Student Homily
Erin Doyle, '07
April, 2007
Readings of the Day:
First Reading: Acts 8:26-40
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 66:8-9, 16-17, 20
Gospel: John 6:44-51
According to William James, "Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task." To me, plain and simple, he is talking about the danger of procrastination. Let's face it: we all do it, and a lot of times, we get away with it, but I think that procrastination can be something dangerous when it comes to our faith, and our readings this morning reminds us of that.
In the first reading, we hear about the baptism of the eunuch by Philip. The two men were walking along the road talking about their Christian faith when the man decided he wanted to be baptized. What's so unique, though, was that it wasn't something he thought would be a good idea to schedule in, but that he wanted to be baptized right there, right then. He didn't want to wait, because he thought it was too important to wait for.
Although it's doubtful that any of us will have a profound experience like that today, we can all learn something from that reading this morning. When it comes to our faith and our relationship with God, we have to take advantage of every moment because God is truly present in every moment. We can't wait for the perfect time to pray or the perfect time to encounter God's presence in our lives, because that perfect time is now. Taking this time to pray or just even acknowledge God is something that is too important to procrastinate with. Our Gospel this morning also reminds us of how important a constant relationship with God is, when Jesus calls himself the Bread of Life. Jesus says that those who eat his flesh will live forever, and never be hungry again. Its kind of strange if you really think about it, but it's just another example of Jesus' humbling and unconditional love for us. If we remember this love and that if we accept this love we will live forever, we can't procrastinate with our faith because we'll realize just how important it is. If we keep these words of Jesus in our minds, I'm sure it will be a lot more difficult to find something better to do than recognize God's presence right here, right now.
So as we continue our day today, let us find time to recognize and encounter God's presence. May we be joined together as we experience the true Bread of Life in our midst in the Eucharist, and allow it to affect and change us. May we also be able to find time for God in all things, as God is our strength and our source of life.
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