Blog Post – 1/07/2022 Homily – Cycle II from OLPH School

Homily – Cycle II from OLPH School

Readings: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010722.cfm

 

In ancient times Leprosy was feared, so those thought to have it were ostracized from society.  Today COVID causes someone who has it to be isolated for 5 days now, 10 days earlier in the pandemic.

In Jesus’ time almost any skin disease was thought to be Leprosy, and anyone with it was isolated unless they were cured and then they had to go to the priest and show themselves to be officially declared clean and allowed back into society.  Today Jesus heals the man fully and totally immediately.

Sometimes Jesus cures like that, sometimes He cures over a longer period of time, i.e., my daughter-in-law, Laurie.  She is a miracle still in progress, in fact this past Christmas our whole family got together for the 1^st time in ten years, here in Bethlehem at Abagail and Beatrice’s home.

They are, also, miracles many of you prayed for them, because they were born prematurely [each a little over 2 lbs. at birth].  Other times Jesus doesn’t heal us here but waits to heal us in heaven.  The Gospel tells us that Jesus went to a deserted place to pray, what does that mean.  In our book for Intercessions there are many requests for prayers and we can help by simple asking God to answer those requests.

We can pray anytime, and we should pray many times.  But like Jesus in the Gospel, we should regularly take quiet time to pray, meaning to turn our attention to God and nothing else.  Praying regularly increases our trust in God, like exercise helps our muscles and endurance.  

How can we be like Jesus and go to a deserted place to pray?  We can spend 3 or 5 minutes in our room with no electronic devices to interrupt us.  Before we go to sleep at night time is an excellent time for that quiet prayer time.

You can simply say here I am God, thanks for today, now I will just be quiet for a few minutes.  Try that for a couple of weeks and see how it goes.  Remember God loves you and you can TRUST God.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.

May God Be Praised and your day be Blessed.

 

N.B.  Because school was closed today [1/07/2022] this homily was not offered to the OLPH students and staff.