules. But there is a problem of motivation. Their sins are generally ones of omission. They are like the young man in today’s Gospel who had good intentions. The problem was putting those good intentions into action. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
3) The speed of light: William Tarbell was explaining the consequences of light’s traveling at 186,000 miles per second. “It means the starlight shining in your window left the star about the time Shakespeare was writing his plays. The light has been traveling all that time to reach you and provide its light. In the same way, the work of the first disciples still influences you. Centuries ago, men and women were commissioned to make disciples of all nations. Although they have been dead for almost two thousand years, the effect of their work has traveled through history and touched us. It is felt in our lives and in our Churches today.” [Dr. William P. Barker, Tarbell’s, (Elgin, Illinois: David C. Cook Church Ministries, 1994).] — A handful of people 2,000 years ago with no social status or higher education or political influence turned the world upside down. How? The Holy Spirit worked through them. Why? Because they were totally dedicated to Christ. Like the first son in Jesus’ parable, they repented of their infidelity to Jesus during his arrest and surrendered their lives to Jesus with total commitment. There is no limit to what we can do in this world if Jesus truly is our Lord.( (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
4) “Keep me out of Your way.” Father Mychal F. Judge, the fire department chaplain who, while ministering to the fire fighters working at Ground Zero, was killed by falling debris from the Towers. In Father Mychal’s pocket was this prayer that he always carried with him:
“Lord, take me where You want me to go;
Let me meet who You want me to meet;
Tell me what You want me to say, and
Keep me out of Your way.” [“Walter Scott’s Personality Parade,” Parade Magazine, (Jan. 6, 2002, p.2; September 29, 2002).] — Father Mychal was a man of commitment. He understood that the vows he took before God were not a trivial matter. He is one who said, “I’ll go,” and he went. ((https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
5) ‘They couldn’t keep him out of the lineup.” Baseball fans are familiar with the accomplishments of baseball great Cal Ripken, Jr. Ripken entered the sports history books when he played a record 2,632 consecutive baseball games. That’s a major feat; most players miss a game here or there because of injuries or a need to rest their bodies. Ripken didn’t get injured less than any other player, and he doesn’t need less rest. But Ripken earned national respect because he played on in spite of injuries or exhaustion. As he says, “I want to be remembered as an iron man, a player who went out there and put it on the line every day. I want people to say, “They couldn’t keep him out of the lineup.'” (Selling Power, June 2000, p. 96). — That would be a good epitaph for any of us: “They couldn’t keep him out of the lineup.” Today’s Gospel story about the two imperfect sons challenges us to have Cal Ripken’s dedication in Christ’s service(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
6) Andrew the apostle: A pastor met one of his members on the street who had missed Sunday Mass the previous Sunday. “What did you preach about on Sunday?” the man inquired. “I took my text from John 1 and spoke about Andrew,” was the reply. “Andrew!” the parishioner exclaimed in surprise. “Why, I hardly remember him at all among the disciples. He didn’t write any of the books of the Bible, did he? What made you talk about him?” The priest smiled. “I don’t suppose many people would call Andrew great, but the one significant thing about him is that every time he is mentioned in the Bible, he’s introducing someone to Jesus! First, we see him bringing his brother Simon to the Lord. Next, he’s escorting a young lad to the Savior who miraculously used the boy’s simple lunch to feed a multitude. And finally, he is directing a group of seeking Greeks to Jesus.” The parishioner walked away thoughtfully, for he had received a new glimpse of the importance of that unpraised apostle (Illosaurus). — We need more Andrews in the Church. We need more disciples who are directing their friends and their family to Jesus. Christ has called us to make an impact on this community. “Yes, Father, I will go.” We are those who have said we would go. The question is, have we gone? Is Christ Lord of our lives? Are we having an impact on those around us? (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
