27th Sunday of OT Year C Homily

Our Gospel speaks to us about doing what we have been obliged to do. When it comes to the realm of religion there are some who ignore the importance of this word. They would rather live their life in comfort then allow themself to be moved away from self and towards God.

We are thus obliged to follow the Ten Commandments and the moral teachings of the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church also lists five precepts that we are obliged to follow. Despite these obligations there are some who don’t know of them or worse yet choose to disobey.

The first and fourth of these are related and are as follows one “shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation” and one “shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.” Nevertheless, there are those who do not see the necessity to honor the Lord’s day in such a manner by gathering together to commemorate the Resurrection of the Lord. It is sad for me to hear the confessions of children and to hear that they do not go to Mass. This tells me that their parents do not see this relationship to God to be a priority in their life or their family.

The second of these is that one “shall confess their sins at least once a year.” Despite this precept I run across many Catholics who pride themself in the reality that they have not been to confession in years. To go to confession is to receive the mercy of our Merciful Savior. To go to confession is to realize that our Blessed Lord is the one who instituted all of the sacraments and thus confession is His gift to us. Who are we to go against His will to deny such a wondrous gift?

The third of these is that one “shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.” This precept does not state that we are to receive Holy Communion at every Mass that we attend. Instead if we have committed a sin which is found to be mortal in nature we should refrain from receiving. By setting the minimum times of receiving communion at once per year we are being reminded of how confession and communion go hand in hand. To be reconciled in God’s infinite mercy prepares our heart and soul to receive such a wondrous gift as the one which is God made Flesh. Realizing that the one who we receive in Holy Communion is God made Flesh we should be taken to this spirit of humility each time that we receive our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion. 

The fifth and final of these is that one “shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.” Fasting in the words of the Catechism “help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.” Therefore, to fast is to further purify our heart and soul in order that we may remain close to God at all times.

Finally, this section of the Catechism requests that we provide for the material needs of the Church. This final statement is very important because through our continued stewardship we help to build up God’s Church on this Earth. 

Let us become true stewards of all that God has handed down to us and let us put it into practice the fullness of our faith by realizing that we are unprofitable servants who desire to do all that we have been obliged to do.