Homily: March 20, 2024 Fifth Monday in Lent (Abraham's work)

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 Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing the works of Abraham.”

Traditionally, children often follow the trades of their parents, learning the craft and skills and attitude. Apprenticeship was the prevalent education system.

So, what were the works of Abraham? What did he do? Searching scripture for the answer, James 2:23 says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God.”

All of Abraham’s works were works of faith; it was not ‘what’ he did, but ‘how’ he lived. He lived in faithfulness to God, he lived in close relationship with God. His faithfulness made him the father of all the faithful for generations and generations.

His faithfulness caused him to believe in God and in the impossible. When God called him out of his homeland, his birthplace and to move to an unknown distant land, promising him a child in his very old age, and having descendants like the stars of heaven. These were very impossible to believe, but Abraham did and was faithful to the end even though he died without seeing all the outcome of God’s promises.

Jesus’ argument is, if the Pharisees considered themselves the children of Abraham, then they should follow in the footsteps of their father of faith, to believe in Jesus as Abraham believed in God. But instead, they found trouble with Him and was plotting to kill him.

Many people of faith have faced the same persecution by religious leaders from within the church. If you know the life of St. Frances Cabrini, that she faced strong and powerful disapprovals from church authorities, including the Pope, the Cardinal, and the Archbishop. They had no faith in her. However, her faith in God was stronger and more powerful and so she accomplished the mission entrusted to her by God.

Mother Angelica, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, also had their share of struggles from authorities who lacked the vision of true faith but were blinded by their own intellectual reasonings. 

When the powerful God of Daniel saved them from burning in fire, King Nebuchadnezzar’s eyes were opened to the truth.

May our church leaders be always open to the divine inspirations of their church people, especially those who are called for specific missions.

May we, children of God, do the works of our heavenly Father, to love one another as He has loved us. Amen.


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