Homily: June 20, 2025, Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Sacrifice)

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“And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

Did you follow closely today’s first reading?

Could you empathize with the hardships St. Paul had endured in his ministry?

He lamented: “Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked.”

And that’s not even half the list!

But here’s something more amazing: Despite the many troubles Paul suffered, he never gave up. He didn’t quit. He kept preaching the Gospel, he continued converting people and building the Church. He was faithful till the end, till he was beheaded in Rome.

Why did he have to suffer so much hardship?

Why didn’t God intervene and block off all those troubles?

Wouldn’t the mission be more efficient and reap greater results if his mission was smooth sailing and trouble-free?

Maybe, maybe not.

The fact is, the church did grow exponentially during those times when there were extreme persecutions, when the apostles were tortured and killed, when the saints and martyrs died for their faith.

Now looking at the comfortable pace and almost persecution-free environment our ministers are preaching in, the church is growing much slower.

I remember one particularly difficult day I had when everything I did was challenging and nothing was going right. It was frustrating and I felt like giving up. Then a friend encouraged me that maybe there was grace coming through all those troubles I faced.

Living for Christ is not a bed of roses. Since Christ is the head of the Church, and we are His Body, if the Head suffers, so will the Body. Those who follow Christ will share not only in His resurrection, but also in His suffering. And like Christ, we carry our crosses, not only for our own salvation, but for the salvation of others.

Jesus suffered on the cross to redeem the world.

Paul suffered in his mission to grow the church. So, if more Christians are willing to suffer for the sake of the faith, imagine how far the church can go in evangelizing the world.

Grace flows through wounds, sacrifice speeds up conversion. Let us not give up. Let us carry our crosses, and offer everything, our joys, our pains, our burdens, for the growth and strength of the Church, starting right here in our own parish. Amen.


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