7) Good intentions are not enough: There was an example of someone with good intentions in Life magazine. His name was Goold Levison. He was a photographer and an inventor. In the early days of photography, cameras were large, stationary and slow, hardly conducive to shooting candid photographs or what Levison called “instantaneous pictures.” So, he and his partner George Bradford Brainerd invented their own camera, which they patented in 1885 as the Brainerd-Levison Hand Camera. The pair took the camera along on outings to the New Jersey shore, to Canadian forests and, most often, to scenic spots near their homes in Brooklyn. Their partnership ended with Brainerd’s death in 1887 at the age of 41. That same year, Levison invented a camera that could take a series of pictures in rapid succession. It was a real breakthrough. Unfortunately, the distractions of family concerns and other projects kept him from completing the paperwork to patent his invention. This delay cost him his shot at immortality. In 1891, Thomas Edison also invented a camera that would take pictures in rapid succession, but it was he, not Levinson, who patented the motion picture camera. (3) Goold Levison intended to patent his own camera. We can be sure of that. There were other pressing matters, though, and he never got around to it. — Good intentions. It’s a shame good intentions are not enough. We would all be millionaires if they were. The second son in Jesus’ parable had such good intentions, but no actions. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
8) “Tomorrow, I will fly south.” The great Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard, once told a story of a flock of geese that was starting to head south to escape the blast of wintry winds. The first night they landed in a farmer’s yard and filled themselves with corn. Next morning, they flew on. All, that is, except one. “The corn is good,” this big goose said, “so I will stay and enjoy it another day.” The next morning, he decided to wait still another day, and another after that, enjoying the delicious food. Pretty soon he had developed a habit. “Tomorrow I will fly south,” he said. Then came the inevitable day when the winds of winter were so severe that waiting longer would mean death in the frozen wastes. So, he stretched his wings and waddled across the barnyard, picking up speed as he went. But alas! He was too fat to fly. He had waited too long. — The lazy goose represents the second son in Jesus’ parable. [Dr. Robert H. Schuller, Reach Out for New Life (Garden Grover, CA: The Cathedral Press, 1977 and 1991), pp. 25-26.]( (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
9) “Young man, if you believe in me and my cause, then you join the army.” During the Revolutionary War a young man is reported to have come to George Washington and said: “General Washington, I want you to know that I believe in you and your cause. I fully support you.” Washington graciously thanked him and asked the young man, “What regiment are you in? Under whose command do you serve? What uniform do you wear?” The young man answered, “Oh, I’m not in the army. I’m just a civilian.” The general replied, “Young man, if you believe in me and my cause, then you join the army. You put on a uniform. You get yourself a rifle, and you fight.” — That is Christ’s summons to us through the parable of two sons in today’s Gospel. If we believe in him and the cause for which he died, then we are called to take up his cross and walk in his footsteps doing those good things that he would do if he were with us in the flesh today. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
10) Be available, sensitive and accountable: Daniel Webster once said, “The most important thought I ever had was that of my individual responsibility to God.” The word that we are hearing today is accountability. TV Evangelists find that they need to be accountable to somebody for how they spend the vast sums of money that are donated to their ministries. Our highest officials in Washington must be accountable for how they wield the awesome power of their offices. Every man or woman needs to be accountable to somebody, or else human nature has a tendency to abuse place and privilege. But, as Webster reminds us, the most awesome accountability is our accountability to God. — Life is a gift that has been entrusted to us. We are stewards of all that we have, all we are, and all we hope to be. We are not our own. We are His. One day we shall be held accountable by God for how we have lived our lives. He shall judge whether we have been a blessing or a burden, one who lifts up or one who puts down, a person who inspires others to their best or one who lives only for self. Today’s parable challenges us to be available, sensitive, and accountable now, as we prepare for that final accounting. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
11) Indignant protestor or a well-intentioned procrastinator. A certain nurse won the admiration of her entire community with her patience, her cheerfulness, her genuine concern for others. She gave far more of herself than anyone could ever expect. Her salary was inadequate by any standard, and one day a physician friend spoke to her about that. “Nurse,” he said, “Why don’t you get out of this backward little community and go where they will pay you a decent salary. God knows you are worth it.” With a smile she answered kindly, “If God knows I’m worth it, that’s all that matters to me.” — Does God know you are worth it? Am I a good worker in God’s vineyard?” An indignant protestor? Just a well-intentioned procrastinator? God needs laborers for the vineyard. Can He count on me? Can I pass the test of availability, sensitivity, and accountability to Him? Let us pray …(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
