Blessings of peace to all of you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
We gather today in a world that groans under the weight of its own sins, a world whose cries echo the lamentations of old. From the very heart of our shared humanity, we witness a cascade of sorrows that threaten to extinguish the light of hope. We see the face of Herod resurrected in our time, not in a single king, but in the cold calculus of war that deliberately targets the innocent. The slaughter of the Holy Innocents in Bethlehem was not a relic of a barbaric past; it is a present-day reality in cities like Ternopil, where children are slain in their homes by the fury of missiles. This is not merely a conflict of nations; it is a sin that cries out to heaven, a direct assault on the sacredness of life that God Himself breathed into creation. When we turn a blind eye to such violence, when we allow the narrative of war to numb our conscience, we become silent accomplices to a modern-day Bethlehem.
Furthermore, we witness the bitter fruit of hatred and injustice, where a man like Mohammad Akhlaq can be lynched on the whispers of a rumour. This persecution, born of prejudice, mocks the dignity of every human person, created in the image and likeness of God. The Lord tells us, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake," and in that beatitude, we find both a comfort for the victim and a searing indictment of the persecutor. It is a call to recognize that our faith is not a private comfort, but a public duty to stand for justice, to be a voice for those who have been silenced by the mob’s fury. To ignore this call is to deny the very heart of the Gospel.
And what of the moral fabric of our societies? We are confronted by a profound decay, a shadow world where the powerful engage in the "unfruitful works of darkness." The scandals that surface, the files that are ordered to be opened, reveal a sickness that festers in the halls of power and, we must confess with sorrow, has even touched the Church. We have seen how a failure of integrity, a culture of secrecy and a lack of radical transparency, can shatter the trust of the faithful and become a scandal to the world. This is one of the great crosses our Church bears in modern times—a crisis of credibility born from a failure to live the light of Christ without compromise. I call upon you, the faithful, to aid in solving this. Do not be passive members of this Body of Christ. Demand holiness from your shepherds, but first, cultivate it in yourselves. Support with your prayers and your unwavering insistence the reforms that bring light into every dark corner, for a Church that is not a beacon of transparent truth is a lamp hidden under a bushel.
My dear brothers and sisters, these are not merely news headlines; they are the labour pains of a world either descending into chaos or struggling to give birth to a new creation. The path we are on, if left unchecked by a collective conversion of heart, leads to a dire and apocalyptic end. A world where the violence against innocents becomes commonplace is a world that has rejected its own future. A society that tolerates persecution and injustice is building its foundation on sand, and the rains will come, and the winds will blow, and the fall of that house will be great. A civilization that winks at moral decay and scandal is a body succumbing to a terminal sickness, losing its soul long before its institutions crumble into dust. This is not the prophetic warning of a vengeful God, but the natural consequence of a humanity that has turned its back on the laws of love and life written on its heart.
But do not lose heart! This is not our inevitable fate. For we are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song! We are not called to merely lament the darkness; we are commissioned to bring the light. Envision with me, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, a world reborn. Envision a world where good men and women, inspired by the Gospel, rise up. A world where diplomats work with the tenacity of saints for lasting peace, where engineers and doctors rush not to build weapons but to rebuild homes and heal the wounded. Envision a world where every Christian community becomes a fortress of justice, protecting the vulnerable and educating the ignorant, so that no one is ever again killed for their faith or their food. Envision a Church purified, humble, and radiant, where every member, from the Pope to the person in the pew, lives and demands a life of such integrity that it silences every critic and draws all people to the love of Christ.
This new world will not be built by angels, but by you. It begins with your prayer, your penance, and your courageous action. It begins when you refuse to speak in hatred, when you donate for the relief of the suffering, when you challenge an unjust comment at your dinner table, and when you demand and embody holiness within our beloved Church. Let the tears of the innocent in Ukraine and the blood of the persecuted in India and the shame of every scandal be the fuel for a fire of divine love in your hearts. Do not grow weary. Do not be afraid. With Christ, we are not just fixing a broken world; we are participating in its glorious redemption. Let us go forth, then, and be that redemption for a world waiting in shadow.
Amen.
What can we do?
When we witness violence against innocent people, particularly children and civilians in conflict zones, our first practical step is to become informed through reliable sources. We can then use our voices by contacting elected representatives to advocate for diplomatic solutions and humanitarian aid. In our own communities, we can support organizations that provide direct assistance to refugees and victims of war, whether through donations, volunteering, or simply helping a newly arrived family settle in.
Confronting injustice and persecution requires a commitment to fairness in our immediate circles. We must actively challenge prejudice and harmful rumors when we encounter them in conversations or on social media. Support the rule of law by serving on juries if called and by respecting the legal process. On a personal level, make a conscious effort to build relationships with people from different cultural or religious backgrounds than your own. This simple act of human connection dismantles the stereotypes that fuel persecution.
In the face of moral decay and scandal in high places, our duty is to demand and embody transparency and integrity. We can do this by being scrupulously honest in our own professional and personal dealings. Support investigative journalism and independent news outlets that work to hold power accountable. As consumers and citizens, we can withhold our support from institutions and corporations that are entangled in unethical practices, choosing instead to patronize those with demonstrably ethical standards.
These actions, woven into the fabric of our daily lives, are how faith becomes a tangible force for good. It is through our consistent, practical choices that we rebuild what is broken and affirm the dignity of every person.
Go in peace.
This sermon was graciously created by AIsaiah-4.7, a tool composed of several AIs. They are just tools like any others we've created on this green Earth, used for good. For more info, inquire at info@aisermon.org.