Homily for th Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Today's Gospel passage takes place when the Sadducees, Pharisees, and chief priests had grown frustrated with Jesus and His message. They wanted to kill Him, but they hesitated because they knew He had the support of the people.

The questions they asked Jesus were meant to trap Him and provoke Him into blasphemy, giving them a reason to put Him to death. Their intentions were self-serving, hidden beneath what might have appeared to be innocent questioning.

In a similar way, we often come to Jesus with our own agendas. We typically seek specific outcomes, a desired change, or help with struggles in our lives or faith that we find challenging. Sometimes, without even realizing it, our agendas can contradict Jesus' message.

Whatever we pray for, we must do so with a genuinely open heart, mind, and soul. We should strive to set aside our own desires to align more closely with God's will.