Great homilies to improve the faith and understanding of Christians
This world has plenty of suffering. What do we do when bad things happen? Especially when it happens to those we love or to ourselves. Do we blame God? Do we question His priorities? Similarly, might we even question the existence of God? The gospel story of Jairus addresses these questions. Bishop Barron helps us to interpret this beautiful story for a better faith in God.
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How did you choose your career? For most people it’s a product of luck and circumstance. We have an opportunity early in our working lives and that becomes something we build into a career. This presentation by Bishop Barron is something I wish I had seen earlier in life. Instead I was guided in career choices by things like the Myers-Briggs assessment. We need to change our perspective on career discussions. The egotism in career advice should be alarming. Instead of what can I accomplish? Instead of what will make me most happy? We should be asking in what way can I be most loving! In what way can I be most generous! The fruit of the Holy Spirit described in Galatians 5 is the most compelling career advice I have ever heard. And I say this after spending several decades in Human Resources.
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Our Faith is very much a gift from God. In many respects, Faith is like learning a musical instrument. The gift of an instrument is one thing. But your ability to play is based on going for lessons. It is based on regular practice. And if the instrument is in need of repairs, then we have to actively seek these out. It takes effort.
Jesus says you must strive for heaven. This does not entail a life of comfort. Nor should we expect heaven if our life is full of distractions and abstractions. We need to be seeking a relationship with God. We need to be agonizing for heaven.
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In a world gone wrong, those who speak the truth will be opposed. The more authentically religious you are, the more you are going to be opposed. .
We like to think of Jesus as a unifying figure. The reality is that Jesus is a source of division before he is a source of unity. Hatred, cruelty, self-absorption, grudges, and all manner of sin must be burnt away. If others are not willing to put such things away to follow Jesus, they will oppose you. Like Jeremiah being lowered into the cistern, do not expect to be treated well. We know where following Christ will lead us.
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If God loves me and has a plan for my life, then should I not expect to always win in life? And yet – I end up in horrible situations. For example, think of sin or think of addictions.
How can this be God’s plan for me? Using inspirational examples, Fr Mike describes that God may not give us victory but he gives us what we need to finish. We need to recognize our deeper identity as a child of God as opposed to what is ailing us in the moment.
And we are not alone either. A cloud of witnesses follow in support of us! From saints to Jesus himself, all witness and encourage us to finish our race.
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While Moses had gone to meet with God and he received the 10 Commandments, some Israelites started to worship a bull made of gold. I always found that kind of foolish because what really could they expect of this idol?
However, Fr Mike outlines that the idols that trap us are rarely bad things. Your family, your job, your reputation … all have the opportunity to become idols. Today, we learn how worship is the remedy when we put other things before God
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How do you define Faith? Do you say believing in things when there is no evidence? If so, you are missing an important spiritual truth. Bishop Barron describes that Faith is all about trust and confidence in God. We never give up on our reason. That is not the Catholic way. That trust in God leads us to live heroic lives.
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