Homily: Feast of Andrew Kim and Paul Chong and their companions

Feast of Andrew Kim and Paul Chong and their companions (Lk 8:1-3) “Do Something”

What if nobody stepped up to serve others in the church? What would happen? Nothing.

What does it take to bake a cake? First, we need a cookbook, so we know how to bake the cake. Secondly, we need the ingredients. We need flour, milk or water, eggs, oil, etc. We can purchase all these items and have them sitting in our kitchen cupboards but what if we never bring the ingredients together? What if we never do the mixing and the measuring and the baking? Nothing is going to happen.

Jesus came into the world, and he started an organization and movement that evolved into the church. Jesus realized that he needed collaborators if he was going to be successful. He recruited some people and others stepped forward.

We read of women in the early church today. The women stepped forward to assist Jesus with his ministry. The women were generous with their time. Also, they were generous with their donations. Because they were generous the church grew stronger.

What was in it for them? When we make a cake, we usually share it with others, and we enjoy the pleasure they derive from it. We also like eating it ourselves.

When we serve as ministers in the church, we see the effects of what we do, and we notice how people’s lives are changed for the better. We feel good about how we are spending our time.

None of this will transpire unless we step forward and get involved. Jesus needs our help just as he did in the early days of the church. If we feel like nothing is happening in our parish, maybe we need to ask where we are participating.

Reflection Questions:

1.    Do you have something you have intended to do but haven’t? What is it?

2.   How am I participating in the church? Does what I do make a difference?

 Dear Parishioners,

          This weekend we will be having a mission appeal. We are all called to participate in the ministerial activity of the church. Most of us will not go out into the far corners of the world to preach the Gospel. But we can still participate in the missionary activity of the church by supporting missionaries with our resources.

          Fr. Matthew and Society of African Missions spreads the Christian message where it has not been heard before. I encourage everyone to help with a big or small gift.

          May Our Lady of Peace pray for us,

          Fr. Mark