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This homily focuses on recognizing that we are created in God’s image, embracing His love, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, speech, and actions.
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From this gospel, we have the famous saying, give to God what belongs to God. Would you say that with me? Give to God what belongs to God. Yesterday, I was leading a retreat for teenagers getting ready for the sacrament of confirmation.
I was pretty exhausted this morning, but the KFC breakfast is really good. Got some eggs and some coffee, and I’m getting my energy back. But those teens will give you a run for your money.
It was an honor to be with them, and it was a lovely retreat. And one of the parts of the day that you could see they are in, they’re focused, they’re paying attention, was when we were meditating on the mystery of the gift of our life. In October, we have Respect Life Sunday.
And there’s a very famous scripture that I want to ask you to complete the end of. I’ll start it, and you’ll end it. And everybody knows it.
It’s from Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 5. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. I knew you. Every life is God’s idea.
Each person, there’s no accident or coincidence that each person exists. Every life is a gift from God, and every life is made in God’s image and likeness. And so when Jesus says, give to Caesar, here’s his image.
Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar. His image was on it. Give it to Caesar.
But we bear the image of God. We’re made in God’s image and likeness. And when I was showing the teens that they were drawn in, my newest nephew and God’s son is five months old, and his name is Edward Thomas.
And Edward Thomas has a special connection with Grandma. He’s very a smiley baby, but Grandma spends a lot of time with him, babysits, helps out. And so I was filming and took a picture as well.
Edward Thomas was laying on the ground in his awesome little onesie. You know those comfortable little onesies? Okay. I mean, they’ve made a comeback, and they’re even out there for adults, but that, I don’t know.
Okay. I won’t judge you, but you might not find me in one. Okay.
So Edward Thomas is in his onesie. And Grandma, and these two spend time together. Grandma’s reaching out to him, and she’s smiling at him.
And Edward Thomas isn’t big enough yet to crawl around. He’s going to get there. But right now, he can just kind of roll over a little bit.
So he’s laying there, and Grandma is reaching out with a smile. And Edward Thomas has his arms open, and he’s surging with his little body, kind of arcing his back off the ground, surging toward her. And I’m going to show you.
I’m going to just do this slow in a 180 so you can see. I’m not exaggerating. I can’t do it enough.
His would be way better if I had an image, but I’m going to show you. He’s surging, and his face looks like this. He’s like, I’m not kidding.
He’s like this. And you were made for that, love. You were made to be able to look upon Jesus, and the Father, and the Spirit.
And when you were baptized, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Filled with the Holy Spirit, so that you could know how loved you are by the Father, the Son, and the Spirit, always in this intimate relationship. So give to God what belongs to God.
We get to give God a life full of God. We get to give the world a witness of the love of God, because of God’s loving presence inside of us, and always with us. And now when we come, there’s no way I’d be a priest if this were just bread.
It’s truly Jesus. When we come to Jesus, He’s waiting for us. Body, blood, soul, and divinity.
The risen, glorified Lord looks upon each of us. You’re still worth my blood. I love you.
Come, let me fill you. And even if you’re making spiritual communion for one reason or another, He’ll still bless you powerfully. He knows if you’re seeking, I want you to be the center of my life.
Then we’ll be renewed in the life in Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit to give to God what belongs to God. A life full of God’s love. And here’s one tip for the week ahead, okay? One simple tip.
Please raise your hand if you’ve ever taken a trip on an airplane. Okay, now at every airport you have to pass through. Do you remember what you have to pass through? You have to go through? What was it called? Security.
Okay, there’s another name for it. It’s called TSA. TSA.
Okay, so here’s what’s the tip for this week. You get to walk with God. God is in you.
And you can think of kingdom TSA. That the Holy Spirit is the advocate, and that also means the Holy Spirit defends you. The Holy Spirit wants to help you say, wants to help you know, do not do that, buddy.
Or hey, change the channel. Or hey, hold back. You don’t need to snap on them.
The Holy Spirit is always giving us perfect love, helping us walk the way, the truth, and the life of Jesus. So it’s a picture of an awesome TSA security guard named the Holy Spirit inside of you. I’m here to protect you.
I’m here to make sure the good stuff comes out. Not the bad. And I’m here to help you keep the good stuff coming in.
Not the bad. So here it is. TSA.
Thoughts, speech, actions. Can you say it? Thoughts, speech, actions. Yeah! And don’t beat yourself up if you have a bad moment or you forget.
Oh, I forgot about the TSA thing. Holy Spirit inside of you wants to shine the love of God into you, shine the love of God through you, as you give to God what belongs to God, a life full of God. Simple this week.
I invite you to put it in your mirror. Put it on your fridge. TSA.
Your thoughts, your speech, and your actions. And this week, we can give to God what belongs to God, being mindful of doing those things with the love of God. And Mother Teresa said, holiness is doing the will of God with a smile.