Homilies about freedom

Why We Must Listen to God's Word in Times of Tyranny (Feat. Fr. Eliosbel Pereira)

Eliosbel Pereira

The homily emphasizes the importance of listening to God's word and discerning His will, drawing parallels with St. Benedict's life of renunciation and dedication to prayer and work. It also strongly connects these spiritual principles to the political and social realities of Cuba and Venezuela, urging listeners to resist tyrannical systems and defend freedom and life, reminding them that 'with God everything, without God nothing.'

How Idolatry Leads to Slavery (and How to Find True Freedom)

The homily connects the Old Testament account of Israel's exile due to idolatry with the Gospel's teaching on removing the 'wooden beam' from one's own eye. It argues that idolatry, whether obvious addictions or subtle grudges, leads to a form of slavery, and true freedom comes from belonging wholly to God, as exemplified by Saints John Fisher and Thomas More who resisted King Henry VIII's idolatrous desires.

The Gentle God: Finding His Presence in Silence and Withdrawal

The homily emphasizes God's gentleness, which is revealed through his willingness to step back and work silently, allowing for human freedom and genuine love. It highlights that God's withdrawal is not absence but an act of love, patiently transforming us without force, much like a parent letting a child learn to walk.

Why God Allows Evil: The Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat

The homily reflects on the parable of the weeds among the wheat, explaining that God allows evil to exist not because he is weak, but because he values human freedom and patience, hoping for conversion. The priest emphasizes that many great saints were once great sinners, illustrating God's transformative power and mercy.

Are You Pointing Others to God, or Your Version of God?

The homily, delivered by a priest with a hoarse voice, focuses on the significance of John the Baptist's birth and mission. It emphasizes that John's purpose, like Mary's, was to point people to Christ, and challenges listeners to reflect on whether they are truly pointing others to God or to their own 'version' of God. The priest connects this to Zechariah's Benedictus prayer, highlighting the theme of being set free from sin and anything that restricts one from being one with God.

The Enduring Power of God's Word Against Worldly Empires

The homily emphasizes the enduring nature of God's word compared to the fleeting empires of the world. It draws a clear distinction between the world's systems, which take from people and promote fear, and the Kingdom of God, which offers freedom, justice, equality, and love. The priest urges listeners to resist worldly empires and build God's kingdom through love and resistance, much like the wheat and weeds parable suggests a final separation.

Don't Fear Man: Trust in God's Fatherly Love

The homily emphasizes that despite inevitable persecution and opposition, Christians should not fear man but rather trust in God the Father's unwavering love and care. Drawing on the Gospel, the priest highlights that our worth is immense to God, who desires to father us and free us from fear and anxiety, urging us to surrender our struggles to Him and live in the freedom of His love.

Why God Lets Wheat and Weeds Grow Together: Understanding God's Patience with Evil

Father Greg

This homily addresses the perennial question of why evil exists if God is good and powerful, drawing on the Gospel parable of the wheat and weeds. The priest explains that evil is not God's creation but a result of misused human freedom, and God's patience in allowing wheat and weeds to grow together is an opportunity for conversion and growth, even for those we might label as 'weeds.' He encourages listeners to resist judgment, cultivate goodness in their own hearts, and never lose hope, as God's final word is always life, mercy, and love.

How Do You Receive God's Word? The Parable of the Sower

Father Michael D. Gregoria

The homily reflects on the parable of the sower, emphasizing that God's word is distributed lavishly to all, but its fruitfulness depends on the receptivity of the individual. It challenges listeners to examine how they receive the word of God in their own lives, acknowledging that God invites rather than imposes, respecting human freedom in accepting or rejecting His message.

The Narrow Road to True Freedom: Why Discipline Leads to Life

Fr. Raphael Ddamba

The homily focuses on the Gospel's teaching about the narrow gate leading to life, contrasting it with the wide road to destruction. The priest emphasizes that the path to true freedom often involves discipline and adherence to commandments, which many perceive as restrictive. He uses personal anecdotes and examples like New Year's resolutions and the sacrament of confession to illustrate how people often shy away from the more challenging but ultimately rewarding path.

