Blessings of peace, grace, and the hope of the Risen Christ to all of you, my brothers and sisters, on this Saturday, a day we traditionally set aside to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, our model of perfect faith and obedience.
We gather as a family, a universal Church, while our world groans under the weight of division, exploitation, and confusion. From the ancient soil of the Holy Land, where our Lord Himself walked, we hear not the gentle footsteps of pilgrims but the thunder of conflict and the bitter silence of empty halls of diplomacy. We recall the prophecy of Isaiah, a vision granted by God for a future we are called to build: "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore."
This is not a distant dream, but a divine mandate. The empty chairs at the United Nations are a stark symbol of a failure of dialogue, a failure of fraternity. But we must not merely walk out in protest; we must walk in with the courage of peacemakers. Imagine, with the help of Jesus, a world where that prophecy is our reality. A world where the energy and resources poured into weaponry are instead invested in feeding the hungry, healing the sick, and educating the young. This is the world God desires, and it will be built by the hands of good men and women who refuse to accept that hatred is inevitable.
Yet, the wounds of our world are not only on battlefields; they are in the hidden corners of our cities, in the exploitation of human dignity for profit. The recent revelation of a sex-trade ring in Dubai, preying on the vulnerable, is a chilling testament to a profound moral decay. It is a direct assault on the sacred truth that "your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit." When we reduce a person, created in the image and likeness of God, to an object for gratification or commerce, we blaspheme the Creator Himself. We must envision a world, guided by Christ's love, where every human being is seen not as a commodity, but as a brother or sister, a temple to be honored and protected. This new world will be built by good people who stand against exploitation in all its forms, who support organizations that rescue and restore, and who foster a culture that respects the inherent dignity of every soul.
This defense of dignity extends to the very foundation of society: the family. We live in an age of great confusion regarding the beautiful and complementary nature of man and woman, as revealed in Genesis: "male and female he created them." The family, born of the sacred covenant between a man and a woman, is the primary cell of society, the first school of love and faith. Laws that seek to clarify the biological reality of sex are not born of hatred, but of a desire to protect a fundamental truth about humanity and the environment in which children can best flourish. Our call is not to condemn, but to witness with greater love and clarity to the beauty of God’s plan. We must envision a world where every child is welcomed into a stable, loving family, and where the authentic meaning of human sexuality is celebrated as a gift from God for the good of spouses and the creation of new life.
However, my dear brothers and sisters, as we look outward to heal the world, we must also have the courage to look inward at the wounds within our own Mother, the Church. One of the most pressing challenges we face is the scandal of division among the faithful—the bitter polemics, the ideological camps, the failure to dialogue with charity. We are sometimes quicker to attack our fellow Catholics than to engage the world with the Gospel. This internal strife weakens our witness and saddens the Heart of Christ. I call upon every one of you, the faithful, to be agents of unity. In your parishes, in your online discussions, in your families, seek first to understand, to pray for one another, and to build communion. Let our first identity be not "traditional" or "progressive," but simply and radiantly "Christian."
For if we fail in this mission—if we choose apathy over action, division over unity, and selfishness over sacrifice—then we choose a path that leads not to the Kingdom of God, but to a man-made apocalypse. A world where conflict escalates beyond control, where the vulnerable are crushed by the powerful, where the family fragments into irrelevance, and where the human person is utterly desacralized. This is not the fire of God's judgment, but the cold, self-inflicted darkness of a humanity that has turned its back on its Creator and on its own goodness. The warning is dire because the stakes are eternal.
But this is not our fate! Today, let us be inspired not by fear, but by the hope that is our inheritance in Christ. Let us be the good men and women through whom He works. Let us be builders of peace, defenders of dignity, and witnesses to love. Let us leave this place not as passive observers of a troubled world, but as active participants in its redemption. The world waits for the light that you, the baptized, are called to carry. Do not hide it. Go forth and set the world ablaze with the love of Christ.
Amen.
What can we do?
In the face of ongoing conflict, such as that in the Holy Land, our practical contribution begins with informed and compassionate engagement. We can actively seek out news from a variety of sources to understand the complex histories and human stories on all sides, moving beyond simplistic narratives. In our daily conversations, we can choose to speak with empathy, refusing to dehumanize any group of people. Supporting humanitarian organizations that provide aid to all civilians affected by violence is a direct and impactful action. Furthermore, we can advocate to our own political representatives for diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution, emphasizing the protection of human dignity above all.
Regarding the moral decay seen in exploitation, like the sex-trade ring in Dubai, our daily defense of human dignity is paramount. We can make conscious consumer choices, supporting businesses and industries that are transparent about their labor practices and actively combat human trafficking. Educating ourselves and our communities about the signs of modern slavery empowers us to be vigilant and report suspicious activities to the proper authorities. Supporting shelters and rehabilitation programs for survivors offers tangible help to those rebuilding their lives. In our own conduct, we must consistently treat every person with respect, rejecting any culture that commodifies human beings.
In discussions surrounding family and identity, such as the new law in Slovakia, our role is to foster communities of genuine welcome and support. This starts in our own families and social circles by listening with patience and without judgment to those whose experiences differ from our own. We can champion policies and support local organizations that strengthen all families, focusing on providing children with safe, loving, and stable environments. The most practical contribution is to ensure that our parishes and communities are places where every person feels they belong, are valued, and are encouraged to live with integrity.
Our power lies not in grand, single actions, but in the cumulative effect of our daily choices: how we speak, what we support, and how we treat the person next to us. This is how we build a world that reflects our deepest hopes for peace and human flourishing.
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.