💖 HOMILY - MAY 20 💖

First Reading - Acts 18:23-28

Gospel - John 16:23-28

Faith is not only confined to our spiritual life but it also encompasses our every sphere of life. Therefore, it's important that we should allow our faith to touch and tranform our every part of life. The readings of today invite us to translate our faith into life itself.

The first reading presents to us a vigorous personality in Apollos who fervently preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. The passage points out two beautiful points connected to Apollos; firstly, Apollos is seen in action with spiritual earnestness, and; secondly, he is made able by God's grace to help the believers. The spiritual earnestness is evident in Apollos in order to preach the gospel without fear and with conviction refuting Jews who picked up arguments with him. He was given the gift to guide and lead the believers to faith in Jesus by showing them Jesus as the Christ according to the Scriptures.

The gospel passage encourages us to develop an intimate relationship with the Father through Jesus; this intimate relationship is seen in the manner of relating to the Father in prayer. Jesus exhorts his followers to approach the Father in prayer by making their needs known to Him in his name. He also further assures them that the Father will certainly answer their requests. The exhortation to ask Father refers to the intimacy of relationship that has been already established by Jesus between the Father and the believers through faith and love.

Dear friends, there is no doubt regarding our faith in Jesus but today's readings are challenging us to translate our faith into an intimate relationship with the Father and that to be seen in our spiritual fervor. Our prayers should become occasions of our relationship with the Father and not mere empty words. Let's deepen our relationship with the Father in prayer as Jesus is our mediator in doing so. Therefore, when we pray, we need to remember that our prayers should not become mere empty words without attention and thoughts rather they should become our prayers with conviction and faith, hence, we will be able to relate to the Father.

We are also reminded today that our faith is indeed one-sided without our spiritual fervour. Therefore, we should always try our best to actively participate in our spiritual activities and spiritual exercises which manifest our spiritual fervour. Our withdrawal from spiritual exercises can make us dull and lethargic in our faith as well. Let's learn from Apollos who exhibited great spiritual fervor for Christ and the gospel.

May God help us grow in our faith and in our spiritual zeal.