12) Why there are no great leaders: Henry Steele Commager, the great American historian, asked why it is that today we have so few great leaders when, at the beginning of this nation’s history, over two hundred years ago, there were so many. We had a population in those days of just a few million people, maybe equal to the population of San Diego County, spread along the Atlantic seaboard in little towns and villages. Yet that generation, the 18th century, produced Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, the Adams family, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and the list goes on and on. It is a galaxy of leadership that we in our time, with over two hundred million people, cannot possibly match. Not with all our wealth. Not with all our technological sophistication. Not with all the higher education that is available to everybody in this country. Not with all the computers. We have not been able to produce leaders the quality of which we saw in the 18th century. Why is that? Commager listed a number of reasons,but he said that the one common denominator of all the 18th century leaders was that they had a sense of obligation to posterity.They had a sense of duty. They were motivated by a moral obligation to serve the highest that we know, offer their leadership in that cause. — Today’s parable challenges us to be committed to a noble cause with a sense of duty. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
13) Things are not always what they seem to be. Macaulay Culkin’s portrayal of a “good kid” was so convincing that when he played a “bad kid” in a movie called The Good Son, the effect was stunning. Macaulay played against his stereotype. He appeared to be an ideal boy, polite, courteous, and obedient. Since he was perceived to be all good, when things went wrong around his house the blame was just naturally placed upon his less charismatic brother. It was only at the end of the movie that his parents learned that this son, who appeared to be good, was, in fact, evil, and that things are not always what they seem to be. — Isn’t that what Jesus taught in his parable of “The Two Sons?” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
14) Communication gap: A father once tried to talk to his son about how college was going: The father said, “How are things going?” The son said, “Good.” The father said, “And the dormitory?” He said, “Good.” The father said, “How are your studies going?” He said, “Good.” The father said, “Have you decided on a major yet?” He said, “Yes.” “Well, what is it?” asked the father. The son said, “Communication.” — So, it goes as parents and children try to talk to each other. So it was for the two sons in Jesus’ story. (William J. Carl III). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
15) “I am the Jesus you say you love!” There is a story that comes out of the Second World War that will haunt you if you think about it. It is about a little Jewish boy who was living in a small Polish village when he and all the other Jews in the vicinity were rounded up by Nazi troops and sentenced to death. This boy joined his neighbors in digging a shallow ditch for their own graves. Then they were lined up against a wall and machine-gunned. But none of the bullets hit the little boy. His naked body was splattered with the blood of his parents, and as he fell into the ditch, he pretended to be dead. The grave was so shallow that the thin covering of dirt did not prevent him from breathing. Several hours later, when darkness fell, this 10-year old boy crawled out of his grave. With blood and dirt caked on his little body, he made his way to the nearest home and begged for help. A woman answered the door and immediately recognized him as one of the Jewish boys marked for death by the Nazis. So she screamed at him to go away and slammed the door. Dirty, bloody, and shivering, this little boy limped from one house to the next begging for help. But he always got the same response. People were afraid to help. Finally, in desperation, he knocked on a door, and just before the lady of the house could tell him to leave, he cried out, “Don’t you recognize me? I am the Jesus you say you love!” The lady froze in her tracks for what seemed like an eternity to the little boy. Then with tears streaming down her face she threw open her arms. She picked up the boy and took him inside to safety. — Sometimes we need to be reminded that “When you do it unto the least of these, My brethren, you do it unto Me.” Christian Discipleship, as explained through today’s Gospel parable, is a call to availability. It is also a call to sensitivity, and to action. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
16) “My gift to you!” An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife, enjoying his extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. When the carpenter finished his work the employer came to inspect the house. He handed the front-door key to the carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “My gift to you!” The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. — So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best into the building. Then with a shock we realize we have to live in the house we have built. If we could do it over, we’d do it much differently. But we cannot go back. Build wisely! (Fr. Lobo) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
