Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Homily: Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Advent - Actions speak louder than words

The prophet Zepheniah spoke woe to the rebellious, polluted, tyrannical city. The Advent season is meant to transform that city, and transform that cities inhabitants.  And in the Gospel today, we see just what that transformation is meant to look like. 

In the parable of the two sons, we see a very common attitude characterized: those who say “Yes, Lord” with their lips, but, in fact, don’t do what the Lord asks of them.  Advent is meant to transform our lip-service into…actual service.  Elsewhere in the Gospel, Jesus claims that his followers aren’t merely those who cry out to him, “Lord, Lord”; his followers are the ones who “do the will of his heavenly Father.” Jesus' Gospel parable makes it clear that obedient service, not lip-service, is what pleases God.

Half-way through Advent now, we’ve called for the Lord to enter into our life in a radical way many times now: “Come, Come Emmanuel”, “Come, Lord Jesus Come”, “Maranatha”.  But these prayers will remain mere lip-service, unless they lead to obedient service to God.

There were many in Jesus’ day who appeared to be saying “no” to God with their actions, the tax-collectors and prostitutes, but upon hearing the call to repentance preached by John the Baptist and by Jesus himself, turned their life over to God. And there were many who claimed to be saying “yes” to God, namely the Temple hierarchy, who when hearing the call to change, they rejected both John and Jesus.

In what part of my life is Jesus challenging me to change? to be more respectful or more generous with my neighbor, to be more generous to God with my time in order to enter into the life-changing prayer God wants for me? To give up certain vices or attitudes which take away my joy? To give up the need of thinking I know better, or that I always have to get my way all the time?


Come Lord Jesus, transform our rebellious, polluted, tyrannical hearts into hearts obedient, pure, and full of peace and charity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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