Golden Gateway to Greatness
Homily on Wednesday, Third Week of Lent; 26 March 2025, DBPH Chapel, Talamban
With joy in our hearts we offer this Holy Mass in thanksgiving to God for the gift of a new Rector Major in the person of Fr Fabio Attard, SDB. This came as a joyful surprise for all of us because even if Fr Fabio was not participating in the ongoing General Chapter of the Salesians of Don Bosco, after an intense journey of synodal discernment he was the one elected by the 220 provincials and delegates gathered in our Mother House in Turin. And we are so grateful that, entrusting himself to Mary Help of Christians, he willingly accepted the ministerial role of leading and animating for the next six years our congregation of 13,750 Salesian fathers and brothers serving in 92 Provinces across all continents. As we offer this Eucharistic sacrifice, let us pray for him and his new ministry in the Congregation.
In today’s gospel reading, we hear Jesus speak about the golden gateway to greatness, that is, to observe the commands and to teach them to others.
He said “Whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” However Jesus also spoke about the opposite truth: “Whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven.”
This implies therefore that our Lenten observances should not only be limited to prayers, penances and almsgiving, but should also include teaching the ignorant and bringing sinners back to God. In the eyes of God the spiritual works of mercy are as important as the corporal works of mercy. And according to Jesus himself the golden gateway to greatness is not only to be the servant of all but also to be at the service of the Gospel. More precisely, it means to guide others to keep God’s commands, to teach them to distinguish what is morally right from what is morally wrong, what is intrinsically good from what is intrinsically evil, and thus empower them choose the good, the right and the holy, and everything that is pleasing in God’s sight.
May this Holy Mass encourage us and empower us to teach, educate and guide others, esp. the ignorant, the misinformed and the wayward including kids and young people to always follow the right path as solemnly taught by Jesus, and to do only what is good, holy and pleasing in God’s eyes. By doing so, we ourselves will surely have the joy of being numbered among the greatest in the Kingdom of God. GiGsss!
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