17) One son obeys the other does not. A survey was distributed during a worship service one Sunday morning. Among the question was, “Do you think there should be an evening Bible Study?” The young pastor was overwhelmed at the response. Over fifty persons indicated that there should be an evening Bible study. The elated pastor began making plans. A day or two later, the wise, experienced lay leader came to visit the pastor. Gently he advised the young man that he had asked the wrong question. Instead of asking, “Do you think there should be a Bible study?” the pastor should have asked, “Are you willing to attend an evening Bible study?” A second questionnaire was issued. This time the question was, “Are you willing to attend Bible study?” The result was quite different from the week before. This time only twelve persons indicated that they would be willing to attend.” — Application: Which brother are we? (Gerard Fuller in Stories for all Seasons). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
18) Two converts. An aged Rabbi who lived an exemplary life and converted many people to his ancestral religion was distraught when his son embraced Christianity. After his death, he appeared sulking and sad before the Almighty. “What is the matter, Rabbi?” asked God, deeply concerned. “It’s my son,” cried the rabbi, “He abandoned our Faith and became a Christian!” God replied in a consoling voice, “Don’t worry, friend, I understand you perfectly – My Only Son did the same thing!” — Today, conversions create either conflict or consolation depending on who converts whom to what, and why. We can reflect on today’s reading from the prism of conversions: Internal and external. (Francis Gonsalves in Sunday Seeds for Gospel Deeds) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
19) The Brothers Karamazov Along with Oedipus Rex and Hamlet, Sigmund Freud considered Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov one of the three greatest works in world literature. In Freud’s interpretation, the three Karamazov brothers symbolize the nature of man. The eldest son, Dmitri, is a wild wastrel. He represents man dominated by sensuality. The next son, Ivan, is a teacher, writer and atheist. He symbolizes the intellectual dimension of man. The young son, Alyosha, was a novice at a monastery. He stands for the spiritual nature of man. The three Karamazov brothers were abandoned by their father Fyodor after their mother died. They reassemble now to do battle with their father and claim what is rightfully theirs. Their conflicts reflect those of Everyman, which occur not only in his soul, but also in his relationship to God. — Today’s Gospel parable tells another symbolic brother story. The first-asked son was told to work, refused to go, but later regretted it and went. The second-asked son was told by his father to work in the vineyard, said he’d go, but never went. Jesus interprets the brothers’ story himself. The first-asked son represents the tax collectors and prostitutes whose lives have been a “No” to God, but who now repent and enter the Kingdom of God. In contrast, the second-asked son symbolizes the Jewish leaders who professed to be religious, but who did not respond to the Baptist’s call to repentance. In point of fact, both groups have their faults, but at least the group who turn toward God is to be preferred to the group who turn away from Him. The ideal for us is to live in such a way that what we profess and practice meet and match. (Albert Cylwicki in His Word Resounds) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
20) “Now sit down and listen.” There is Zen story about Master Bankei. His talks were attended not only by Zen students but by persons of all ranks and sects. Once a self-centered Nichiren priest came to the temple, determined to debate with Bankei. When he saw that an audience had been attracted to the Master, he was overcome by anger and jealousy. He went to the Master and challenged him: “Hey, teacher!” he called out. “Wait a minute! Whoever respects you will obey what you say, but a man like myself does not respect you. Can you make me obey you?” The Master’s peace and strength of mind and heart were not at all affected by any disrespect people showed him. He accepted the challenge and said: ”Come up beside me and I will show you.” Proudly the priest pushed his way through the crowd to the teacher. Master Bankei smiled. “Come over to my left side.” The priest obeyed. “No,” said Bankei, “we may talk better if you are on the right side. Step over here.” The priest proudly stepped over to the right. “You see,” observed Bankei, “you are obeying me, and I think you are a very gentle person. Now sit down and listen.” — Today’s Gospel parable is about an obedient and non-obedient sons. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
