💖 HOMILY - JULY 25 💖

FEAST OF SAINT JAMES, APOSTLE 

First Reading - 2 Corinthians 4:7-15

Gospel - Matthew 20:20-28

Many times, we want to avoid the difficulties and hardships of our lives. Today, the readings remind us that they are unavoidable, but we need to cultivate virtues to stand strong against such situations.

In the first reading, Paul uses the image of a game to encourage the Corinthians to stand firm in their faith. Every two years at Corinth, the Isthmian Games were held, more famous in the ancient world than the Olympic Games—better prizes, easier access, better attractions, and more distinction. Paul would have been familiar with this from his stay in Corinth and, as a tent-maker, may have made tents for the tented village of the competitors. The games included rough sports like boxing, wrestling, and even gladiatorial contests, so competitors and spectators would have known all about pursuits, being knocked down and scarred, and possibly even deaths. The Christian is not daunted but, like a courageous gladiator, springs up and carries on through all difficulties. The courage to face difficulties comes from the virtue of humility, which gives patience to endure everything.

Jesus further elaborates the virtue of humility in the gospel passage of the day. The gospel passage is sandwiched between two different themes: Jesus' prediction of his passion and the request for posts for James and John by their mother. The request for posts by the mother of James and John and the indignation on the part of the disciples, after hearing the matter, depict the mistaken understanding of the disciples about Jesus, who they expected to be a political Messiah for the people of Israel. Jesus, at the beginning of this passage, makes a prophecy of his passion but, realizing the mistaken image of the disciples, once again underlines that he is not a political Messiah but rather a suffering Messiah who would die for the salvation of humanity. Therefore, the disciples are invited to follow Jesus in his suffering and humility, as he himself is willing to die in the service of humanity. Jesus tells his disciples that humility is to be manifested in the humble service of one another. Here, Jesus teaches how to lay the foundation of humility; it is through serving one another.

Dear friends, hardships and challenges are inevitable for us. However, we can pray to God for patience and courage to face them. In the first reading, Paul highlights the unavoidable circumstances of difficulties and challenges in life and exhorts Christians to cultivate patience and courage to endure them. We also need patience and courage when we are faced with challenges and difficulties in our lives. Jesus, in the gospel, elaborates that patience and courage emanate from humility, and the virtue of humility is derived from a genuine life of humble service to one another or through our loving relationship of service to one another. Jesus himself sets an example of humble service by his passion and death. Let's work on the virtue of humility by disposing ourselves in the service of our brothers and sisters.

May God bless us with the virtue of humility.