Happy Sunday, everyone! I want to focus on two points from today’s readings. The first is from the second reading, where St. Paul presents a bold challenge. He tells us, “Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called.” This is a call to action. It is not enough to simply be a Christian or to merely believe; we must immerse ourselves in our faith. We must seize it and live it out fully. Paul later challenges us to keep the commandments “without stain or reproach,” further emphasizing that the path to eternal life requires active participation. It is not a passive approach where we stand by and hope for God’s grace to save us. We must seek it out, follow God’s commands, and imitate our Savior. Only then can we experience the fullness of faith.
The second point I want to focus on is from the Gospel reading. The rich man calls out to Abraham, asking him to send Lazarus to his brothers to warn them of what will happen if they don’t repent. Abraham declines the request, saying that Moses and the prophets are enough. The rich man responds, “Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Abraham replies, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.” I wanted to highlight these verses because many of us have thought at some point, “If only God would give me a sign,” or “If only God would reveal Himself in a way that proves He exists.” We’ve all had this mindset at one time or another. If only God did this or that, then of course we would keep the commandments, of course we would live our lives for Him. Who wouldn’t? We make these excuses, blaming God for our lack of faith, thinking, “God isn’t doing enough in my life to make me believe.” The truth is, God has already done plenty in our lives for us to follow Him and His commandments. It is our own selfishness, pride, and greed that demand more from God to “know” He is who He says He is.
Today, let us take hold of our salvation and seek God. He reveals Himself to you in every moment of your life. Are you listening?