Homily: October 17, 2022, Monday of the Twenty-ninth week in Ordinary time.

 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.”

This passage from the first reading is one of the foundational bases of Protestant Theology. They teach that anyone can be saved simply by proclaiming faith in Jesus. Thus, they believe that salvation is given by God freely, not from any of one’s works, nothing done or not done will affect one’s salvation.

It is true that salvation is a free gift. None of us, dead or still living, can claim any merit for having received it. Christ died for all of us, even when we were still sinners and lost, and we all are still sinners but now saved. Our sins brought death for ourselves and for Jesus. His death brought salvation for all of us, even before we did anything right.

Christianity is the only religion that offers salvation in advance. Other religions teach good works, good living in order to attain fulfilment and illumination of soul. We preach baptism, it is true that we are saved because we believed.

But what should we do, how should we live now that we are saved? Do we continue to live life the same way, doing the same thing, committing the same sins?

Let us read the verses that follows, “For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.” 

We are the handiwork of God, created in Christ Jesus for good works. Good works is not required for salvation. Good works is the mission of a soul who is saved.

Yes, God created us in His image and likeness. God is Love and we are created in love, for love. Love is not stagnant. Love is always in action, to serve others, to do good to others, to be life-giving to others.

So since we are saved, we should live as our heavenly Father lives. In John 5,17 Jesus says, “My father is still working, and I am at work as well.” God doesn’t stop His good works, Jesus doesn’t stop His good works, so we too should pick up the same good work and keep doing it.

God gave us life, a life made for love in action. God gifted us faith, a faith meant to be lived out in service.

Jesus warns in the Gospel, “Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Whatever work we do, let it not be for our own selfish gain. Instead, let us be rich in what matters to God, let us do good works which God wants us to do and store up treasures in heaven. We believe and so we live like the One whom we believe in. God’s work is a work of mercy, a labour of love. We want to participate and work in His vineyard. This is the result of faith, a grateful response for the salvation we have received. Amen.