We often hear the old saying “never discuss politics or religion in public.” Growing up, this seemed like common courtesy, a way to keep the peace at family gatherings and social events. But today, these once-taboo topics have become daily conversation, especially when religion and politics intersect. Just this past week, we saw heated reactions when a religious leader used their sermon to address political concerns to the new administration at the National Day of Prayer. And we’ve seen similar controversies when people have been disappointed over Catholic leaders when they have and have not called for public admonishment of those supporting certain political positions on moral issues like abortion, euthanasia, or the death penalty.
A heartfelt thank you for taking the time to read this homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (January 26, 2025). Your support means the world to me, and I’m deeply moved by how this community shares these messages of faith. If you’ve found meaning in these words, I’d be grateful if you’d share them with others who might benefit.
And for those who prefer listening, you can find the audio version on SoundCloud HERE or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes HERE. Your comments, messages, and the way you’ve embraced these homilies continue to inspire me. Together, we’re spreading God’s word, one share at a time. Sincerely in Christ -Father Jim
In our divided world, where people seem eager to “cancel” those they disagree with, these discussions become even more challenging. When religion and politics meet, we’re dealing with deeply held convictions and competing visions for our future. I’ll admit, I’ve sometimes found myself wanting to jump into these debates when seeing various clergy speak out. The temptation to respond, to correct, to engage in these heated discussions can be overwhelming. And yes, occasionally, I’ve fallen into that trap myself, only to realize later that perhaps silence and prayer might have been the better response.
This all came to mind as I reflected on both these recent controversies and today’s readings. We heard in the First Reading from Nehemiah – a rare occurrence that happens only once in our three-year cycle of Sunday readings. The Nehemiah reading takes us back four centuries before Christ’s birth, where we witness something remarkable: the people of God standing, listening to Scripture, and weeping. Not arguing, not debating, not trying to prove their point – simply listening and being moved to tears by God’s Word.
To understand this powerful moment, we need some context. The Jewish people had a long history of gaining and losing the Promised Land through wars and divisions. But these weren’t just political defeats – they were symptoms of a deeper spiritual ailment: their disobedience to God. They had stopped listening to His voice and forgotten His promises, creating a cycle of repentance, restoration, lukewarmness, and falling away again. It’s a pattern that might sound familiar to many of us today.
In today’s reading, they’ve returned from exile – though interestingly, some chose to stay behind, finding comfort in their captivity. Think about that for a moment: some people had become so accustomed to living under foreign rule that they preferred it to freedom in their homeland. How often do we, too, choose the comfort of our familiar sins over the challenge of conversion? How many times do we settle for spiritual mediocrity because real change seems too demanding? And we comfort ourselves by looking around and saying “well everyone it doing the same thing (or even worse)?”
Those who did return were practicing a shallow version of their once-vibrant faith. That’s why Ezra the priest’s actions are so significant. As he reads God’s word to the people – something they hadn’t truly done in generations – their hearts are struck with conviction. They suddenly see how their own unfaithfulness, their compromise with the surrounding cultures, had led to their downfall. It was no longer about blaming others or using Scripture to justify their victim status – it was about recognizing their need for personal conversion.
What’s particularly striking is how this moment of conviction led not to despair, but to joy. Ezra tells the people not to weep but to rejoice, for “the joy of the Lord is your strength.” This wasn’t about wallowing in guilt but about experiencing the liberating power of truth. When we honestly confront our failings in light of God’s Word, we’re not meant to remain in sorrow but to repent, go to confession, and find hope in God’s mercy and strength in His joy.
This connects beautifully to our Gospel reading, where we get this fascinating glimpse into Luke’s purpose in writing. At the very beginning we hear St. Luke addressing “most excellent Theophilus.” St. Luke does not know he’s writing what will become part of Sacred Scripture, but simply wanting to share this amazing news with this person Theophilus. St Luke sets about recounting the transformative truth he’s discovered: how God became man in Jesus Christ, fulfilling not just the hopes of the Jewish people, but the deepest longings of every human heart. Luke’s careful investigation and orderly account remind us that our faith isn’t based on mere emotions or political ideologies, but on historical events and divine revelation.
The message for us today is clear: while we’re called to bring our faith into the public square, authentic witness must begin with internal transformation. Before we critique others or engage in political debates, we must first let God’s Word penetrate our own hearts. Like those people standing before Ezra, we’re called to let Scripture convict us, challenge us, and change us. This means approaching God’s Word not as a weapon to use against others, selectively copying and pasting scripture verses to prove someone else wrong… but as a mirror that reveals our own need for conversion.
This is the path forward in our polarized world. Not angry debates or self-righteous proclamations, but humble recognition of our own need for ongoing conversion. When we approach contemporary issues from this posture of humility – having first let God’s Word transform us – we can engage in difficult conversations with both truth and charity. We can speak with conviction while maintaining compassion, stand firm in our beliefs while showing respect for others’ dignity.
And perhaps most importantly, we can remember that the ultimate goal isn’t winning arguments, but witnessing to the transformative power of Christ’s love in our own lives. And being a testimony and invitation for others to experience this as well. In today’s Gospel, Jesus reads from Isaiah about bringing good news to the poor, liberty to captives, and sight to the blind. These words weren’t just political statements – they were a proclamation of God’s kingdom breaking into our world through Christ himself.
For as Jesus himself would later read in the synagogue at Nazareth, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me.” That same Spirit is upon us today, calling us not primarily to political action or social commentary, but to personal conversion and authentic witness to the Gospel. When we allow God’s Word to transform us first, our engagement with the world naturally flows from that transformation. We become not just hearers of the Word, but living testimonies to its power to transform hearts and heal our divided world.
As we leave here today, let’s challenge ourselves to approach both Scripture and our contemporary debates differently. Instead of rushing to speak, let’s first listen – really listen – to God’s Word. Instead of using the Bible to win arguments, let’s allow it to win our hearts. And instead of letting political divisions define our faith, let’s let our faith transform how we engage in politics. For when we do this, we’ll find that the joy of the Lord truly is our strength, and that this joy has the power to bridge even the deepest divisions in our world today.
The links to SoundCloud and iTunes didn’t work in this post.
Hi Mike – my apologies – just uploaded the homily, it is up on soundcloud, there’s a lag in Apple podcasts, but if you subscribe, it will download as soon as it appears.
“the joy of the Lord is your strength.” this really touched my heart as I read through the readings before Mass <3 Love your homilies.
Fr,
Well said and humbling. I am very guilty of jumping into the lions den when issues like this arise. I need to do exactly what you stated here.
Humbling
you and me both JP 🙂