Today's celebration was officiated by our archbishop who drove down from Anchorage last night so he could be certain to be here on time (the earliest flights were not quite soon enough). He was here for the Confirmation of six candidates. This time, I knew all of them and even have several of them as my students. It was exciting to see them commit to becoming full members of the Church, reaffirming the Baptismal vows which their parents made for them as infants.
Today's readings fit the theme perfectly, as the first reading and the Gospel talked about the Holy Spirit inspiring people to do miracles in God's name. The second reading discussed the impermanence of the wealth of this world. Thus today's homily talked about being a beacon of faith, hope, and love in today's world rather than seeking for solace in possessions. He warned about becoming too divided from other people due to political beliefs and other arguments. The archbishop also addressed the portion of the Gospel that talked about removing body parts if they cause you to sin. He said that Jesus was not condoning mutilation, but rather giving a metaphor for the things we do in our lives that put us in danger of committing sins.
I also think that Jesus was saying that we need to stop blaming exterior elements for our own sinfulness. While outside factors might tempt us towards sin, we alone are responsible for our sinful acts. Jesus was saying that if we claim that something else is causing us to sin, we are avoiding taking responsibility for our own actions. Our world is continually telling to look for blame in others when instead we need to recognize our choices are ultimately our own to make.
Today's readings fit the theme perfectly, as the first reading and the Gospel talked about the Holy Spirit inspiring people to do miracles in God's name. The second reading discussed the impermanence of the wealth of this world. Thus today's homily talked about being a beacon of faith, hope, and love in today's world rather than seeking for solace in possessions. He warned about becoming too divided from other people due to political beliefs and other arguments. The archbishop also addressed the portion of the Gospel that talked about removing body parts if they cause you to sin. He said that Jesus was not condoning mutilation, but rather giving a metaphor for the things we do in our lives that put us in danger of committing sins.
I also think that Jesus was saying that we need to stop blaming exterior elements for our own sinfulness. While outside factors might tempt us towards sin, we alone are responsible for our sinful acts. Jesus was saying that if we claim that something else is causing us to sin, we are avoiding taking responsibility for our own actions. Our world is continually telling to look for blame in others when instead we need to recognize our choices are ultimately our own to make.
RSS Feed
