💖 HOMILY - JUNE 19 💖

First Reading - 2 Corinthians 11:1-11

Gospel - Matthew 6:7-15

Aristotle once said, “Human being is a social animal.” While this truth acknowledges our natural need to live and grow within community, the readings of today invite us to take that even further—to become deeply relational people through a life of prayer. Because it is not just our human instinct that draws us to others; it is God’s grace, working through prayer, that truly makes us relational—loving, forgiving, and united in spirit.

In the first reading, St. Paul models what it means to care deeply for a community. His relationship with the Corinthians is not simply that of a teacher or preacher—it is paternal, intimate, and protective. He reminds them that he introduced them to Christ and, by their faith, they are now espoused to Him. But with fatherly concern, Paul also warns them: false teachings and deceptive voices are threatening their relationship with Christ. This is not just doctrine; this is personal. Paul’s love is evident. He feels responsible, not just for their faith, but for their spiritual well-being. This is what prayer does—it sensitizes us to the needs and dangers in the lives of others. It makes us relational in the truest Christian sense.

In the Gospel, Jesus gives us the most profound expression of relational prayer: the Lord’s Prayer. It is not a private monologue; it is a communal conversation with God as “Our Father.” That one word—our—changes everything. It reminds us that we do not pray in isolation. We pray as brothers and sisters, as one family under God.

The Our Father teaches us three essential relationships. First, with God: we call Him Father—not a distant ruler, but a loving parent, close and approachable. Yet we also revere Him, surrendering to His will and glorifying His name. Second, with ourselves: we learn to depend on God for our daily sustenance, strength in temptation, and mercy in our sins. And third, with others: we are taught to forgive as we are forgiven. That is the hinge of the entire prayer—our relationship with God is tied to our relationship with one another. If we withhold forgiveness from others, we block God’s mercy in our own lives.

Dear friends, today we are reminded that prayer is not just about speaking to God. It is about becoming like Him—relational, loving, and merciful. True prayer makes us more human, not less. It deepens our empathy, awakens our concern, and stretches our hearts to embrace even those who hurt us. St. Paul’s concern for the Corinthians wasn’t just theological—it was a fruit of prayerful love. He was attentive, alert, and ready to act.

Jesus invites us to make every prayer an encounter—an encounter with the Father, with our true selves, and with others. If our prayer does not lead us to love more, forgive more, and care more, then it needs to go deeper.

Let us then approach prayer not just as a duty, but as a grace—a grace that molds us into better sons and daughters of God, and better brothers and sisters to one another.

May our prayer life make us more relational, more loving, and more like Jesus.