Authentic Faith

Homily for Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week of Ordinary Time

I find it very interesting that St. Paul uses yet another parental image in describing his care for the Church of Thessalonica. Yesterday, he compared his affection for the Thessalonians to that of a nursing mother. Today, he states: “We treated each one of you as a father treats his children, exhorting and encouraging you and insisting that you walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom and glory.”

By using this image, St. Paul reminds us that caring for one another can also be a matter of offering encouragement or exhortation. As we read the letters of St. Paul, I’m sure that we are familiar with his exhortations because every one of his letters ends with a list of the things and attitudes we should adopt in our lives.

Authenticity is important within the life of faith, and is a concept that unites both the reading from the Letter to the Thessalonians as well as the Gospel passage that we hear today. Jesus’ authentic love for the Pharisees calls them to do more than simply appear to be righteous while neglecting the more important matters of the Law. The Pharisees are models of inauthenticity; consequently, Jesus challenges them to confess their sins and live a genuine, righteous life.

St. Paul and Jesus speak to us, and we are challenged to ask ourselves if our faith is authentic and if our actions are righteous – to honestly assess whether we are truly following the Gospel of Christ or merely putting on a show for others to see.

The Lord helps us live as we are called to live: loving one another and striving to be holy; confessing our sins and seeking forgiveness when we fail. Let us bear authentic witness to the transforming power of the Gospel in our lives and in the world around us.