21) St. Stephen Walks the Walk: The Magyar [MAG-yahr] tribes invaded southeastern Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. Stephen was the elder son of the first Christian leader of the Magyars. Unlike his father, who had accepted Baptism mainly for political reasons, Stephen took his Christian identity seriously. At age 22 he succeeded his father and began his life-long work of bringing stability, order, and justice to the rival Magyar tribes, so that the Christian Faith could take deeper root in the souls of his people. Eventually, he was crowned the first King of Hungary by Pope Sylvester II, and he successfully turned the chaotic territory into a prosperous and organized nation. Through all his struggles, he strove to fulfill his royal duties in life in a way that would please Christ, dedicating himself entirely to the spiritual and material good of his subjects. He was often found in disguise, distributing alms to homeless people and cripples camped out in the city streets. His disguises were so good that once the crowd of beggars actually threw him to the ground, stole the money and food bags he was using to hand out offerings, and left him in the dust. He overcame great opposition to institute a policy whereby every group of ten towns was required to construct at least one Church and support at least one priest, so that all his citizens could receive the Sacraments and be instructed in the Faith. No corruption stained his regime, and when he died at 63, his tomb immediately became a favorite place of pilgrimage and devotion. — This kind of integrity is something that all of us admire in others but find difficult to live out ourselves. Contemplating the saints can help strengthen our weakness. St. Stephen of Hungary was a great example of real faith. (E- Priest). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
22) St. Euplus Goes the Extra Mile:. St Euplus (YOU-pluhs) was a Christian who lived in Sicily in the early 300s, when the Roman Emperors were initiating their final and most brutal persecutions against the Church. He had a passionate love for the sacred Scriptures and used to study scrolls of the Gospels constantly. When a new edict came out condemning the Christians and demanding the destruction of all Christian writings, Euplus refused to hide. Instead, he marched right up the governor’s palace, with a copy of the Gospels under his arm, and turned himself in for being a Christian. When questioned, he defended the truth of Christ valiantly and intelligently, refusing to compromise his Faith. So, the governor threw him into prison and confiscated the sacred books. Three months later he was dragged out of the prison and interrogated again. And again, he courageously professed his faith in Christ and refused to worship the pagan Roman gods. When asked if he still kept the forbidden writings he said yes, he still did. Of course, he had no book, so they asked him to explain. He answered, pointing to his heart, “They are within me.” And truly they were. In fact, his heart was so firmly immersed in Christ that instead of renouncing his Faith, he suffered torture, threats, and, in the end, execution by decapitation. — This kind of integrity – not just talking the talk, but also walking the walk – is something that all of us admire in others but find difficult to live out ourselves. Contemplating the saints can help strengthen our weakness. St Euplus is a unique example of this kind of spiritual integrity (E-Priest). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
23) St. Ambrose humbling himself in obedience to Christ:Humility is a mark of every true Christian, and every saint. Take St. Ambrose, for example. He was the governor of Northern Italy, one of the most important provinces in the Roman Empire during the 300s. He governed with wisdom and justice, and the people regarded him as a father even though he was still a young man. The bishop of the district died, and there were heated arguments about who should be appointed as his successor. During a public discussion in the Cathedral, divisions were so intense that violence was about to break out. Suddenly a little child’s voice arose: “Ambrose for bishop! Ambrose for bishop!” The whole crowd took up the cheer – they had found a solution, someone more interested in the good of the Church than in his own ideas or career, someone who could unite them all! What was Ambrose’s reaction? He was so horrified by the thought of being given such a powerful and prestigious position that he actually tried to flee the city by night. Only the direct intervention and command of the Emperor convinced him to agree to become bishop of Milan. And as such, his humility made him an unstoppable force for Faith, compassion, and Justice throughout the next twenty years. — This is success according to Christianity: loving our neighbors as ourselves. The only way to live up to this seemingly impossible standard of success is by following the example of Christ, who, as St. Paul stresses in today’s second reading, “humbled himself.” (E-Priest). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
