Father Joseph Illo, pastor of Star of the Sea parish in San Francisco, gave a 16-minute homily on Sunday, September 6.
Work, as you know from Genesis, is a curse. But work has been redeemed by Jesus Christ, so it is a redeeming oblation.
Ezekiel in the first reading pulls no punches. He was a prophet. He saw the temple burn, was deported into Babylon. He was a watchman for the house of Israel. Like a parent or a teacher, he had to speak tough words.
God calls every baptized Christian to be a prophet. We can simply make a Sign of Cross.
A tech person was talking to me about how he can witness to Christ by making the sign of the Cross. You can suffer very personally for witnessing.
The second reading from the Book of Romans and the Gospel all build on each other. Paul says in Romans you must owe no one anything but to love one another.
The Gospel reading says we must tell another person his faults. That is an act of love. the Church does excommunicate. The Church is fundamentally prophetic.
The bishop’s job is to teach and preach God’s word. We have to be brave enough to tell the truth.
Every Saturday I go down to the Planned Parenthood on Bush and Van Ness with 8-10 parishioners to pray. We just pray two Rosaries and some other prayers. We go to express the truth thou shall not kill.
Yesterday we were there. One lady said don’t you have anything better to do. I thought no, I don’t have anything better to do. If a brother sins, Jesus says, tell them.
We are all responsible for others. Pray for the strength to be the prophets.
Fr. Illo is right. What better to do than try to save lives and souls?
Years ago, my bishop gave each parish a small, replica icon of Mary, Help of Mothers, and noted priests and deacons should take it with them when praying in front of abortion clinics. We’re expected to wear clerical collars or riassas/cassocks. My pastor and I did that at the Planned Parenthood in San Jose. That resulted in many significant and meaningful conversations, as well as prayer with others. Some of the conversations were with those who were at least somewhat like-minded and others with those who opposed our message. Both were important and good uses of time. We should be using our time to prepare for eternity. May the Lord deliver and heal all those tempted to abortion.
If it saves just one innocent life, it is well worth doing, and along with saving an innocent life, the souls of the parents are saved from committing grave sin.
There is nothing better you can do than save a life of an innocent unborn baby child from the evil clutches of Planned Parenthood who has a terrible plan. End Abortion Now! Adoption is the option.