Living the Gospel

Homily for Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

The Church celebrates St. John Chrysostom today, a brave preacher who was known to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” with his controversial honesty and the way he challenged hypocrisy. He dealt with harsh judgments, and was even exiled because he spoke out against wealth and greed, making his rich enemies angry. He held no double standards and defended the faith courageously. St. John Chrysostom lived for the Lord and spread his word to all who would listen. This is what we are called to do, and our readings today give us help in that pursuit.

St. Paul writes about what it means to actually live out the Gospel, saying he made himself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. In other words, he is a servant, showing empathy and compassion in order to show people God’s love. He did not simply speak of God’s love, he lived it in his own life. He compares this to an athlete training to win a competition. He speaks against hypocrisy here. We can read and preach all we want, but if we don’t train and live as an example, then we will not earn the imperishable crown we so hope to earn in the kingdom.

In the Gospel, Jesus also emphasizes this idea of avoiding hypocrisy when he advises us to remove the wooden beam from our eyes at first, and then we will be able to see clearly. In other words, rather than spending time judging others, we must worry about ourselves and prepare our own hearts and minds for the Lord. When we read of our own lives of sin, we can work to help others do the same through example.

The Lord has given us the word made flesh, and to truly share it we must live it.