Homilies and Other Writings

  I find something interesting in today’s first reading (Sirach 35.15-17, 20-22). “The person whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted, and their prayer will reach to the clouds . The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds , and it will not rest until it reaches its goal.” The prayer of the humble not only reaches to the clouds, but pierces the clouds and reaches God’s heart, obtaining what the humble person needs. 1. Mind you: the text begins, “The person whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted, and their prayer will reach to the clouds .” One could think that the pharisee in today’s Gospel, and perhaps we ourselves (at least sometimes!), are people “whose service is pleasing to the Lord.” The works mentioned by the pharisee are not bad: “I fast twice a week,” he said, and “I give a tenth of all my income.” The pharisee’s actions are not bad, he is accepted as a child by God, and his service is pleasing to Him. But he does not obtain what he nee...

  Today's readings teach us to be persistent and patient. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us to be persistent and patient in prayer. St. Paul, in the second reading, urges Timothy to be persistent and patient in teaching. Persistence and patience are not the same. We are persistent when we persevere in doing the same thing always, time and again, whenever we are required to do so. Persistence requires discipline and commitment. Patience adds a further element of suffering: we are patient when we keep doing the right thing despite times being harder, despite opposition, in the face of different trials, etc. Thus, prayer needs to be persistent, and we sometimes are persistent, but we may give up when things don’t go our way and get discouraged. We were persistent, but because of lack of patience, we stop or relent in our prayers. In a similar way, the one who teaches might be constant and disciplined in delivering his message, but then, when people react harshly to his teaching and do ...

  Naaman, after being cured from his leprosy, wants to thank the prophet with generous gifts. The prophet, however, refuses to take anything from him. Naaman insists, but the prophet does not allow him to give anything. Naaman has received the gift of new life, he has been saved from death by God’s prophet, and he cannot do anything to express his joy and gratefulness to the prophet. What does Naaman do? I find it amazing: he asks for another favour. The one who wanted to give something, who felt obliged to give something in return, now asks for more gifts: “ please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord.” Let me make a few points about thanksgiving. 1. Giving thanks is not paying for what you have received. It is realizing that what you have received is priceless. Giving thanks is giving yourself back to the giver in any way you can. And it is, first of all, acknowledging ...