Homily for Wednesday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time

For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/110508.shtml
Mary, conceived without sin, patronness of the Americas, pray for us!

In light of yesterday's historic election, three prayers come easily to mind. First, we should pray that abortion, since it appears certain that it will remain legal, will continue to become more rare, especially due to an increase of the virtue of chastity among young people and due to more women choosing to keep their children or to place them with adoptive parents. Secondly, we should pray that president-elect Obama will be able to inspire the American people to become more educated, more virtuous, and more charitable. Thirdly, we should pray for the conversion of all our elected officials, that they may pursue policies for our country that will benefit the common good of all Americans, especially by guaranteeing the first and most indispensable of human rights, the right to life.

St. Paul's letter to the Philippians makes perfect sense for those of us clinging to the word of life in times that are challenging to our faith. St. Paul tells us to work out our salvation by trying to shine like lights in the darkness, never giving in to discouragement and blame, but being glad always that Christ has called us out of darkness, into His own wonderful life. Christ speaks to those following Him in today's Gospel that becoming perfect and building the kingdom of God is not for the faint of heart, nor is it a part-time endeavor. To be free from ourselves and our own expectations, so that we may live in the eternal splendor of divine love to which Christ invites us, we must detach completely from all exterior possessions, to be sure, but even more importantly, from all the interior possessions that are the product of our pride. It is through self-forgetfulness that we become free from the need to conform to the morality of any given moment, and become free to follow Jesus and to receive the riches of His kingdom.