Our Accomplishments are God's Work

Homily for Saturday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

As I mentioned yesterday, the Book of Sirach concludes with eulogies for the heroes of the Jewish Scriptures. The author praises the patriarchs, the judges, the kings, and the prophets who did the Lord’s bidding. He also praises the work of three of the faithful children of Israel who returned to the holy land after the Babylonian captivity. The final chapter of the book, from which we read today, is a song of thanksgiving. Although the author speaks of himself in this song of thanksgiving, he does so to attribute his accomplishments to the promptings of God. He tells us that he sought wisdom from his earliest days not through his own virtue but through the grace of God.

In this respect we can learn quite a good lesson from Jesus Ben Sira. All of us can probably point to some good things that we have been able to do with our lives. However, we, like the sacred author, know that it is only because of God’s providential care that we were able to accomplish anything.

Grace is necessary for us to discern where in our lives we must heed the wisdom of the Lord. Rather than looking to the wisdom of the world, through our prayers we are able to heed God’s word and to conform our lives to God’s will. Here in this Eucharist we find that grace. God is always looking for ways to speak to our hearts; so it is that we openly pray for God’s wisdom so that we can be warriors in a world in need of God.

Today we also celebrate the Ugandan martyrs, and in particular Joseph Mukasa and Charles Lawanga. Joseph was the catechist that taught the faith to Charles and the rest of the courtiers. Joseph was the first to die as the king tried to remove his influence. However, Charles took up the task of leadership and led his brothers in their quest for holiness which resulted in their martyrdom. These men were able to put the authority of the Gospel before the wisdom of the world. Let us imitate them in their fervor and in their love for God.