24) Conversion Experience: Thomas Merton was orphaned at 16, became a Communist at 20, and found Christ at 23. At 24 he became a New York Times reporter. At 26 he put all his possessions in a duffle bag, went to Kentucky and became a Trappist monk. In his best-selling spiritual autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, Thomas Merton described the first step in his conversion process. He writes: “The whole thing passed in a flash. I was overwhelmed with a sudden and profound insight into the misery and corruption of my own soul. I was filled with horror at what I saw… And my soul desired escape… from all this with an intensity and urgency unlike anything I had ever known before.” Merton goes on to say that for the first time in his life he prayed – really prayed. — The story of Thomas Merton illustrates the kind of change of heart Ezekiel refers to in today’s first reading. (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
25) Internal Obedience: Thomas Merton had a difficult early life. His father and mother died of cancer at when he was young, his brother died in an accident, and his guardian abandoned him. He became a skeptic and lived an immoral life. He fathered a child out of wedlock. In the end he abandoned the woman and the child and restlessly wandered through life. On the advice of friends he went into a Franciscan monastery. Hearing his story, no religious congregation was willing to admit him. He was close to despair and perhaps not too far from suicide. At last he reached the Gethsemane Abbey of the Cistercians. Like a shipwrecked mariner reaching the shore, he grasped all the straws available. He was twenty-six years when he entered, and he died at fifty-three. The last few years of his life contain remarkable glimpses of his human and Divine love. He penned The Seven Storey Mountain, and his later spiritual classic Seeds of Contemplation made him a world-wide spiritual master. — To put the will of God into action we need internal conversion. Merton is a modern St. Augustine. (Elias Dias in Divine Stories for Families; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
26) Never Too Late! Leonard Cheshire witnessed the dropping of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki. The city went up in flames, thousands were killed, and thousands were maimed for life. After Nagasaki he was a changed man. On his return to England,he resigned from the Air Force, became a devout Catholic and vowed to spend the rest of his life working for peace. He plunged into social work and founded Cheshire Homes for the terminally ill and disabled. Tom Talbot was an alcoholic. He spent all his life in this terrible vice and troubled everyone. One day, in a drunken stupor as he lay on the roadside mired in his own iniquity, he looked for someone to give him money for a drink. In his utter helplessness he looked for assistance from the Almighty. He quit alcohol and changed his whole life. Today he is an example for all alcoholics. — To do the will of God, an inner change is necessary. (Elias Dias in Divine Stories for Families; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
27) Actions speak louder than words: A Manager of a well-known firm was told by his officials that one of his officials was swindling money. The culprit was called by the Manager and given a promotion to be a supervisor. He was surprised but continued with his old habit of swindling money. When the Manger was informed he promoted him to a yet higher level as one of the officers. But the man did not change. Finally, he was appointed as the personal secretary of the Manager. In his dealings with the Manager he discovered that the Manager was aware of this man’s greed and yet had not punished him but given more and more opportunities to improve. — He was embarrassed and changed his ways. Within a year he had become popular among his co-workers for his sincerity and transparency. It was little wonder that after the retirement of the Manager, he was chosen to replace the Manager. (Robert D’Souza in The Sunday Liturgy; quoted by Fr. Botelho). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
28) It isn’t how the journey starts; it is how it ends: The great wit, C. S. Lewis, started out a doubter. He saw British Christianity as a pale and bloodless business. It did not excite him. In fact, to his reasoned, calculating way of thinking, Christianity made very little sense. It smelled of superstition and made promises about the future he was sure it could not make good on. But C. S. Lewis came to see that he was missing something. He began to slide into a cynicism about life that frightened him. He wanted something to believe in. Someone who was on the Christian pilgrimage helped him to see that there was room for him in the parade. Not suddenly, but rather quietly, unspectacularly, Lewis came into the Christian camp. We know the rest of the story: He became a great intellectual apologist for Christianity, writing and speaking to confound the critics of the Faith. He was the reverse of Ralph Vaughan Williams, taking on the critics of the Christian faith in Britain in a series of radio broadcasts which became enormously popular among a population growing steadily more indifferent to Christ. A similar story can be told of Malcolm Muggeridge, a British thinker who in later life came to see that the Christian Faith made far more sense to him than clinging to agnosticism. He, like Lewis, became an apologist for Christianity. He said “yes” to the invitation, after he first had said “no.” — It isn’t how the journey starts that counts. It’s how it ends that matters. [Michael A. Sherer, And God Said Yes! (CSS Publishing Company; quoted by Fr. Kayala.) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
