The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends in Christ,

In today's Gospel reading, we see a dead man being carried out of the city. He was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. It is for the mother that Jesus has compassion. It is for her that He raises her son back to life. If we only knew of the countless graces that the prayers of mothers have obtained for us! How many children have escaped or recovered from sickness or injury — not because they have prayed or deserved this grace and blessing — but because of the tears and prayers of a loving mother?

It is not simply mothers who obtain these wonderous and often hidden graces for us, but mothers motivated by selfless love and humbled by their weakness have the ear of God. Likewise, anyone and everyone who selflessly, humbly, and meekly prays to God for others will surely draw favor from God. The prayers of parents or guardians, husbands or wives, children for parents, neighbors for neighbors, etc. — prayers motivated by genuine love for others — are pleasing and acceptable to God.

When we pray for our wants or needs, we often find our prayers selfish and boldly proud. When love for God and others draws us to prayer, we tend to be meek and humble. We are most valuable or beneficial when we give ourselves to aid someone else. This is a simple but profound message that we can discern throughout the many teachings of God. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." "Love your enemies." In giving ourselves for others, we receive the greatest graces and blessings from God.

The young man restored to life was the primary beneficiary of God's grace, but he was not the primary cause, source, or impetus for God bestowing this grace. If we humbly and honestly examine our own lives, we will easily discover that we have been the recipients of many of God's graces obtained for us by others. Only in eternity will we truly understand how interconnected we are and how our physical and spiritual lives are intimately connected or bound up with those around us.

We should strive to be ever more grateful for the aid others' prayers and sacrifices have merited for us. We should never let a day pass without expressing our gratitude to God and them in our prayers. However, our spiritual life is not just about receiving. We, too, are called upon to love and pray for others. The graces others need may very well be bound to our willingness or ability to love them enough to pray and sacrifice for them. God has inspired others to first give to us through their loving prayers and sacrifices. We are now called upon to love in return after receiving these unmerited acts of love. We are called upon to love those who have loved us, but even more, we are called upon to love, pray, and sacrifice for those who have never done anything for us or perhaps may never be able to repay us. God has loved and given us this type of grace. Others have loved and made this selfless sacrifice for us. Now, we, too, must love others and make these selfless sacrifices and prayers in return so that the flow of love and grace may continue in this life, aiding souls in obtaining the eternal happiness of Heaven.

Our fallen nature frequently strives to quantify or place values upon things. While this is difficult with physical things, valuing or quantifying spiritual things properly is impossible. We cannot put a price on Heaven. We cannot put a price on our prayers and sacrifices. The value of our spiritual works is not so much about how many, how long, and how intense we have acted, but rather with the humility and love in our hearts as we perform these things. Tears are lovely in our hearts and prayers, but tears do not always equate with good prayer. Our emotions and actions are very important, but they are empty without this inner humility and love. It is not enough to honor God with our lips; we must do so from the depths of our hearts and souls. Likewise, our prayers, works, and sacrifices for others, even our enemies, need to come forth from humble, loving hearts. In this way, we obtain grace for them and ourselves.

Our greatest joy is not in what we receive but in what we give. When we leave this world, we cannot take anything we have received but instead everything we have given.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!

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