Here is the text of the homily I prepared for this weekend's celebrations with God's people: some thoughts about the passion that we should all seek to develop in order to better share the truth of God's love with others.
This week, the scriptures provide us with examples of passionate commitment. In the first reading, we hear the story of Jeremiah, someone who wasn't afraid to stand with the Lord. When he dared to speak God's truth to a stubborn, corrupt king, he was thrown down a well (cf Jer 38:6) and left there to die, yet this did not deter him from his commitment to doing what God had asked of him.
This past week, we celebrated the Liturgical Memorial of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest who lived in the early part of the 20th century. Passionately committed to promoting devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he established and supervised a monastery near Warsaw, operated an amateur radio station and was involved in many other organizations and publications, each one of them aimed at promoting faith among God's people. During the second World War, he was imprisoned at Auschwitz. There he volunteered to take the place of another man who had been condemned to die. He is now part of the great cloud of witnesses (cf Heb 12:1), people of faith who have given their lives for the gospel.
In today's gospel, Jesus says that he will bring division, not peace (cf Lk 12:51). When we face a hostile reaction for choosing to follow Christ, we are challenged to go deeper into the heart of Jesus. How do we contend with the cross of insults, gossip, broken relationships and family quarrels? The writer of the letter to the Hebrews challenges us to look to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). Jesus presents us blameless before his Father. Sometimes, along the road that leads us to our ultimate goal, we encounter humiliation, but this is the road that leads us to eternity.
The Holy Spirit provides us with the skills we need to remain committed to following Jesus. We can even accept suffering if we understand it as having redemptive value according to God's plan. If we truly embrace this truth, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (cf Phil 4:13).
With passion
This week, the scriptures provide us with examples of passionate commitment. In the first reading, we hear the story of Jeremiah, someone who wasn't afraid to stand with the Lord. When he dared to speak God's truth to a stubborn, corrupt king, he was thrown down a well (cf Jer 38:6) and left there to die, yet this did not deter him from his commitment to doing what God had asked of him.
This past week, we celebrated the Liturgical Memorial of Saint Maximillian Kolbe, a Polish Franciscan priest who lived in the early part of the 20th century. Passionately committed to promoting devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, he established and supervised a monastery near Warsaw, operated an amateur radio station and was involved in many other organizations and publications, each one of them aimed at promoting faith among God's people. During the second World War, he was imprisoned at Auschwitz. There he volunteered to take the place of another man who had been condemned to die. He is now part of the great cloud of witnesses (cf Heb 12:1), people of faith who have given their lives for the gospel.
In today's gospel, Jesus says that he will bring division, not peace (cf Lk 12:51). When we face a hostile reaction for choosing to follow Christ, we are challenged to go deeper into the heart of Jesus. How do we contend with the cross of insults, gossip, broken relationships and family quarrels? The writer of the letter to the Hebrews challenges us to look to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2). Jesus presents us blameless before his Father. Sometimes, along the road that leads us to our ultimate goal, we encounter humiliation, but this is the road that leads us to eternity.
The Holy Spirit provides us with the skills we need to remain committed to following Jesus. We can even accept suffering if we understand it as having redemptive value according to God's plan. If we truly embrace this truth, we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength (cf Phil 4:13).
Avec passion
Cette semaine, les Saintes Écritures nous fournissent des exemples d’engagement passionné. Lors de la première lecture, nous avons entendu l'histoire de Jérémie, quelqu'un qui n'avait pas peur de rester avec le Seigneur. Quand il a osé dire la vérité de Dieu à un roi têtu et corrompu, il a été jeté dans un puits (cf Jr 38: 6) et on l'a laissé là pour y mourir, mais cela ne l'a pas empêché de s'engager à faire ce que Dieu lui avait demandé.
La semaine dernière, nous avons célébré la mémoire liturgique de Saint Maximilien Kolbe, un prêtre franciscain polonais qui a vécu au début du XXe siècle. Passionné par la promotion de la dévotion au Cœur Immaculé de Marie, il fonda et dirigea un monastère près de Varsovie. De plus, il dirigea un poste de radio amateur et il participa à de nombreuses autres organisations et publications, chacune visant à promouvoir la foi parmi le peuple de Dieu. Pendant la deuxième guerre mondiale, il a été emprisonné à Auschwitz. Là, il s'est porté volontaire pour prendre la place d'un autre homme condamné à mort. Il fait maintenant partie de l'immense nuée de témoins (cf Heb 12: 1), des personnes de foi qui ont donné leur vie à cause de l'évangile.
Dans l'évangile d'aujourd'hui, Jésus dit qu'il apportera la division, pas la paix (cf Lc 12, 51). Lorsque nous sommes confrontés à une réaction hostile pour avoir choisi de suivre le Christ, nous sommes invités à aller plus loin dans le cœur de Jésus. Comment pouvons-nous faire face à la croix des insultes, des commérages, des relations brisées et des disputes en famille? L'auteur de la lettre aux Hébreux nous met au défi de nous tourner vers Jésus, qui est à l'origine et au terme de la foi (He 12: 2). Jésus nous présente irréprochables devant son Père. Parfois, le long du chemin qui nous mène à notre objectif ultime, nous rencontrons l'humiliation, mais c'est le chemin qui nous mène à l'éternité.
Le Saint-Esprit nous fournit les compétences dont nous avons besoin pour rester engagés à suivre Jésus. Nous pouvons même accepter la souffrance si nous la comprenons comme ayant une valeur rédemptrice conformément au plan de Dieu. Si nous embrassons réellement cette vérité, nous pouvons tout faire par le biais du Christ qui nous donne la force (cf Phil 4:13).
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