29) “I’m sorry it was the last part of the ninth (inning) that I came to know Christ.” Baseball great, Ty Cobb, played 3,033 games and for twelve years led the American League in batting averages. For four years he averaged over 400. However, his spiritual life had not kept pace with his sporting career. Converted to Christ while near death on 17 July 1961, he said, “You tell the boys I’m sorry it was the last part of the ninth (inning) that I came to know Christ. I wish it had taken place in the first half of the first (inning).” — If there is a lesson to be learned from Cobb’s experience, perhaps it could be expressed as follows: As long as a person draws breath, it’s never too late to change course; it’s never too late to shift one’s center of gravity; it’s never too late to exercise the prerogative of changing one’s mind. In today’s first reading, the prophet Ezekiel was attempting to impart a similar lesson to his contemporaries. (Patricia Sanchez). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
30) Testimony of the “no-no” but eventually “yes-yes” son. The following personal testimony of the “no-no” but eventually “yes-yes” son is very inspiring. When he was a teenager, Jaime Torres used his leadership skills to create a gang. Now, he is using those same abilities to lead gang members out of trouble. In 1986, at age 14, Jaime moved to California with his parents and three brothers. His parents found work – as a janitor and seamstress – and sent the boys to school. As Jaime looked for something to do, he found a gang. He shaved his head, wore baggy clothes and started writing rap songs about the power of gangs. But his gang didn’t bring him power – still a “nobody” and it was dangerous. So, he started his own gang. People followed him, but so did trouble. Drugs. Alcohol. Crime. Threats to his life. And worse, the death of friends. Jaime’s parents drove him to Rogers, Arkansas, to start a new life. Again, Jaime was lost. He continued with gang life and drugs and was arrested. He felt trapped. Desperate. And then came a moment of grace. He joined a youth group at a Catholic church, and something clicked. He realized that “Jesus was looking for people in the streets, like gang members. Jesus was an ally.” So, Jaime begged Jesus to help him out of his situation. “Jesus didn’t want people in the streets to end up in jail or cemetery”, he said. Suddenly, Jaime imagined a new mandate – he could help Jesus find people on the streets and keep them safe and alive. Jaime took his mandate seriously. In fact, he gave himself a nickname: El Serio (the Serious). As he explained, “When you’re in a gang, it’s serious. You could lose your life. If Jesus comes into your life, He’s serious, and you need to listen.” He gave up drugs and alcohol and started writing a new kind of rap song – “Jesus en el Barrio” (Jesus in the Neighborhood). With his bald head, sunglasses and crucifix dangling from his neck, Jaime started performing “Jesus en el Barrio” to crowds that got bigger and bigger. To reach even more listeners, he produced a CD. People wanted to hear his song, but they also wanted to hear his story. And it turns out; they wanted help with their own problems. Jaime knew he could do something. In 2003, Jaime started Fuerza Transformadora (Transforming Force or FT), a movement to reach out to young people who were facing the same challenges he had faced. He asked for weekly meeting space at Saint Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers. After Masses, he made announcements: “If you’re struggling with your family or with drug problems, we have a group for you. Come see me.” He went to parks where kids were milling about and brought them bulletins for Mass. He walked the streets, found addicts and talked to them. He went to high schools and gave presentations to students. The weekly meetings grew. (…) In addition to Fuerza Transformadora, Jaime now works for the Diocese of Little Rock. He is married and has a child. — But despite his mainstream activities, he remains in a class of his own. When he enters a room, people stop. With three CDs under his belt, he knows his audience. He knows his mission. He knows how to bring the Church into hostile territory – places of drugs, gangs, and violence – and how to find followers. He understands the importance of the Church adapting to those on the margins, so they don’t fall through the cracks. [cf. “Meet El Serio” in Extension, Fall 2014, p. 14-16) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