Beyond Iron Bars: The Spiritual Prisons We Build for Ourselves

The homily connects the Old Testament account of Israel's captivity in Assyria to the New Testament Gospel of judging others. It highlights how Israel's external captivity was a 'sacrament' of their internal spiritual captivity due to ignoring God's prophets and embracing other gods. The homily then draws a parallel to modern 'prisons not made of iron bars' and 'shackles that don't fit around people's ankles,' emphasizing Jesus's mission to free people from these internal captivities.

The Freedom of God's Children: A Homily on St. John the Baptist

The homily explores the significance of names, particularly the name John, on the feast day of St. John the Baptist. The priest connects John the Baptist's name to John Hyrcanus, a historical figure who freed Israel from foreign oppression, suggesting that Elizabeth and Zechariah chose the name to signify a desire for freedom from all forms of oppression, including spiritual bondage. The core message emphasizes that as children of God, we are called to be free from control by any earthly power or the evil one.

The Narrow Gate: Freedom, Not Limitation

The homily reflects on the Gospel's teaching of the narrow gate, reinterpreting it not as a limitation but as a source of freedom from error and confusion. The priest uses an analogy of writing essays to illustrate how narrowing focus can lead to liberation and clarity, urging listeners to adopt the 'mind of Jesus' as their singular focus for thoughts, words, and deeds.

التوبة: ليست خضوعًا بل حرية وفرح في السماء

الاب سلوان تبوني

The homily emphasizes that repentance is not submission but true freedom, bringing immense joy in heaven. It encourages believers to not only seek personal repentance but also to guide others towards God's path, highlighting that a life lived according to the Gospel brings peace and happiness, unlike sin which leads to sadness.

God's Love: An Invitation, Not a Bear Hug

This homily contrasts humanity's tendency to grasp and control with God's open, freeing love. It highlights how Jesus, unlike the Pharisees who sought to control through law, offers a gentle invitation to hope, even to those outside the traditional covenant, symbolized by his open arms on the cross.

Why God Allows Suffering: Choosing Freedom Amidst Life's Weeds

The homily addresses the common question of why God allows evil and suffering, drawing on the Gospel parable of the wheat and weeds. The priest emphasizes that true freedom lies in choosing Christ and goodness amidst life's tragedies and challenges, trusting in God's wisdom and mercy to help us grow and bear fruit even in difficult circumstances.

The Greatest Fear: Why We're Afraid of the Truth (and How to Overcome It)

The homily emphasizes that the greatest fear humans experience is the fear of truth, particularly about themselves and their sinfulness. It argues that confronting this truth, even through confession, is essential for freedom, wholeness, and joy, and that this truth should be spoken with gentleness and care, following Jesus' example.

Why Fasting is a Powerful Gift in Our Modern World

Abouna Joseph Nannoshi

The homily discusses how modern advancements and luxuries, like self-driving cars and instant shipping, can lead to increased attachment to the world and a forgetting of God. The priest emphasizes fasting as a powerful gift that helps us detach from worldly comforts and addictions, such as phones and alcohol, thereby gaining spiritual freedom and a deeper relationship with God.

Is Freedom a Greater Challenge to Faith Than Persecution?

The homily contrasts the experience of faith under persecution in Eastern European communist countries with the challenges of faith in a free society. It argues that while persecution often strengthens faith and increases religious practice, the freedom to choose can paradoxically lead to a decline in religious observance as people prioritize material things or leisure activities over spiritual commitments. The priest emphasizes that true freedom requires making good choices to prioritize faith.

Why God Lets Weeds Grow Among the Wheat

The homily explores the parable of the wheat and the weeds, emphasizing that God allows good and evil to coexist until the harvest, which is the end of the age. It challenges listeners to look inward at their own 'weeds' (judgment, harshness) and reminds them that God's great gift is the freedom to choose between good and evil, never giving up on humanity's potential for good.