My dear brothers and sisters in Christ welcome to this Saturday's homily on the freedom of the heart that belongs entirely to God. My dear friends, in today's first reading, Saint Paul says “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me” (Philippians 4:13) or some other translations have it as “I can do all things, through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). Now true christian freedom is not having everything we want but being content in every circumstance because Christ is our strength. Our security is in him. And Paul has experienced both poverty and abundance, yet neither determined his peace. He also praised the Philippians for their generosity, reminding us that material possessions become spiritually fruitful when placed at the service of others.
My brothers and sisters, to be happy as christians certainly does not mean indifference to the suffering. and to those who are struggling, but it means confidence in God's providence. Saint Paul thanks the Philippians for their generosity and describes how he has learned to endure both poverty and abundance through Christ. He assures them that God will provide for their needs. And so too, my brothers and sisters, when we are in a difficult situation, we ought to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, who will get us through whatever it is, whatever hardship we may find, ourselves in. This too will end through the grace and the mercy of Christ.
In the gospel our Lord says “no servant can serve two masters” (Luke 16:13) and he's talking about the competing illusory god of money as opposed to the one true god. The real danger of wealth is not possessing it, but allowing it to possess our hearts. Jesus teaches that money is a temporary resource entrusted to us, not our ultimate security. How we use material possessions reveals whom we truly serve. We may appear religious before others, but God sees whether our hearts belong to him or to the things of this world.
So you could have an Elon Musk who has billions with no end, and who can be free at the same time in his heart, could be happy, could be doing a lot of good, and you can have somebody with little money who is very attached to material things. So it doesn't always necessarily mean that a wealthy person is in cahoots is hopeless when it comes to living the freedom that Christ desires for us. No. And it's not always the case that the person who is not wealthy is free in his heart because we could still be attached. And it is certainly not the case that we who appear religious are always necessarily so and free from within. Jesus teaches that faithfulness in small material matters reveals our readiness for greater spiritual responsibilities. He warns that no one can serve both God and money. My dear brothers and sisters, to day being Saturday, we remember our dearest and most blessed mother, as we do each day, but on Saturday in a very particular way, where she embodies the freedom that Paul is describing the freedom of an undivided heart that Jesus demands in its love for God.
At the annunciation she surrendered herself entirely to God's will without demanding guarantees of comfort, security, or worldly recognition. At Bethlehem she accepted poverty. at Calvary she endured unimaginable suffering. Through every circumstance her trust remained anchored in God and this is something we have to continually work on in ourselves. It is a freedom of the heart that is a lifelong journey. In the Magnificat, Mary proclaims, “he has filled the hunger hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty” (Luke 1:53). Mary teaches us that the richest person is not the one who possesses the most, but the one whose heart belongs completely to God.
Her poverty of spirit was not merely material simplicity. it was complete availability. to God's will. Brothers and sisters Saint Francis in his letter to the entire order in verse 29 says, let us therefore hold back nothing of ourselves for ourselves so that he who gives himself totally to us may receive us totally For Saint Francis evangelical poverty may not simply mean the renunciation of possessions, but the liberation of the heart for total self-giving to God. In his salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Francis addresses Mary as and I quote, Hail his palace, hail his tabernacle, hail his home. St. Francis praises Mary because she made herself entirely available to God, allowing him to reside within her in his fullness.
She possessed no greater treasure, than the Lord whom she carried within her heart. Saint Paul teaches us to find our strength in Christ rather than in circumstances Francis, Jesus warns us against allowing wealth to become our master, and our blessed mother and her faithful son Saint Francis show us the freedom of a heart that belongs entirely to God The question is not simply what do I possess, but rather what possesses my heart? And perhaps the most important question for this Saturday is could I surrender everything to God with the same trust as Mary? May she continue to intercede for you and your loved ones and especially those who are going through a difficult time, but may she acquire for us the grace to live in the freedom and in the joy of the sons and daughters of God. amen.
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