💖 HOMILY - OCTOBER 25 💖

First Reading - Romans 6:12-18

Gospel - Luke 12:39-48

We make many choices all through the day. Some choices leave lasting imprint on us but other choices don't affect us or affect us a little. The readings of today invite us to look into the choices we make everyday, whether they are in accordance with our Christian life or contrary to it; whether they help us to live our life better everyday or make it worse day by day.

In the first reading, Paul mentions about the autonomy of choices, we enjoy. He juxtaposes the choice of evil or sin on the one hand and the choice of righteousness on the other hand. The believers are counselled about the pros and cons of their choices. He stresses that the choice the believers make affect their lives. If they make a choice of sin, sin dominates and pervades all through the life of a person whereas by the choice of righteousness, righteousness pervades the life of a person. Paul also underlines the fact of grace of the righteousness which leads to righteous living by choice of the individual. However, the grace of righteousness does not negate our inclination to sin but both remain the choices of an individual. The choice of the individual makes the person slave to that, if sin is chosen, one becomes the slave to sin and if righteousness is chosen, one becomes slave to the righteous living or becomes the servant of God.

The gospel passage continues with the theme of the coming of the Lord. Yesterday, our focus was on the requirement of perseverance in our preparation for the coming of the Lord. Today, we move on to a step further in our preparation to the coming of the Lord as responsible living. In the gospel passage of today, Jesus continues with the message of the coming of the Lord. Jesus uses imageries to explain the imminent coming of the Lord or rather his own second coming; firstly, he explains his second coming like a thief which is unexpected and unpredictable, but the vigilance or preparedness is the expected quality required of us; secondly, he speaks about responsibly living our lives according to the demands as is depicted in the passage by the responsible steward. 

Responsibility is another value that is underlined after preparedness in the passage as required quality for the coming of the Lord. Jesus mentions that the master would reward the faithful servant after he finds him doing his work responsibly whereas the unfaithful would be punished. The responsibility is a value that is a choice of an individual. If an individual chooses to be responsible, he will remain so but he/she decides to skip the responsibility that person cannot become responsible.

Dear friends, what we are is the result of our choice. What we decide and choose determines our thoughts and actions. We have the faculty of Will that is free of external control and is sorely responsible for our choices. Consequently, we are held accountable for our actions. In the first reading, Paul urges us to choose the righteousness which will eventually determine our righteous actions. However, we are also free to choose otherwise but that will have negative consequences as is highlighted in the gospel.

The gospel of today urges us to be responsible for our duties. Whatever may our task and duty, we are to carry that out faithfully. This sense of responsibility is always rewarding. However, this also reminds us that to be responsible to our duty or not is a choice of us. Hence, let's choose what is good and pleasing in the sight of God and our choices will see a rewarding consequence at the end of our lives.

May God enlighten our mind to choose His ways in our lives.