Homily for Wednesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul (Priest)
Homily for Wednesday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time. Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul (Priest). Ezra 9:5-9. Tobit 13:1b-2,3-4a,6efgh,6ij,8. Luke 9:1-6. In the first reading, we have the prayer of Ezra. In his prayer, he felt the guilt of the iniquities against God. He did not dissociate himself from the condition of his people. Rather, his prayer is in terms of "our iniquities" and "our guilt" (Ezra 9:6). Recognition of the past guilt is of no value unless it issues in the determination to return to God like the prodigal son. God is merciful, and this is reflected in Ezra's prayer. Like Ezra, our prayers should not be self-centred. We should be concerned about others. We ought to intercede for others. Jesus, in today's Gospel, sent his Apostles on a mission to preach the kingdom of God and to heal, saying, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics" (Luke 9:3). The preacher of the Gospel ...