This is my homily for tonights Mass in the Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran (8 pm): “The Call to Follow Jesus – a Call for every Christian” 3rd Sunday C Mt 4:12-23 There is a principle that every great leader has followed: If you want to accomplish great things, you cannot do it alone. You need others to do it with you and for you. You have to form a group or a movement that will make a difference even after you are gone. This is the first thing that Jesus did when He began his public ministry in Galilee and carried out His mission of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom as our gospel today recounts. “Come follow me” This was the invitation of Jesus to Peter, Andrew, James and John on the shore of the sea of Galilee. They immediately left their boats and fishing nets and followed him. They became part of the community of disciples that became the nucleus of the Church that has grown and expanded to all corners of the world for the last two thousand years. The Church today remains vibrant because there are people who continue to respond to Jesus’ invitation. “Come follow me” This call, this invitation of Jesus remains fresh and is directed to each one of us. It will have different meaning and implication to each one of us. For some, it may mean a call to the priesthood or religious life. There are some young people graduating from high school or college who feel called to dedicate their life to God as priests or as religious brothers or nuns. Some may already have a profession yet they still hear that invitation deep within them to leave their well-paying job, their girlfriend or boyfriend - to follow Jesus in a more radical manner. “Come follow me” Many of you – lay people - who have your own family and job – may think that this is not addressed to you – that this is exclusively for those called to priesthood or religious life. Actually, this is directed to all the baptized, including lay people who constitute the vast majority of the Church’s membership. This what Vatican II emphasized 50 years ago – that lay people, by virtue of their baptism have received the Holy Spirit and has been empowered to share in Christ’s mission – the prophetic mission of evangelization and of witnessing the Gospel - the priestly mission of live a life of self-offering, holiness and active participation in the liturgical celebration - the kingly mission of service to God and others through deeds of love, charity, justice and peace, of care for the needy and care for the earth. This is what Pope Francis continues to affirm in his apostolic exhortation “ Evangelii Gaudium” - that all the baptized, including the lay faithful, are called to be “missionary disciples.” Thus, the CBCP has declared this year as the ‘Year of the Laity” to remind the faithful that the call to discipleship and mission also applies to them. “Come follow me” will mean living not as nominal or seasonal Christians but as active disciples of Jesus. This does not simply mean going to Mass and praying regularly. This will also mean sharing your time, talents and treasure and becoming more active in your parish, neighborhood, Basic Ecclesial Communities, the renewal movements. This will mean active engagement of lay faithful in the political, economic, cultural spheres so that the values of the kingdom – of truth, justice, peace, love and compassion – will prevail and evil will be overcome. In doing so, the light of Christ will shine in the darkness. Each one of you will have to discern your specific role in the Church’s mission depending on your gifts and competence. “Come follow me” – this is Christ’s invitation for you. Christ depends on each one of us to continue his great work and his mission which He started two thousand years ago.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 04:02:53 +0000
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