Faith and Works: Daily Mass Homily--Thursday, June 27th, 2013

           Women, never give your husband a concubine.  What a strange situation in our first reading, so I’ll preach on the Gospel.

            Since Martin Luther, there has been a debate between faith and works.  Luther said that faith alone can save us.  Catholic theology is much different.  We believe it is grace alone that saves, and we must live in this grace by both faith and works. 

            One of the passages to which we can refer in this conversation is from our Gospel: “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.’”  Faith and works can never be separated.

            We come to Mass this morning in faith to receive God’s grace.  We pray this grace fuels us to charitable works in our lives today.