Pope Francis during his general audience on 25th January 2023, said, “if anyone asks me the best way to meet Jesus, I would say be needy. Be needy for grace, needy for forgiveness, needy for joy, needy for whatever you need...you can fill that with what you are needy for. This is the only way Jeus will draw near to us.”
Faith Exercised in Love
My heart yearns for the truth about God, yet my mind is tempted to rely on self-sufficient. Knowledge which does look at the limitedness of my nature. This is the human knowledge that praises self-glory without noticing suffering neighbor, a sick brother or sister, an elderly parent and spouse who is longing for the other spouse’s love. The letter of John today tells us if we act like this, we are liars. If we ignore the suffering, the longing of those around us we are far from God. Is the world not praising the glory of success without charity? Is the world not seeing charity as an excess than sacrifice and love? The first letter of John today tells us “Whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.” As believers we must conquer these ideologies against faith exercised in love as letter of St James tells us, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works (Jam 2:18).”
Love is forgiveness; it endures, is permanent and promotes reconciliation and harmony. It is assumed easier to create a boundary than reconciling with one another. However, reconciliation brings healing, peace, and harmony.
We Are Fragile Without God
Therefore, the message of Jesus in the Gospel today is so true and important to us. We are needy. We need God’s liberation every day. As St Augustine says the concupiscence of sin is inbuild in us that makes us gratify the temptations leading to sin. We are in need of liberty, true freedom from God. This is the reason the Church is a hospital, and we are the patients.
We are needy of God’s salvation. We must be poor in our hearts. We need God every day in our lives. We are fragile without God. We can do nothing, like the psalmist says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain (Psalm 127:1).” Jesus is the only one who can give us true freedom, and he is the only one who can satisfy our longing.
Jesus tells us “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart (Jn 7:37-38).”
Jesus Opens Our Eyes and Minds
When we rely on our powers or thinking of self-sufficient we become blind, we always need Jesus to open our eyes and minds. St. Alphonsus of Liquori says that “He who trusts in himself is lost. He who trusts in God can do all things. What does it cost us to say, ‘My God help me! Have mercy on me!’ Is there anything easier than this? And this little will suffice to save us if we be diligent in doing it...'"
- Today’s Readings
- Father Joachim's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
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