(My final weekend homily given at OLP before my new assignment)
We should not fear being Christian. Our lives should daily reflect the fact that we are Christians. Indeed, Jesus gives us that sober reminder: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others, I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” This can be a good examination of conscience: did I deny Jesus today in my thoughts, words, or actions? We are also told, be not afraid. Jesus says, do not fear those that can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Many Christians throughout the ages have experienced this first hand in giving up their lives for their faith. They are the martyrs, the ultimate witnesses to the truth of Jesus Christ. They did not fear those that killed them. Why? Because they knew Jesus. They knew and trusted his promise of resurrection and eternal life. They knew that Christianity isn’t simply a set of beliefs or rules, but a person. My brothers and sisters, we should do the same. We should know Jesus and trust his promises. He is trustworthy. He is faithful. He will take care of us. He takes care of birds; he turns coal into diamonds, sand into pearls, a worm into a butterfly. He can take care of us, too. If we know this, in our hearts, we can withstand anything and everything. Truly. Like the martyrs. If we know Jesus, we can love him. You cannot love that which you do not know. Again, another good examination: do I know Jesus? Do I know that he is more friend than any friend, he is more brother than any brother, he is more lover than any lover? This is why prayer is so important: we cannot know Jesus if we don’t spend time with him. Under pain of grave sin, we’re only required to spend time with him, one hour a week, at Sunday Mass. And yet, anyone will tell you that an hour a week really isn’t enough when it comes to a relationship. Just imagine a husband telling his wife after their wedding day, “Well, honey, I’ll see you in a week for one hour, and then in another week after that for an hour.” It’d be silly! We, as Christians, became wedded to Jesus Christ on the day of our baptism. We form his Church, his Bride, as St. Paul says. Of course he wants us to spend time with him every day! And you’ve heard me say before that there are so many ways to do this! Adoration, daily Mass, Scripture reading, silent prayer, structured prayer, journaling, the rosary, waking up and telling Jesus that I love him, stopping by the church during the day, even if it’s for five minutes! As this is my last weekend of Masses with you all before I move up to Parker, here is my final homiletic exhortation: spend time with Jesus. You won’t regret it; he certainly doesn’t. Because he made you, and knows you, and loves you.