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HOMILIES

Then there is the whole matter of considering all that concerns leading a moral life, an ethical
life and the whole question of Christian values. Most often, we are not quite ready to live a
life of sharing, to answer a call to solidarity, a call to faithfulness, a call to Adoration, a call to
prayer, a call to keep the Lord’s Day and live it as the Lord’s Day. These are some of the many
things we may not want to hear. We may rather prefer to not hear them.

When Jesus speaks of fear in the Gospel, this is precisely the fear he speaks about: the fear
of conversion. “I do not want to hear, I do not want to see, because I fear it will bring me to
conversion or to live a conversion I prefer not to live.” Maybe I do not want to confront them
because I am not ready to do this now. So, we put limits on things. It is for that reason that one
does not want to hear the call from God to conversion.

On the other hand, it could be that if we have compartmentalized our life, and there are
certain areas in our life where we are ready to hear the call of God. For example, we are ready
to hear the call to help the poor. But then there are other areas where we would rather prefer
not to hear God’s call.

So what is my real fear, deep-down inside of me? What is my fear of the Word of God? Do I
have trust in God? Do I have trust in his Word?

When we say, “I believe in God,” believing in God does not just mean we believe that God
exists, even if this already is a lot! But believing in God means we have trust in God, it means
that I am ready to put my life in his hands. I belong to God with all my heart. I open my heart to
him and I give every part of my existence to him, I leave all my projects in his hands. I believe
in God, I give myself to God.

In this way, we can also consider the question of why we are afraid of death! What are my fears
related to death, what are my fears related to illness? We tend to run away from illness and
death, just as we want to run away from pain and suffering. We are afraid of suffering!

What is God’s call in my life? What is God’s call when we are sick? What is God’s call when
we are confronted with death? Even in death, there is a call from God because God is present.
God is present, God accompanies us, God speaks to us, God prepares us, God makes us
capable to confront, God fortifies us, God pacifies us.

At the heart of today’s Gospel is Jesus’ speaking of those who do not hear because they do
not want to hear, those who do not see because they do not want to see, because they fear
conversion.

(cont’d)

Collection of texts by the Most Rev. Christian Lépine 226