HOMILY FOR 19TH MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: HE CHOSE TO PAY “SO AS NOT TODAY GIVE OFFENSE.”
BY: Fr. Ernest Cross
Deut 10:12-22, Ps. 147:12-15,19-20, Matt 17:22-27
In the gospel of today, we have a received a scintillating lesson about what true freedom entails. This was done through a story about temple tax. When Jesus was questioned about payment, he responded wisely and diligently. Though he is free from the obligation, he chose to pay “so as not to give offense.”
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There is always freedom imbedded in willing service. Every Christian who lives life of selfless service enjoys this freedom. St Clare of Assisi whom we celebrate today embodied this mystery of freedom in wilful service. She was born into an affluent noble family and could possess any freedom that material wealth could provide. She threw that opportunity overboard and followed tha radical path of religious poverty after the example of Saint Francis on Palm Sunday, 1212.
She was not just rejecting material privilege, she chose ultimate freedom. That singular and salutary choice of denouncing material security freed her from unnecessary social expectations, burden of possessions and anxiety of worldly concerns. Just like Jesus paying the tax, Clare’s surrender was not a defeat but victory.
Today, Jesus has taught us that true freedom is not the absence of responsibility but the joy of choosing love over obligation. Clare’s poverty became her pathway to spiritual treasures. Her prayer life and charitable services became her freedom. Let us surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ and perform our duties with love always. This is the only way to enjoy true freedom.
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