Homily: August 16, 2022, Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time. (Begining)

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 “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?”

The disciples gave up their business, family, social life, friends and freedom to follow Jesus when He called them. They felt that they had given up a lot, and so they were expecting something in return. Something greater. They were expecting a profit, a positive return to their ‘investment’, a reward worthy of their sacrifice.

Is that how we think also? 

Some of us have given up a lot just to be Catholic, some of us make sacrifices just to come to church, some of our young people feel they have to give up a lot of fun in life just to be right with God. I am sure some of you here gave up your lunch break and rest from work just to come for Mass. I too give up a lot to be priest, to serve, to minister, to be a good witness.

Honestly, do we really think that what we have given for the sake of faith, Jesus and church is so great?

Are we anxious like the disciples, worrying if we will get a fair reward from Jesus for what we have given Him?

Jesus had indeed something greater waiting for His disciples, something they could not imagine nor understand yet. 

Jesus assured them, “everyone who has given…for the sake of my name, will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.” He assures us the same.

Think deeper. Everything we have, including our time and talent, are from God. We came with nothing and will leave with nothing. God gave us everything when we came and will give us eternity when we leave. But it will not be the way we imagine or understand now, it will be great, glorious and valuable. What we have given or will be giving is tiny and insignificant, in comparison with what God has prepared for us.

When we fully understand and appreciate this, we will be willing to give up everything just to be with Jesus, even our lives. Just like the apostles, the saints, the martyrs.

Because being a disciple of Jesus, having the opportunity to be a part of His church, having the privilege to receive Him in the Eucharist and claiming the promise He made for our eternity, are worth a hundred times more than what we can ever give to our Lord.

He gave, without counting our sins.

Let us give, without counting the cost.

Amen. 

Fr. Nivin Scaria
Rector 
St. Ambrose Cathedral 
Des Moines 

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For readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/022722.cfm There were two brothers who lived debauched lives engaging in terrible deeds. They were notorious yet not at all ashamed. Then one brother died. The surviving brother asked the local pastor to preach at his brother’s funeral. The pastor, aware of the brothers’ background, was reluctant to do it. The brother then promised to donate a big sum of money to the church and begged the pastor to preach with a special request. “Father, in your homily, you just have to say that my brother was a saint.” The pastor thought about it and agreed. The funeral day came. The pastor began his homily, “The man laid in the casket was a rotter; he led a horrible and debauched life. He was truly rotten to the bone. But compared to his brother, he was a saint.” Saintly life or shoddy living – Would the priest at our own funeral have to be paid to tell a lie? It all depends on what kind of fruit we produce from the way we live. Usually, we cannot
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Homily: September 25, 2022, Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

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Homily: Tuesday, January 4, 2022, Memorial of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Religious.

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