Homily

In today's epistle St. Paul tells us that we should use the gifts that we have been given to build up the Body of Christ, the Church. He says we ought to hate what is evil and hold on to what is good, loving one another with fraternal charity and to be zealous, fervent, hopeful, hospitable and prayerful. It’s quite a list. It’s a great checklist for Christian living. It’s a great checklist for parish life.

But, dear friends, I would like to point out that there is a danger in thinking about a list of actions such as this, a danger of misunderstanding. I think we are always tempted to believe that our value as people, indeed, even our value as Christians, lies in what we do, and how well we do it. The Gold Medal marathon race winner at the World Athletics Championship, the CEO of a huge company, the best-selling country singer, the top box office actor, the valedictorian at graduation; these and many other people have risen to the top in one way or another because of what they have done. We ourselves strive to do good, to do our best, at least much of the time. We want to do good in our marriages and family life, good at our jobs, to perform well, to act well. And of course, that is good—very good. But there is a danger there as well.

The danger is in thinking that our value lies in what we do, and what we accomplish, and what we achieve, and how well we do that. To think that way is dangerous because it is not true. We were of infinite value from the moment of our conception because we came into being by God’s design, made in His image and likeness. It is hard for us to imagine, but each one of us came into being as an act of love between our parents, but also as an act of God’s love, and each one of us is intimately and totally loved by God, each of us the same. I think of every good parent who holds their newborn baby in their arms and loves that child, even though that child has not done a single thing to earn that love. Even more so, the Lord’s love for us does not depend on what we do, or how well we do it. He loves us, each and every one, despite the fact that we often neglect Him, or turn away from Him, or are ungrateful and uncaring in return. Even so, His love for us does not waver.

And more than that—we who have been baptized have been invited into the very own divine life of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. So much more even than just as creatures of God, we become sons and daughters of God, adopted by grace, and fueled by holiness. We have been called to live forever in the presence of the Holy Trinity—to love the Lord forever—He Who has loved us first. This is the great dignity, the great treasure, the true foundation of our life—or at least it should be.

We forget. We become caught up in a life of doing things, both good and bad, and run the risk of forgetting our true worth in the eyes of God. When that happens then we are tempted to create our own set of values and decide for ourselves what makes us worth something—what makes us valuable. We run after other goods, and even things that are not good, in order to try and increase what we think is the value of our lives.

But unless we clearly live according to our genuine, God-given vocation we are in danger of becoming hopelessly lost, and we even risk letting the Lord out of our sight.

And it can also often happen that we find it hard to believe that the Lord can love us so completely, because we see ourselves as so weak and flawed and inadequate. How can He love someone like me in my sad state? I believe it by faith, but it is still hard to wrap my mind around this truth, because in the rest of life where there is human weakness and sin, I do not find this perfect love. But God loves me.

Yes, it is true—we are meant to work and strive for virtue and holiness and to hate what is evil, as St. Paul instructs us today. This is our vocation. This is how we allow God’s own divine life to enter more deeply into our own lives. And we will be judged by our choices and actions; Scripture is clear on that. But, dear friends, along with all of that how important it is to remember that God loved you first and does still. And this should give us pause today and let us ask ourselves, “Will I love Him back?” One of the great ways to love the Lord God back is to do what He asks of us, as St. Paul encourages us in his letter:

When you give, you should give generously from the heart; if you are put in charge, you must be conscientious; if you do works of mercy, let it be because you enjoy doing them. Let love be without any pretense. Avoid what is evil; stick to what is good. In brotherly love let your feelings of deep affection for one another come to expression and regard others as more important than yourself. In the service of the Lord, work not halfheartedly but with conscientiousness and an eager spirit. Be joyful in hope, persevere in hardship; keep praying regularly; share with any of God's holy people who are in need; look for opportunities to be hospitable. Bless your persecutors; never curse them, bless them.

These are some of the ways in which we can concretely express our love for the Lord.

We live in a world that is becoming more and more utilitarian in its values. If you cannot stand up and fight for yourself because you are too young, or too old, or unable to make your case for some other reason, your life is at risk. But if we know the true value of every human life then not only can we speak for those who cannot speak, but we can also share the good news of the Gospel with those who have not heard it or have not listened to it—You are loved by God. It is your glory, your hope and the true goal of your life to live in that love, and then, dear friends, to love Him back. Let us choose to love the Lord God today, in Jesus Christ our Savior, the Lover of Mankind.