Sunday Sermon

No one can serve two masters, as Christ Himself assures us. And yet what a number of those who believe in Christ, although they dare not, of course, contradict the Word of Christ in explicit terms, yet do so by their lives! They live as if they would like to serve both God and the world; they do not want to be at variance with God or the world.

No one can serve two masters, as Christ Himself assures us. And yet what a number of those who believe in Christ, although they dare not, of course, contradict the Word of Christ in explicit terms, yet do so by their lives! They live as if they would like to serve both God and the world; they do not want to be at variance with God or the world.

In this sermon podcast we learn that we should thank God for everything that comes into our life, the good and the bad. For God brings good out of evil and sends us tribulation for our own good.

The message in this Gospel reading is clear, The tax collector standing at the back of the Temple, who was humiliated in the eyes of the Pharisee was afraid even to lift his eyes towards Heaven; the only thing he knew to do was to humbly beg God’s forgiveness for his sins, which indeed were many. Jesus assures us that “this man went down to his house justified and righteous, rather than the other… for he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Saint Paul instructs the Corinthians - and all of us - on how we are to bear ourselves in times of plenty and in times of trial: Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, do manfully, and be strengthened.

Come and see how all of these build upon each other and work with each other under the greatest virtue of all: Charity!

“What must I do to possess eternal life?” This question should touch the hearts of all men, because all are created for eternal life. A short answer embracing the whole divine law was given to the question: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself.” This again holds good for all men. All must love their God with their whole heart and their neighbor as themselves; for such is the will of God. And all can love God and their neighbor, for no one is without the graces and helps which the divine generosity has prepared for all in abundance. Yet, there are people who indulge in curious thoughts and speculations regarding this truth, and doubt whether the goodness of God reaches in this sense to all men; thus they represent the divine goodness and liberality as not so great or lovable as is becoming. Against these I shall in this sermon defend the honor and glory of the general love and mercy of God. From the many doubts that might assail us on this point I select only two, to which nearly all the others may be reduced.

There are not a few Christians whose souls would profit much if their bodily tongues were dumb and their bodily ears deaf, so many sins do they commit by their senses of speech and hearing. Would it not be better for certain talkative people to be altogether dumb than to injure or destroy their neighbor’s honor and good name by their wicked tongues? Would it not be better for those curious ears to be completely deaf than to listen with pleasure to backbiting, detraction and scandal? Certainly it would be much better, if it were God’s holy will, for some men to lose both tongue and ears than to lose their souls. I have -already said enough of those who sin in this exceedingly dangerous matter by talking against their neighbors (God grant that what I have said may help them to amendment in this respect!) They who listen to such uncharitable talk must now have their instruction, for they must know....

We as humans seem to need and almost thrive on the approval and affirmation of others. We just love for people to acknowledge our greatness.

This also leads to another problem in the same area. People will in most cases ignore or snub someone that they have never heard of, or have heard bad reports on. We live in a society that demands me first and my feelings above anyone else.

This passage in the 2nd letter to the church at Corinth shows the folly of this notion. Paul is saying we don’t need this stuff if we are God’s.

We tend to look at people's financial statement, and value them by what it says. The real measure is what God is using that person for.

Our Lord encounters a rich young man who seeks eternal life. The young man has kept the commandments, but asks the Lord what more he can do. Our Lord invites him to sell all that he has and to give to the poor and to come follow Him! The young man goes away sad, for he is greatly attached to his possessions. Is it possible for the rich - or any of us - to find salvation? The Lord has the answer.