Homily: June 30, 2023, Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time.

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 “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said…”

This was how our first reading began today. God promised Abram when he was already 99 years old, that he would have a son with his 89 year-old wife, Sarah. I kept thinking to myself, “why did God wait till Abram was 99?” God could have appeared to him much earlier and given him a son when he was in his 20’s or 30’s. Why so late?

Similarly with Moses. Why did God wait till Moses was 80 years old to call him into the mission of delivering the Israelites out of slavery? Moses could have done a much better job if he was younger in his 30s or even 40s.

Another one is St. Paul. He was persecuting the Christians for so long before his conversion. If he had had that powerful encounter with Jesus earlier, many Christians would not have suffered so much, and Paul would have been less of a sinner.

Why did God take so long to act?

Honestly, I do not know the answer. I don’t think anybody knows. None of my seminary professors have told us. But we all know that God’s time is not our time, His ways are not our ways, His plans are incomprehensible to our limited understanding.

In our logic, it looks like God is taking His own sweet time, but in truth, He could have been doing a lot more in the silence, He could have been preparing someone behind the scenes.

Just because we do not see, does not mean God is not in action. Just because we do not hear, does not mean God is not speaking. Just because we do not feel, does not mean God is not present.

Again, we are reminded to trust God. He knows the best time, the best way, He has the best plan.

So, let us throw ourselves into His faithful providence, submit ourselves to his loving will. He will not abandon us, He will lead us, if we will just listen and follow.

Lord God, I trust in you. Amen.


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March 1, 2025: First Holy Communion Homily: St. Joseph's Catholic Church Seffner, Florida

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