Homily for Saturday of the 4th Week of Lent

We often think we want the truth, but when Jesus proclaimed the Gospel, it was more than people expected. The reign of God that Jesus spoke of was based on a kind of justice and reconciliation that could be intimidating. It threatened the isolated cocoons people created for themselves and shattered their self-centered approach to the world.

To those who understood Jesus, His teachings were not comforting or joyful. They saw Him as a dangerous firebrand, an idealistic radical with no grasp of reality or the world's complexities.

The Gospel of Jesus is not one of comfort, at least not to those who are comfortable. It is not a Gospel of peace for those at war with themselves or those around them, nor a Gospel of love for those concerned only with themselves.

Jesus taught us to love our enemies, pray for them, invite people experiencing poverty to our table, forgive seventy times seven, seek the lowest place, take up our cross, and follow Him. These radical teachings undermine comfortable and complacent lifestyles and threaten what the world often holds dear.

Let us have the courage to look deep within our hearts and souls, understand Jesus's Gospel message, and turn to Him for the support, help, and guidance we need to follow in His ways.