HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (Year B)

Dec 28, 2014

4251

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of Genesis (15:1-6, 21:1-3)

The word of the Lord came to Abraham in a vision, saying: "Fear not, Abraham! I am your shield; I will make your reward very great." But Abraham said, "O Lord God, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?" Abraham continued, "See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir." Then the word of the Lord came to him: "No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir." The Lord took Abraham outside and said, "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be." Abraham put his faith in the Lord, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

The Lord took note of Sarah as He had said He would; He did for her as He had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time that God had stated. Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his whom Sarah bore him.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9)

(R) The Lord remembers His covenant forever.

Give thanks to the Lord, invoke His name; make known among the nations His deeds. Sing to Him, sing His praise, proclaim all His wondrous deeds. (R)

Glory in His holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord in His strength; constantly seek His face. (R)

You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the Earth His judgments prevail. (R)

He remembers forever His covenant which He made binding for a thousand generations which He entered into with Abraham and by His oath to Isaac. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Hebrews (11:8, 11-12, 17-19)

Brothers and sisters: By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age - and Sarah herself was sterile - for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, "Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name."

He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke (2:22-40)

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord. Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples, a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel." The child's father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted - and you yourself a sword will pierce - so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump my son! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump my son! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Dad, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters." The boy eventually trusting in the father jumped and, landed safely in his father's arms.

There are many great examples in the Bible of people who had a strong faith in God. To them God was the center of their focus and God's promise mattered the most. They had learned to put their complete and total trust in God's wisdom and power. They recognized their complete reliance on God. The eleventh chapter of the letter to the Hebrews is one of the best known of the chapters of the Bible which talks about people who had accomplished great things though faith and obedience.

The writer cites the example of the faith of Abel, the brother of Cain; Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, and one of the two people in the Bible taken up to heaven without dying (the other being the prophet Elijah); Noah, who was regarded as the most righteous and blameless man among the people of his time; Abraham, who is called the Father of the Jewish nation; Sarah, the wife of Abraham who is called the Mother of the Jewish nation; Isaac, the miracle child of Abraham and Sarah; Jacob, the Father of the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph, the interpreter of dreams; Moses, the giver of the Law of God, and Joshua, who was regarded as one of the most successful leaders of all the ancient Jewish leaders after Moses. Although they were long dead, the writer used the exemplary faith of the ancestors to encourage and challenge the faith of the persecuted Jewish Christians.

Among all the Biblical patriarchs Abraham is extolled as "the father of all who believe", Romans (4:11), for the reason that he reveals the totality of a faith life. We all know quite well the story of Abraham as described in the Book of Genesis (12-25). When God wanted to liberate humankind from sin He looked around the Earth and found Abraham the most righteous man and so chose him to lead the people. He was righteous not because he was a holy man but because he was a man of faith. In today's text the writer points out how Abraham expressed a real life of faith.

Abraham's journey of faith. The writer says, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go."

For Abraham the journey of faith began on the day when God called him to leave his home and go wherever God would lead him. It must have been hard for him to leave his birthplace, his home, his land, family and ties, and abandon all of his present status for an uncertain future but he did. It was an instant kind of immediate obedience. He was so obedient that he didn't even think about where he was going. The place where he was going was immaterial. What mattered to him the most was God's promise to bless him and his descendants forever. Abraham demonstrated his worthiness by his faithfulness till the end.
Abraham's power of faith. The writer says, "By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age - and Sarah herself was sterile - for thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy."

When the messengers of God told Abraham that they would have a child Sarah laughed; so did Abraham, Genesis (17:17; 18:12). They both thought they were too old to have children, but God blessed them with a child anyway. Abraham even had children after Sarah died, Genesis (25:1-2). Abraham's faith was so powerful that even though he knew how impossible the situation was, he believed that the One who had made the promise would accomplish the impossible. His powerful demonstration of faith made it possible for him to have a son even in his old age.
Abraham's proof of faith. The writer says, "By faith Abraham when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only Son."

The real test of Abraham's faith came when God asked him to offer his only son, Isaac, to Him as a sacrifice. Abraham did as he was commanded believing in the power of God to bring him to life even if he was dead. Pleased with Abraham's unflinching faith God spared Isaac by providing Abraham a lamb for the sacrifice. God did what He had promised to Abraham.

Like Abraham, we are also being called by God to have a clear and obedient faith in Him. Our faith journey began at baptism and continues to grow in faith in the God who is faithful. Our faith requires us not only to be convinced that there is God or to declare that we believe in God and that He is among us through the birth of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. It also requires us not just to carry out some rituals to express our faith but also to act according to faith values and make decisions inspired by faith even in the midst of hardships, difficulties and distress. Our faith often requires us to forsake things, people, places, interests, attitudes and values closest to us in order for us to inherit God's promises of hope, peace, joy and love. Our faith requires us to have faith powerful enough to even move mountains. Our faith requires us to look to God for strength, and trust that He will provide for us. As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph let us, as individuals and families, surrender ourselves to our faithful God and ask Him to strengthen in us the gift of obedient faith like Abraham.

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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