Blessings of God’s peace and grace to all of you, my dear brothers and sisters, on this holy Sunday.
We gather today as one family under the loving gaze of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We come to be nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, to find strength for the journey, and to be reminded of our sacred calling. And on this day, as we remember the faithful departed on this commemoration of All Souls, we are reminded that our time on Earth is a pilgrimage—a journey where we are called to build the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of justice, peace, and love.
Look around at the world God has entrusted to our care. Our news is filled with images of our brothers and sisters in places like Jamaica, where the fury of a hurricane has left communities shattered. The desperate cry, "We need food, we have no food," echoes not just from Black River, but from the very heart of our collective conscience. This is not a distant problem; it is a divine summons. For in the face of such suffering, we hear the voice of Christ himself, who told us, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." When we hear that cry of desperation, we are hearing the voice of Jesus. He is the one who is hungry. He is the one who is thirsty. He is the stranger in Black River, waiting for an invitation into our hearts and into our aid.
But the wounds of our world run deeper than natural disasters. They fester in the moral failures of our societies. We see the most innocent among us, the children, whose sacred dignity is profaned by the creation and sale of abominable objects that reduce them to objects of perversion. The warning of the Gospel is stark and severe for those who would cause these little ones to stumble. It is a warning that should shake the very foundations of the global marketplace, reminding every corporation and every consumer that we will be judged by how we protect the most vulnerable, not by the profits we amass.
And what of our social fabric, woven with threads of trust and integrity? We witness the shocking allegations of vast tax evasion, where billions are hidden from the common good. This is not a clever business strategy; it is a betrayal of the trust upon which society is built. It echoes the truth that "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much." When we are dishonest in small things, we become dishonest in great ones. This erosion of moral integrity impoverishes us all, robbing schools, hospitals, and the poor of the resources that build a just society.
My brothers and sisters, these are not isolated issues. They are symptoms of a global sickness—a sickness of indifference, of greed, and of a fractured sense of brotherhood. This is the work of the Evil One, who sows division and convinces us that the suffering of a stranger is not our concern.
And I must speak with a heavy heart of a wound within our own Church—the scandal of a faith that sometimes remains a private devotion, failing to burst forth into the public square as a transformative force of charity and justice. Too often, we have compartmentalized our faith, keeping it within the walls of our beautiful churches but failing to let it guide our business decisions, our political choices, and our daily interactions. We are called to be a Church that is not only holy but also apostolic, sent out into the world to be the hands and feet of Christ.
I call upon every one of you, the faithful, to help heal this wound. Let your faith be alive! Let it be the reason you donate to Catholic Relief Services, the reason you advocate for ethical trade, the reason you demand transparency from leaders. Let your Sunday worship fuel your Monday work. Be the good men and women through whom Christ solves these great problems.
For I tell you, there is a vision of hope. Imagine a world, with Jesus’s help, where no child’s innocence is for sale because our collective conscience will not allow it. Imagine a world where the profits of enterprise flow freely to aid the victims of disaster, not into hidden vaults. Imagine a world where the phrase "I was a stranger and you invited me in" is met with a resounding "Amen" from a global family that knows no borders. This is the world we are called to build. It is not a naive dream; it is the mandate of the Gospel.
But heed this warning: if we choose the path of comfortable indifference, if we close our ears to the cry of the poor and our eyes to the exploitation of the weak, then we are choosing a different path. We are choosing a path that leads not to the Kingdom of God, but to a man-made hell on Earth. A world where trust evaporates, where the vulnerable are crushed, and where the desperate are left to perish is a world abandoning its soul. It is a world preparing for its own apocalyptic collapse—not by fire from heaven, but by the cold, calculated decay of human solidarity. We will drown not in water, but in the consequences of our own inaction, with the millstones of our complacency hung around our own necks.
Do not be afraid! The power of Christ’s resurrection, which we celebrate on this Sunday, is more powerful than any hurricane, any greed, any sin. Go forth from this place today, filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Be builders of the civilization of love. Feed the hungry Christ in Jamaica. Protect the vulnerable Christ in every child. Demand integrity from the powerful for the sake of the common Christ in us all. Let us, together, answer the call of this Sunday, and of every day, to participate in the great work of redemption.
Amen.
What can we do?
When we see humanitarian crises unfolding, like communities devastated by hurricanes where people lack basic necessities, our immediate response matters. Begin by researching reputable relief organizations working directly in affected regions and set up modest monthly donations—even small amounts create cumulative impact. Keep emergency supply kits in your home that you can quickly donate when disasters strike locally. Advocate for humanitarian causes by writing to elected representatives about supporting international aid. Practice radical hospitality in your own community by welcoming newcomers and supporting local shelters.
To protect vulnerable people, become a conscious consumer. Research companies' ethical practices before purchasing—support businesses with transparent supply chains and fair labor practices. Report concerning products like inappropriate childlike dolls directly to retailers and regulatory authorities. Volunteer with or donate to organizations that prevent human trafficking and support abuse survivors. Educate young people in your life about healthy boundaries and respect. When you witness exploitation in your community, speak to managers, write reviews, or contact consumer protection agencies.
For social justice and moral integrity, practice financial honesty in your personal and professional life—pay taxes fairly, report income accurately, and reject opportunities for dishonest gain. Support businesses that demonstrate ethical transparency and tax compliance. Teach children in your care about integrity through everyday actions like returning incorrect change or acknowledging mistakes. Use your consumer power to reward companies with ethical business practices. When you observe corruption, report it through proper channels rather than remaining silent.
These practical actions, woven into our daily routines, create ripples that gradually transform our world. Each conscious choice to act with compassion, protect the vulnerable, and maintain integrity contributes to rebuilding what is broken.
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.