💖 HOMILY - OCTOBER 30 💖

First Reading - Romans 8:31-39 

Gospel - Luke 13:31-35

Have you ever faced a moment when everything seemed against you—when life’s trials, disappointments, or even the actions of others made you question whether God was truly with you? In such moments, it’s easy to feel isolated or defeated. Yet today’s readings remind us of an unshakable truth: nothing and no one can separate us from the love of God. His love is steadfast, faithful, and victorious even when we face opposition or suffering.

In the first reading, Saint Paul proclaims one of the most powerful assurances in all of Scripture: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” He goes on to list all the forces that try to crush the human spirit—tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, danger, or sword—and yet insists that none of these can separate us from the love of Christ. Paul knew suffering intimately, yet his conviction was rooted not in human optimism but in divine certainty. The love of God revealed in Christ is not a feeling that comes and goes; it is a saving power that endures through every circumstance.

In the Gospel, Jesus Himself faces rejection and danger. Some Pharisees warn Him that Herod wants to kill Him, but Jesus responds with calm courage: “Go tell that fox, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my course.” Despite the threats and hostility, Jesus stays faithful to His mission of love. His lament over Jerusalem—“How often have I longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings”—reveals the tenderness of God’s heart. Even in rejection, His love never stops reaching out.

Dear friends, we find a message that is both comforting and challenging. God’s love does not shield us from trials; rather, it sustains us through them. Like Jesus, we may face misunderstanding or rejection when we try to live our faith. But like Paul, we can stand firm in the assurance that nothing—neither suffering nor fear, neither failure nor sin—can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In our daily lives, this means learning to live with confidence, not in ourselves, but in the God who loves us unconditionally. When we feel alone, His love surrounds us. When we are weary, His Spirit strengthens us. When the world seems against us, His grace carries us forward. The call today is to live with the same courage and compassion that Jesus showed—to keep loving, forgiving, and serving, even when it is difficult, trusting that love will always have the final word.

So, let us walk through life with the assurance that God is for us. No opposition, no failure, no fear can undo that truth. Let us live boldly, rooted in His love, confident that even when the world closes its doors, God’s heart remains open—inviting, sheltering, and saving all who come to Him.