• Home
  • Mary Immaculate
    • Novena of the Immaculate Conception
  • Oblates
  • Blog
fatherdaniel
dd text

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - Homily

8/24/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
            What was, or is, your favorite character from Walt Disney Productions? The character I have always liked is Donald Duck. He is short tempered but has also a positive outlook on life. He is funny even when he is awkward. However let me ask you a question: Have you ever seen a duck behaving like Donald? Have you ever seen a duck wearing a sailor suit, a cap and bow tie? So, why does Donald do these things? Well, imagine watching movies every day about what real ducks do. I don’t think that the series would survive long. The character created by Disney isn’t a real duck. It is a bird that has been made to behave like a human. That’s why people enjoy watching Donald Duck. It is easy to understand his behavior as it is so human.

            My Dear friends! Donald Duck is going back to my bag but I would like to take you on an excursion to a pretty place now. It is called Caesarea Philippi. That’s where today’s Gospel took place. What can we say about the place? Well, let me use this comparison: Caesarea Philippi was like Gold Cost, a perfect holiday destination. Most of Israel is a dry and hilly desert but when you get to Caesarea Philippi you feel like in a paradise: it’s green, fresh, lots of pretty creeks etc. However to get a better picture of the place let me ask you this question: “If you wanted your son or daughter to become more holy, would you send them to Gold Cost on their own?” It is a pretty place but not a very holy place though. Caesarea Philippi was also pagan. In that small area there were 15 pagan temples dedicated to various gods. What do you know, my Friends, about those ancient religions of Greeks and Romans? If you do some research you discover that heaven was like Gold Cost with one but significant improvement: drinks and food wouldn’t run out. What about their gods? They were basically like super humans with some super powers and of course immortal. They were drinking, eating, and having fun but because it is hard to keep having a good time without getting bored of having a good time, so gods from time to time would fight with each other. That divine world was like another version of earth because those religions were made up by people who sensed that there is something more than life on earth and they tried to imagine it. Basically what they did was what Walt Disney did with Donald Duck: they made it more human so that it could be easier for people to understand.

            In the Gospel for this Mass we have an explanation about God too. Peter said: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” Jesus reaction to that is something we should always remember: “Peter, what you said is not made up by a human mind but it comes from my Father in heaven.” That what we can say about our Christian religion: it is not the invention of humans but it is a revelation from God, who has revealed to us the mysteries of heaven. That’s why at times we find it difficult to comprehend it because it comes from another world which is still a mystery to us. But even if you find some things difficult in our faith, persevere and keep on praying, and one day it will be given to you. It is not simply about getting the right answer but it is about giving your life to the right person – Jesus Christ. Can you recognize the person of the screen? You are right it is President Barack Obama. But because you have got the right answer, does it mean that you want to give Obama your life? Don’t think so. Now, look at another slide. Who is the person? You are saying that it is Jesus. That’s the right answer but I am praying now very hard so that you could also say: IT IS THE ONE WHO I WANT TO GIVE MY LIFE TO.


0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013

    Fr Daniel OMI

    An Oblate Priest

    Categories

    All
    Holy Land
    Homilies
    St Eugene De Mazenod

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.