Homily: Wednesday - 4th Week of Easter 2016 - Living Faith and Mercy

Yesterday, we heard in the book of Acts about that Breakthrough moment, where the Gospel begins to be preached and received by the Gentiles.  Today we hear of the inauguration of Saint Paul’s first missionary journey—the first of three—a sojourn of about a 1000 miles.  This first journey is going to take Paul and Barnabas through some pretty dangerous territory.

Yesterday, I spoke about breakthrough moments that are needed in spreading the faith—the need to go outside of our comfort zone to spread the faith. Today, we consider the great readiness and courage of Saints Paul and Barnabas to take up this mission.  Think of how strong their faith must have been: faith that would impel them through rapid rivers, steep mountains, malaria-plagued lowlands, and bandit-ridden roads.

In the Gospel today, Jesus speaks about the important of faith—faith that hears Jesus’ words and observes them, faith that brings light in darkness.

Saint Margaret Mary said, “faith is the torch which illuminates, animates, and sustains you, so that all your actions and sufferings may be for God.”

Remember, a few years ago, Pope Benedict opened a Holy Year of Faith.  He invited us during that year to study our faith and spread the faith.  “Faith grows,” Pope Benedict said, “when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy.” Pope Francis, during this Year of Mercy, has called us to this same sort of living faith—faith that is lived through concrete acts of mercy.

Conversion to the Lord entails turning towards others, to bring the Lord more deeply into their lives. When we look to our neighbor in need with charity, we begin to see with the eyes of Christ. Pope Francis said, “Jesus [has] made mercy…a criterion for the credibility of our faith: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7): [is] the beatitude to which we should particularly aspire in this Holy Year.”

May we work to spread the light of the Gospel in a world grown so dark, through concrete acts of love and mercy, enduring hardship for the sake of our neighbor, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.