“You will not like my sermon today!” he declared.
“In fact I don’t like it myself and I would rather be giving you a different sermon. A gentle one which tickles your ears and makes you feel warm and comfortable.
“The reason I don’t particularly like this sermon is because perhaps it speaks to me too as well as all of you.
“When Jesus was raised to Heaven He gave His disciples and all of us a Mission. He asked us to go and preach the Good News about God and about Him.
“But are we doing as He asked? I mean each one of us in our daily lives, within our families, at work or wherever we may be? I don’t mean of course that you need to stand on a soap box in the middle of the street and shout at the top of your voice. Or knock from door to door and try to convince people on their doorsteps. Some people do just that and I admire their courage and determination.
“What I mean is” he paused for a moment to concentrate his listeners’ attention, “what I mean is, do people who know you recognize you as a disciple of Christ?
“Is there anything in your behavior or your character that is different? Something which makes people say ‘he or she is a Christian you know!’ Even in a derogative sense; at least it shows they’ve recognized something in you which is different.
“St Francis of Assisi advised his followers to preach the Gospel by the way they live.
“When people look at us do they see Christ in us?
“More important, when you look at the mirror in the morning do you see Christ there?”
He stopped again to ensure his point struck home. He then repeated slowly.
“When you look in the mirror do you see Christ?
“Our Lord said ‘Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do what my Father in Heaven wants them to do.’
“In other words we can assume that there are no parrots in Heaven!”
The congregation laughed silently. Father Ignatius went on.
“God requires from each one of us action throughout our lives. Each one of us is tasked, to the best of their abilities, to do something in their lives, just a little, day in and day out, to put Christ in someone else’s life.
“We can’t all be Mother Theresa and leave our native land and go help others elsewhere. And indeed God does not ask us so to do … not all of us anyway.
“To most people He asks that we live Christ everyday … in our families, at work, at play or wherever we go and whatever we do.
“It is not enough to go to church on Sunday, and then get on with our own lifestyles the rest of the time.
“Nor am I saying that we should spend our lives on our knees collecting scars and calluses. That is not the first thing that St Peter will check for when you get to meet him!”
They laughed quietly again.
“God does not want us to endure this life. He wants us to enjoy it. And at the same time He wants us to tell others that there’s better to come when we meet Him in Heaven.
“We can each do as God asks in our own way … and best of all by living the Gospels day after day.
“Instead … I fear; there are too many so called Christians who are sleepwalking their way into hell!”
I wish more of our parish priests would give homilies like this one. Thanks Victor and God bless.
ReplyDeleteHi Victor, that is an eye opening homily indeed that needs to be heard the world over. I can't fathom that our nation was founded by Christians and to date, many claim they are Christian yet, the evil and vices that are embraced by society speak otherwise. We have been lulled into apathy and the idea that being politically correct is more important than following the Word of God. Mind bloggling really.
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming to visit me on my blog and I will search yours for your posts on purgatory. I will also check out your book Golden Drops.
Thank you and God Bless!
Greetings Karinann and Noreen,
ReplyDeleteYes, I wish we had more sermons on the dangers of hell.
Noreen ... there are three FREE E Books you can download from here. See right of this post.
God bless.
This is a really good story, Victor, and as Noreen says "an eye opener". Great title too - it makes one wonder at just how many ARE sleepwalking into hell.
ReplyDeleteWake up, world!
I have been asked by other Christians, "why do you feel you need to do anything? If you believe then you are already saved." This person was implying why people like us even blog at all since we are not pastors. I guess you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteMany believe that faith only saves and not of good works otherwise you'll only be boasting, trying to impress others at your can do.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
But they also forget this very next verse:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus FOR good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Notice we are not saved by good works but FOR good works.
By the way, my Bibles and More website has been closed down as a result of ending the contract with AMAZON.com because of a law passed in California. Thanks for allow me to display your book in my website all this time. It has been fun.
God bless and keep writing for Him.
Paul
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteSadly, too many I believe are sleepwalking ... materialism seems to have concentrated their minds instead.
Hi Paul,
We should all do our bit; even if it is just blogging. We never know who might happen to read what we write. I did check your website and wondered why it was no longer there. Best wishes.
God bless you Mary and Paul.
Paul - I'm curious about what law in the State of California would cause you to end your contract with Amazon and close down your website?
ReplyDeleteHi Noreen:
ReplyDeleteThanks for asking. Please read this link:
http://gigaom.com/2011/06/30/amazon-california-tax-battle/
I don’t want to maintain a website as an Amazon affiliate whose program has been terminated.
Blessings,
Paul
Beautiful Victor and very on spot. If people see my parents and then see me, they always say, " Oh, you look just like your mom or you look just like your dad". I only hope they might also see some resemblance of my heavenly father too.
ReplyDeleteGreetings Noreen, Paul, Colleen and Daily Grace,
ReplyDeleteIt's so nice to see you visiting me here again. It's much appreciated.
May God bless you and yours always.
I read the title in my preview screen and said to myself "Uh oh. I dont think I am going to like this one."
ReplyDeleteFr Ignatious confirmed my hunch in his first sentence.
A great reminder. And a POWERFUL title and imagery - its so good. I wish our congregation could all read this and soak this in.
God Bless you. You are definitley not sleepwalking.
Hello Michael,
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see you visiting here again. It's such a pity that our priests don't often "say it as it is" in their Sunday sermons. And I fear they may be helping others in their sleepwalking.
God bless you Michael.
Well preached, Father Ignatius. A timely message.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sarah.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Hi Victor,
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs to hear this message. I did. It was excellent.
P.S. I did want to be like Mother Teresa.
Joey
Hi Joey,
ReplyDeleteWe all need to do our best ... as best we can. We can't all be like Mother Theresa I suppose.
God bless.
I was just commenting to myself this moring while looking in the mirror how old I'm looking....lol. Seriously, when I look in the mirror unfortunately I do not see Christ. But I'm trying to get there. Thanks for the homily. I needed it, and God bless.
ReplyDeleteThank you Manny for your encouragement. We all need to keep trying to emulate Jesus. I know I'm far from perfect.
DeleteGod bless you.