💖 HOMILY - JULY 29 💖

First Reading - Exodus 24:3-8 

Gospel - John 11:19-27

It sounds unbelievable when we hear - God is amid us - particularly when we are through our difficult times and there seems no way out. What gives us hope in such situations is our faith. It's our faith that assures us that God is always with us. The readings of the day fill us with the experience of God's presence in our lives but to come to this realization, we need to reinforce our faith.

The first reading recounts the tie of the covenant established between God and the people. Moses mediates this bound. People enthusiastically profess their faith in God and vow to obey the Law of God enshrined in the book. However, this enthusiasm wanes slowly as the days pass and their faith shatter as they encounter the challenges in their lives. Therefore, to sustain our enthusiasm, we need a deeper conviction and faith.

The gospel draws our attention to a more tangible presence of God in our lives through Jesus. Martha believed that Jesus is the Son of God or he is God himself. This profession of faith becomes evident in the conversation she strikes with Jesus. Martha, at first, grieved by the death of his brother, questions Jesus about his absence - "if you had beed here my brother wouldn't have died" - This question is indeed replete with faith. The expression of her faith in Jesus become more personal and crystal with her profession of faith - "I believe that you are Christ ...". It's her faith that brought us a revelation that Jesus himself is the resurrection; meaning, he is the alpha and omega or beginning or end of our lives. It is the faith of Martha that resulted in the resuscitation of Lazarus her brother. It is her faith that made Jesus present in her life-situation. This is through of our faith where God becomes tangibly present in Jesus in our life-situations.

My dear friends, God is present amid us and is involved in our lives. God becomes tangibly present in our lives through the life of faith. God has also pitched His tent in our lives just as He did for the people of Israel. God has done this now through the Bible and the Sacraments, particularly the Sacrament of Eucharist. The Holy Bible makes God's presence alive in our lives for God speaks to us even today through it. The Sacrament of Eucharist makes Christ present in the small bread and after the reception of it makes Christ present in my body and in my life. In fact, Christ is tabernacled in our body which is a sign of His presence in our lives and in everything we do, feel, seek and desire. Hence, Christ becomes our constant companion of our journey in this life.

May God help us see His presence in our lives through the eyes of faith.