31) “O Lord, we have sinned against You and disobeyed Your Will!” In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. “Your Majesty,” said Prior Richard, “do you understand that the pledge here is one of obedience? That will be hard because you have been a king.” “I understand,” said Henry. “The rest of my life I will be obedient to you, as Christ leads you.” “Then I will tell you what to do,” said Prior Richard. “Go back to your throne and serve faithfully in the place where God has put you.” When King Henry died, a statement was written, “The King learned to rule by being obedient.” — Christ was obedient to the will of his Father unto death, even death on the cross. As his disciples, we, too, are called to be obedient to the will of God. Christ expects us to be faithful to him where he puts us, and when he returns, we’ll rule together with him. (Fr. Lakra). (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
32) “To Hell on Monday”: There was a book written by C. Mooney entitled To Hell on Monday. It depicts well the Christian who conforms outwardly to the law, is seen regularly at Mass, offers the required contribution, belongs to parish organizations, and pays the dues, functioning on Sundays in a very conspicuous way. Then on Monday, he throws religion to the devil. The law of God is put into his back pocket and he forgets all about it in his marital relations, his sense of justice to his household servants, and his sense of moral decency; ignoring the seventh commandment, “Thou shalt not steal,” in competitive business, he also forgets the eighth : “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Where is the Christian sense in this man? Is it in the pocket? On the other hand, there are those whose practice is far better than their words. They claim to be tough, hard-headed materialists, not attending Sunday Mass, but somehow they are discovered silently, secretly, doing kindly and generous things, as if they were ashamed of their goodness. They profess to have no interest in the Church and in religion, yet when it comes to the point of action, they live more Christian lives than many professing Christians – Robinhood style. — “Action speaks louder than words.” (Fr. Benitez).(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).(https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
33) God’s Mysterious Purposes: Virginia Sillman of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, fell victim to cancer back in the 1950’s when she was twenty. She lost a baby as a result and suffered much pain. Five operations were performed to arrest the disease, but none succeeded. The only consolation the young housewife had during her last year of life was the devoted attention of Lawrence, her husband and her relatives and friends. Four months before she died, she wrote a letter to her dear ones which she asked to be read only after her death. A day after the end came, Lawrence Sillman opened the envelope. Its message was so touching that he passed it on to the local press. During her illness, she said, she had often asked herself, “Why was I born? For what reason did the dear Lord bless me with life?” However mysterious God’s plan might have seemed, she finally discerned its pattern. “I feel that this has been my task here on earth,” she wrote to family and friends, “to bring you to the Lord. And even though I have suffered, I have no regrets. I would suffer again for such a cause.”– “… You say, `The Lord’s way is not fair!’ Hear now, house of Israel; Is it My way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair?” (Ezekiel, 18:25. Today’s first reading). -Father Robert F. McNamara. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/).
34) Fire on One End, Fool on the Other: I remember in High School a physician who came to talk to us about the dangers of smoking. He scared us with his grim pictures of smokers’ lungs and tales of death from lung cancer. The doctor finished his speech by saying, “Remember, fire on one end, fool on the other.” We were all impressed, especially those boys who would sneak out behind the shop building at lunch to light one up. — But a couple of the guys saw the doctor himself lighting up when he got back in his car after the lecture. And his credibility was shot. He was the talk of the campus. It would have been better for the no-smoking campaign if he had never come to speak. Saying one thing and doing another is something nobody respects. (Julian Gordy, Didn’t You Hear What I Said?) Quoted by Fr. Kayala (https://frtonyshomilies.com/). (L/23)
“Scriptural Homilies” Cycle A (No. 53 by Fr. Tony: akadavil@gmail.com
Visit my website by clicking on https://frtonyshomilies.com/ for missed or previous Cycle C & A homilies, 141 Year of Faith“Adult Faith Formation Lessons” (useful for RCIA classes too) & 197 “Question of the Week.” Contact me only at akadavil@gmail.com. Visit https://www.catholicsermons.com/homilies/sunday_homilies of Fr. Nick’s collection of homilies or Resources in the CBCI website: https://www.cbci.in. (Special thanks to Vatican Radio website http://www.vaticannews.va/en/church.html -which completed uploading my Cycle A, B and C homilies in May 2020) Fr. Anthony Kadavil, C/o Fr. Jogi M. C. , St. Agatha Church, 1001 Hand Avenue, Bay Minette, Al 36507
Fr Tony's Homilies 
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