Homily for Thursday
29th Week of Ordinary Time
Oct. 23, 2025
Rom 6: 19-23
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence,
N.R.
A lot of people join 12-step programs
because they realize that they’re addicted—to alcohol, gambling, pornography, gluttony,
or other weaknesses. They admit they’re
slaves to something that greatly troubles them.
St. Paul calls that lawlessness (6:19) or sin (6:20).
From his own experience, Paul was aware of
the weakness of human nature in both himself and others—members of his congregations
in Asia Minor and Greece, other followers of Christ like those in Rome, and the
world at large.
These addictions, these sins, if not faced
and turned over to “a higher power,” as 12-step programs put it, produce shame
(6:21) and finally death (6:21,23)—a dead conscience, a dead soul, miserable
relationships, an unhappy eternity.
But the Christian has begun a conversion by
which he’s liberated from the burdens of sin.
Forgiveness brings relief, hope, a start to a better way of living. This, Christ offers us, the possibility of
living in a right and healthy relationship with God and with others, a sharing
in God’s holiness.
We can live—act and speak—as servants of
Christ rather than living as slaves to addictive behaviors; live as servants of
Christ, practicing his patience, kindness, generosity, chastity, and other
forms of restraint. “Blessed are they
who hope in the Lord” (Resp. Psalm), who look to him for pardon and the power
to live uprightly.
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