Homily: October 23, Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the first reading we heard, “The Lord is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.”

I always thought that God has a special love for those who are poor, weak and vulnerable. Yet it is clear from today’s readings that every person is equal, no one is favored, God loves each one of us the same. Rich or poor, strong or weak, sinner or saint. When we come before God, we are all the same to Him, precious and beloved.

Equally loved, equally valued. Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God, this is the divinity we all share, our identity, our dignity.

Every year around this time, when the seasons change, I often notice the animals too are busy preparing for winter. In my garden, there lives a ground squirrel who is most busy this time of the year. I see it scurrying around to fix up its nest for hibernation and store up food for winter. It does so by digging tunnels in the ground.

Last year I was so mad because this brother squirrel dug through my beautiful planter and destroyed my plants before I could harvest the fruits. I was so angry I wanted to flood its tunnels by hosing water into its hole. But I knew it would not work, because the ground squirrel had dug up many holes. If I hose down one hole, it will pop up from another hole.

Don’t worry, I am not cruel to animals, I am just amazed at how this clever creature could do to protect itself. This year, I have learnt my lesson, so I prepared myself better, ahead of the squirrel. We are thus able to live in harmony, sharing the same land, giving glory to the same Creator in different ways.

An animal created lower than us humans, has the powerful instinct to protect its life and defend itself. It does what it does because God created it to be.

What about us humans? Do we live up to the dignity God has created us to be? Do we protect ourselves and defend the life given to us? Are we life-giving like our Creator or have we become murderers, oppressors, choosing the death of another for our own selfish reasons, like the devil?

The Church in USA celebrates Respect Life Month in October. All of us Catholics are called to cherish, defend, and protect the value and dignity of every human life, especially those who are most vulnerable, in every stage of life, from conception to cremation, from womb to tomb. No one person’s life is more, or less valuable than another. Not in the eyes of our God.

During this October month, our parish offers our Monday Holy Hour for this special intention, the respect for life.

How can we respect life in our everyday living? How can we ensure we always choose life, promote love and defend the dignity of every person?

In the gospel, the Pharisee was comparing himself to the tax collector. Let us use this Pharisee for learning.

Jesus said, “The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself…”

The Pharisee’s position was inside the temple, giving him closeness to God but he was not praying to God, he was praying to himself. He spoke the prayer to himself. His words were full of himself, nothing of God.

Then he prayed further, “O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity…”

He saw himself separate and superior to the rest of the world. He thanked God without recognizing what God had given him but was claiming credit for his self-righteousness. He was praising himself, not God.

Then he listed the sins of others, “…greedy, dishonest, adulterous…” He recognized the wrongs of others, without seeing in himself the worst sin ever, pride.

In his pride, he placed himself above God and diminished the dignity of others. Isn’t this what we see in the world? The pride of people in leadership, in authority, in power, disregarding God’s existence, threatening the basic living rights of others, especially the most vulnerable, powerless, defenseless, or voiceless.

As Catholics, we profess our belief in one God who created all life, naturally we are pro-life. Let us learn from the story of the Pharisee.

First, to honor God and not ourselves. Second, to respect the life He created, seeing His image and likeness in everyone. Third, to recognize our own sinfulness, in need of the mercy and grace of God, like everyone else. 

When we look at Jesus on the cross, may we realize that each time we terminate life, we crucify God. Amen.