Thursday, February 5, 2015

Discipline and disciple: Daily Mass Homily--Wednesday, February 4th, 2015 (School Mass)


(Listen to this homily here).

            My quiz question for the day…by the way, do you like my quizzes each week?  We heard an important word in the letter to the Hebrews—discipline.  Does anyone know what discipline means?  What does it mean to be disciplined?  To take care of someone.  That’s on the right track.
            Let me put it to you this way.  I like to compete in triathlons, races where you swim, bike then run.  Do you think I could get better at these races if I went home every night and ate Cheetos and drank Mountain Dew for dinner?  What if I at chips and pop for every meal?  Would I get faster?  No!  If I want to get better as an athlete I need discipline.  I need to exercise—swim, bike and run.  I also need to eat well (except for donuts on Sunday!).
            We heard from this reading that God, as our loving Father, disciplines us because He loves us.  Do you ever get disciplined at school?  What if you are talking when you shouldn’t be?  Does your teacher remind you to listen?  Yep, because they love you and want you to learn how to be good students.  What about at home if you don’t clean your room?  Does mom or dad get on you to get it done?  Yep, because they love you too.
            Here is something cool to think about.  There is another word that means “follower of Jesus”.  It sounds similar to discipline.  What is this word?  Disciple.  Great work.  Discipline and disciple are almost the same word!  I’d ask you to spell it but I won’t be giving a spelling test this morning!  Both discipline and disciple mean following.
            Today, may we be open to discipline to become better disciples of Jesus.

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