Homily - Sunday
Deacon David Lewis
Saint Charles Catholic Church, Imperial Beach / San Diego, CA
We have a lot
of people here on earth that we can look to for guidance, as mentors, and role
models.
One of the
people I like to look at is Pope Francis, he has done some things that I really
think emulate Christ. Pope Francis is sometimes controversial, he does some
things that make some people uncomfortable, and he does some things that make
me uncomfortable. But most of the time, when I dig deeper, and get beyond what
was reported on the news, I find that what he has done or said is usually more
Christ-like than I gave him credit for at first glance. Exercising humility, and
love for the marginalized are often at the center of his message.
I also like to
look to my parents and in-laws; my father turns 79 years old today with my
mother is just a few months behind. I am blessed that three of the four of them
are still with us, and I can look at the lives they lived and are still living,
and look for ways to mimic them, such as humility, volunteerism, and a nearly
reflexive desire to serve the needs of others.
But I think
the best to emulate, to follow, are the Saints, they have died living a life
that was pleasing to God. And they also lived lives mimicking Christ, loving
others, healing others, exercising humility, and in some cases even dying for
their faith. What I love most about the Saints are that their backgrounds are
as varied as ours, and we can often find one with similarities to our own life.
In today’s
Gospel Jesus tells us he is going to send an advocate. Someone to journey with
us, to give us counsel, the Holy Spirit. And the help is going to be needed. if
we are going to live our lives emulating the Saints, if we are going to be Christians
in the truest since of the word and follow Christ’s example, we are going to need
all the help we can get.
We are going to need to use all
seven of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to make right judgements with our wisdom,
understanding, and knowledge, to have fortitude to stand up for what is right in
order to give reverence to God, for whom we have wonder and awe. By using these
gifts of the Holy spirit, we can stand apart from those tempting us toward sin,
and be the example of what is right, to live like a Saint.
Living like a Saint may sound
unobtainable. In fact I bet if you were able to turn back time, and approach of
each of the Saints themselves, they would each tell you “I am no Saint” But
being a Saint is obtainable, or we wouldn’t have Saints. Each of you has the opportunity,
the ability, and the gifts to make the decision to be a Saint.
It starts with the simplest things:
What words do we choose, are our words sweet, or sour? How do I choose to look
at the world, with an attitude of gratitude, or do we let pessimism and doubt
rule us? It works to bigger things, what
are the things we allow into our bodies, do we listen to music that lifts us,
do we listen to talk radio that unites us, or do we allow vulgarity, and music
that is far from the message of Christ to enter into our bodies, and messages
of hate and distrust of others? The television we watch, does it make us a
better version of yourself, or is it something we wouldn’t want our children
emulating? And ultimately our choices to live like a Saint, mean that we have
to make some tough decisions, such as the places, and people we work for and
with, do we surround ourselves with people seeking holiness? Do we try to
surround our children with people seeking holiness, with a Catholic education
for them? The easiest way to live a holy
life, is to have people making holy decision next to you. Especially in our own
homes, with our family, it is our goal that our spouse, and our children become
holy too, that they are encouraged to strive to become Saints.
The world we live in may not
recognize the holy spirit that is guiding and leading you to make holy
decisions, but it will see that your decisions may be a bit different, saintly
even, and THAT, they will recognize. Some people in our world will see those
differences as the solution towards the
lasting happiness that they are seeking, others will feel threatened as they
desire to live for the flesh, for pleasures, and the false temporary happiness
that such a life delivers.
So I encourage you to seek the Holy
Spirit when making decisions, but also seek a Saint to emulate, even if
partially as we grow toward holiness. Seek to find how the Saints lived lives
in the world that did not accept the Spirit of Truth, but somehow, they
persevered in holiness. And lastly I encourage to make your homes domestic
Churches, with the radios, iPads, smartphones, and TVs within your homes tuned
to opportunities to grow in holiness for you and your families. Every step
toward holiness is a in the right direction.
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