Blessings of peace, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to all of you, my brothers and sisters.
We gather today in the shadow of a world that groans under the weight of its own brokenness. We feel this weight in our spirits, we read of it in our news, and we see its tragic consequences in the faces of the suffering. Our readings today call us to confront three profound wounds that scar our modern age: the corruption that rots the foundations of society, the violence that consumes the innocent, and the unethical practices that betray the sacredness of human life.
First, we consider the poison of corruption. The wise author of Proverbs tells us, “By justice a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down.” We see this tearing down daily. It is not merely the story of a distant minister detained; it is the story of every community where the powerful exploit the weak, where the common good is sacrificed for private gain, where trust in institutions crumbles because justice appears to be for sale. This sin creates a world of shadows and cynicism, where the young learn that integrity is a handicap and greed is a virtue. It destabilizes nations from within, leaving them vulnerable to every other evil.
From this corrupted soil springs the second wound: the scourge of violence against the innocent. The Psalmist cries out to us across the centuries with a divine command: “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Yet, what do we see? We see tents in Gaza reduced to rubble, lives—precious, irreplaceable lives—extinguished. We see the fatherless multiplied, the weak buried under debris, the wickedness of war delivering not security, but an endless cycle of anguish. Each life lost is a universe of possibility extinguished, a reflection of God defaced. When we become numb to these headlines, we deafen our ears to the very voice of God who commands us to be rescuers.
And then, we confront a more subtle, but no less grave, betrayal: the temptation to commodify human life itself under the guise of progress. The commandment is clear and foundational: “You shall not murder.” This sacred injunction protects the inherent dignity of the person from conception to natural death. Yet, we hear of medical trials in impoverished lands where the most vulnerable—newborn children—are treated not as inviolable subjects of care, but as means to an end, where some are deliberately left unprotected. This is a failure of ethics that mirrors a failure of love. It says to the poor, “Your children are less worthy of protection.” It violates the covenant of trust that must exist between healer and patient, and it arrogantly assumes we have dominion over life, which belongs to God alone.
My brothers and sisters, to gaze upon this landscape is to risk despair. But we are not people of despair! We are an Easter people, and “Alleluia” is our song! We must envision, with the eyes of faith, the world Christ desires and empowers us to build. Imagine a world where justice flows like a mighty river, cleansing the halls of power. Where leaders are stewards, not predators. Imagine a world where the weapons of war are beaten into plowshares, where every child in Gaza, in Ukraine, in Sudan, can sleep in peace. Imagine a world where medical science is always and everywhere a servant of human dignity, where the poor receive not experiments, but the very best care as a right of their sonship and daughterhood with God.
This is not a naive dream. This is the Kingdom of God, and it is built through the daily, courageous workings of good men and women filled with the Holy Spirit. It is built by the lawyer who refuses the corrupt case, by the journalist who exposes the truth, by the civil servant who administers laws with equity. It is built by those who pray and work for peace, who support humanitarian aid, who welcome the refugee. It is built by doctors and researchers who hold ethical boundaries sacred, who see the face of Christ in every patient.
Yet, within our own beloved Church, we face a wound that weakens our witness and hinders this sacred work. It is the scandal of division—the bitter polarization that turns theological discourse into warfare, that prioritizes ideology over communion, and that drives the wounded away from the field hospital of Christ. We are fracturing into factions, judging one another’s orthodoxy, and in our internal strife, we mute the Gospel’s call to the world. I call on every one of you, the faithful, to be artisans of unity. Listen more. Assume good faith. Seek communion in the Eucharist as the source of your brotherhood and sisterhood. Let our first testimony to a fractured world be the profound, merciful unity we share in Christ.
For if we do not act—if we remain complacent in the face of corruption, indifferent to violence, and silent before ethical decay—then we choose a different future. It is a future foretold not by prophecy, but by the logical end of sin: a world utterly destabilized, where law is meaningless. It is a future of perpetual war, where the cries of the innocent become the permanent background noise of history. It is a future where human life is merely raw material, to be engineered and discarded. This is the true apocalypse: not a fiery cataclysm from heaven, but a slow, cold descent into a human-made hell, where the light of dignity is finally extinguished. This is what awaits if we, the bearers of Christ’s light, hide our lamp under a bushel.
But that is not our destiny. Today, on this Monday in Ordinary Time, we are reminded that holiness is often forged in the ordinary—in our daily choices for integrity, for peace, for life. The saints were not spectators; they were protagonists of grace in a suffering world. Let us go forth from this place, then, not as passive observers of a declining age, but as soldiers of mercy, builders of justice, and tireless protectors of the sacred. Let us build the civilization of love, brick by brick, act of kindness by act of courage, through the workings of good men and women, with Jesus our Lord and Redeemer as our strength and our guide.
Amen.
What can we do?
In the face of these profound challenges, our faith calls us not to despair but to concrete, practical action in our own spheres of influence. Our contribution is built not on grand gestures, but on the integrity of our daily choices.
Regarding Corruption and Justice, we must first be scrupulously honest in our own dealings. This means paying fair wages, refusing to offer or accept bribes for any favor, and being truthful in our taxes and business records. Support and shop from transparent, ethical businesses. In your community, advocate for and participate in local government meetings, demanding clarity in budgeting and contracting. Use your voice and your vote to support candidates and policies that prioritize institutional integrity and the rule of law.
Concerning Violence and Protection of the Innocent, we cultivate peace by actively rejecting violence in our words and actions. This means refusing to spread hateful rhetoric, even online, and intervening to stop bullying or harassment when we safely can. We protect the innocent by supporting, through donations or volunteer time, the local shelters, food banks, and legal aid societies that serve the most vulnerable in our own cities. Advocate for diplomatic and humanitarian solutions to conflicts by contacting your elected representatives, urging them to prioritize the protection of civilians and the delivery of aid.
On the matter of Unethical Medical Practices, we uphold human dignity by becoming informed and conscientious consumers of healthcare and science. Ask questions about the sourcing and ethical testing of products you use. Support medical research charities and institutions with clear, transparent ethical review boards. In your own life, practice informed consent—fully understanding medical procedures for yourself and your family—and extend that respect to others. Advocate for global health equity, supporting policies and organizations that ensure life-saving medicines and ethical trials are the standard for all people, not a privilege for a few.
Our task is to build, brick by brick, a world that reflects justice, peace, and dignity. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do not underestimate the power of a life lived with consistent integrity and compassionate action.
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.