Don Bosco Philippines South Province

Homily on the 26th Sunday in OT, 29 September 2024, SJBP Cotcot, Liloan

Recently a certain woman had a disturbing conversation with her 11-year old son. That day her son actually noticed that she was fuming mad at someone she was talking with over the phone. And so when the phone conversation ended, her son came up to her and asked why she had to be so mean and so mad at the person on the other end of the line. She reasoned out to the child saying that for the third time she had been following up that company to fix the internet in her office and she just couldn’t wait for another week. And she said to her son “If you were in my place you too would surely get mad.”

After hearing those words, the child looked at his mom sternly and said “Mommy, if I were in your place, I would rather wait for another week rather than commit a sin.” Her son’s words kept re-echoing in her mind “…if I were in your place, I would rather wait for another week rather than commit a sin.”

May I ask the children and youth here present: who among you have been told not do a certain thing because it was bad or it was a sin? (Please raise your hands.) Good! I see there are a good number. Thank you for your honesty. Thank God you have parents concerned about your good.

Now may I ask the adults: Who among you have been told by a child not do a certain thing because it was a sin? (Please raise your hands.) Wow! I see so many hands. Amazing! I wasn’t expecting that. Thank you for being honest!

It is normal for children and youth to be told by their parents not to do things that are bad and sinful. But for adults to be taught by their children about what they should do or not do is something very extraordinary.

Dear brothers and sisters, we have come together this morning to thank, praise and worship God for all the blessings of this past week. But, let us look into ourselves and ask: is there anything we have done recently or in the past that makes us feel ashamed and unworthy to sit or stand before God today? This is the moment when in the silence of our hearts we can listen and reflect on what God might be telling us.

If you recall last week the apostles were somehow reprimanded by Jesus because they were acting like children arguing among themselves who was the greatest. And so he took a little child and, placing him in their midst, taught them ironically an important lesson.

In the gospel we have just heard today we see Jesus once again teaching his apostles not to act in childish ways. What actually happened was that someone not part of their group was driving out demons using the name of Jesus. And so they tried to stop him because he was not one of Jesus’ disciples. John thought that by reporting this to Jesus they would get Jesus’ approval. But, no! On the contrary Jesus must have expressed his disappointment and had to tell them not to stop that stranger who was actually not against them but for them.

We realize therefore that at one moment Jesus can be very tolerant and even inclusive. For him even if certain persons do not really belong to their group or company, for as long as they do something genuinely good, they remain on their side and could still win God’s favour. That is why we Catholics should be very tolerant with non-Catholics who strive to do what is genuinely good and continue Jesus’ mission of salvation in their own way.

At another moment, however, Jesus in this same gospel passage can sound very strict and uncompromising. While he approves anyone who does what is good, he abhors any of his disciples who causes scandal and thus leads any of the little ones to sin. He went as far as saying “It would be better for him if a great millstone was put around his neck and he was thrown into the sea.”

Do you know what a millstone is? It is a big rock formed into a wheel for the purpose of grinding grain. And how heavy could it be? Well, it really depends on its size. But those used in the time of Jesus could weigh as heavy as 700 kgs. or more (that is around ten times the weight of many of us). So, can you imagine, if a 700 kg. millstone is tied securely around your neck and throne into the sea, do you think you can still be saved?

What Jesus is driving at is simply the dreadful burden of sin and the horror of causing scandal to others. Of course Jesus does not desire in anyway the condemnation of anyone. But if any Christian would persist in sin and even cause others – especially the children and the weak – to commit sin, he or she should be ready to face the dreadful consequence of his or her scandalous misconduct. This sounds bad news, right?

That is why Jesus is teaching us that we his followers should cut off in our lives whatever causes us to sin, whether illicit relationships , vices such as gambling, substance addiction or anything connected to specific parts of our bodies. We cannot afford to keep these from ruining our lives and eventually ruining the lives of others. The salvation of one’s soul in eternity is of prime importance compared to one’s bodily health and happiness here on earth.

Don Bosco, our patron, often tried to echo this teaching to the young. In his talks he used to tell them about the ugliness of sin and the beauty of virtue.

The good news however is this: that the least act of charity we have done to someone who belongs to Christ will never go unrewarded. So, while we are emphatically taught to avoid sin, we are also called and encouraged to do good to all, especially to those most in need and to those who have offered their lives in the service of the gospel. Let us keep this in mind: God will never be outdone in generosity.

Yesterday, September 28 we celebrated the memorial of San Lorenzo Ruiz, our first Filipino saint. Next year following the decision of our bishops, the whole country will celebrate it as a big feast, with “Glory to God in the Highest” being sung during the Mass. San Lorenzo showed himself to be genuinely a Christian when he chose to cling to Christ rather than to his dear life. When he was captured by his Japanese persecutors, he was actually given the choice to renounce his Christian faith so he could save his life. He in fact asked those guarding him if it was true that they would release him to freedom if he would renounce his faith. We can only imagine how much he longed to come back to the Philippines to be re-united with his wife and children.

However after much prayer and reflection, he made up his mind and chose to be faithful to Christ, rather than have his life and freedom back. So when he was finally asked by the governor: “Will you renounce your faith if we grant you life?” Lorenzo Ruiz replied, “That I will never do, because I am a Christian, and I shall die for God, and for him I will give many thousands of lives if I had them. And so, do with me as you please.” With that, they tortured him all the more until he finally succumbed to death, hanging upside down with his head inside a hole on the ground filled with human waste. San Lorenzo Ruiz died as a martyr faithful to Christ and hopeful of receiving a great reward in heaven. We Filipino Christians can also do the same. We really have within us what it takes to become saints.

And so going back to my story earlier regarding a woman’s conversation with her son, I ask you now, will you too, like that little boy, be willing to wait for another week rather than commit a sin? May this Eucharist empower us to do anything for the Lord except sin. GiGsss!

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