From the Gospel according to Matthew 23:27-32
Today's Gospel starts with Jesus rebuking the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisies, particularly on how they appear to be righteous by strictly observing the Laws of God while persistently seeking the attention of the people to set an example. They were so blinded by their own beliefs that anyone who opposed them didn't stand a chance of being heard, but instead, was hated. Unfortunately, we are not short of people like them in this present time and these people, although hard to admit, could be one of our loved ones or perhaps, ourselves.
Nowadays, our society, with all the modern conveniences that are meant to ease our way of living, has unfortunately become worse, at least spiritually. It may have always been like this since ancient times, but compared to today, it appears to be a more difficult challenge for us to turn around, deny ourselves everything this world has to offer, and dedicate our lives solely to worshiping God. We have become idols to ourselves. Instead of taking suggestions in good faith it can sometimes feel a rebuke, genuine concern has often been replaced with the desire for recognition, valuing ourselves has extended to seeking constant validation, respect has become something we feel that should be earned rather than given, and showing appreciation is often measured by our achievements first. As they say, "you do you", as in you do what makes you happy even if it's someone misery which may sometimes fall on us if unfulfilled.
But despite all the hopelessness and despair that can devour someone's life, there’s often that someone who emerges to bring light and fill the empty voids. Someone who inspires not only some but everyone because he, too, indulged in worldly desires just like most of us, if not all. He is Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose Memorial we celebrate today. Before he became a renowned figure in Christianity, he was once like any of us: arrogant, sexually immoral, ambitious, and prideful. However, unlike many, he made an effort to seek the truth, kept asking questions, and remained open to the possibility that he might have been wrong. Eventually, he found himself overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit and took the greatest leap of his life. He transitioned from a man of great struggle to someone who is a beloved Bishop and a Doctor of the Church. His contributions to the faithful were immense, which he firmly embraced until his death. Truly, a sinner became a Saint.
It's definitely hard to live a Saintly life, especially in this challenging and demanding world. Today, it’s difficult to go out and trust that someone will return our kindness, so we’d rather keep ourselves secure. We look up to those we believe have good will but sometimes end up disappointed, and we’d rather invest in our own interests than help others because we’ve been fooled. Nevertheless, these circumstances shouldn’t define our disposition in life. Instead, we should maintain a positive outlook regardless of external challenges by turning our sufferings into blessings, sacrifices into gifts, and hardships into opportunities to grow.
Our Savior, Jesus Christ, showed us how to humble ourselves, how to be compassionate to others, how to be generous to those in need, and how to be forgiving. Some might say this is because He is God and we are not. My dear brothers and sisters, our God took on human flesh and lived among us. He surely experienced everything a human can, except for sin. He endured challenges so great that He died on the Cross for our salvation. We can live a truly happy and satisfying life not by chasing the grandeur of this world since all of it will pass away, but by following Jesus Christ, who promises us eternal life in His kingdom where we will experience eternal happiness. It may sound impossible given the state of our world today, but St. Augustine of Hippo, together with our beloved Saints, proved it is not impossible.
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| Saint Augustine (354–430), Bishop of Hippo, in Meditation Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664) |
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