Challenge to focus on mission: Daily Mass Homily--Monday, November 3rd, 2014

(Listen to this homily here).

            I wrote my upcoming bulletin last weekend, and the first reading applies very well.  I thought I would give you, our daily Mass crowd, a preview of what I wrote.

            I wrote about the importance to foster unity through our common mission.  As I have been preaching recently, our mission is to love God, love our neighbor, seek the lost (serving the poor) and make disciples.  This is what we must keep in mind when making decisions or facing potential conflicts.

            Conflict is a reality in every family or organization, but how we handle it says a lot about who we are.

            I have already noticed some possible sources of conflict here—the use of our kitchens, the gates at Mass, who makes decisions and who leads the rosary at funerals.

            When such issues are handled well—which most of us do—we can grow.  We can facilitate better communication and make prudent decisions.  But when such issues cause division, this is not healthy and is not what Jesus desires.

            Listen again to St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “…complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.  Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others.”

            The more we can focus on the one thing—our mission to love God and our neighbor—the more any mountains are made back into molehills…the more any remnants of division or hostility melt away.

            Jesus prays that we be one, and it is our job to make sure this happens at St. Thomas Aquinas.