Homily: First Wednesday of Lent

First Wednesday of Lent (Luke 11:29-32) “How Do I Know?”

How often do we struggle with faith. We all have questions about our faith. I recently had a young lady come to me after a Mass and she said that she wanted to ask me a question. She seemed very uncertain. She said, “I know that you can’t answer this question in a few minutes, but I must ask it. How do we know Jesus is really in the Eucharist?”

We talked for a few minutes. I agreed that this was a deep question that would take some time to explain. I did the best I could, but I ended with this thought. Asking such a question is not a sign that there is a lack of faith, but it is the beginning of faith. Too often Christians accept answers simply because they feel like they must. When we have a question it is best to ask it and to research it.

The crowd came to Jesus asking for some proof of his other worldly power. That sign would prove that he was a prophet from God. Also, it would prove to them that God really existed and that they could put their faith in God.

We might have the same desire. When we struggle with questions about faith, we might wish that God would give us a sign. The truth is that we have all the signs we need in that we have the scriptures and the traditions of the church. How many of us go looking for the answers there. We most often don’t because that takes effort. We want God to do all the heavy lifting by giving us some other worldly sign.

The truth is that our faith will be much wider and deeper if we have to search to get answers to our questions. We have a lot of believers and non-believers today who are intellectually lazy. They believe because they want to fit in or the disbelieve because it is the popular thing to do. Jesus wants us to ask, to seek and to find. In the end God will probably surprise us like God surprised Jonah.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Why do I believe in God? How do I know that I do?

2.   Why do people disbelieve there is a God? What proofs would I offer for God’s existence?

 Dear Parishioners,

           Tonight, we will have the first of our Wednesday Lenten devotions. Confessions will be at 5 p.m. and then there will be Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m. This will be followed by a simple meal. At the end of the evening there will be a video concerning the Eucharist followed by a brief discussion. Why not come and start your Lent off right?

          Remember we also have Eucharistic Adoration from 7 in the morning until 4 p.m. in the afternoon every Wednesday at the St. Francis Chapel in the Lee Center. This is a good opportunity to pray for others and reflect on how to meet the challenges of life.

          My Our Lady of Peace reign in the Ukraine.

          Fr. Mark