September 25, 2025: Curiosity Isn’t Enough

Catholic Homily for September 25, 2025

Herod was fascinated by Jesus, but fascination isn’t faith. Curiosity can bring us to the door—but only commitment opens it.

Welcome, dear friends, today we shall see that,

Curiosity Isn’t Enough

A man once discovered a small box in his grandfather’s attic. Inside was a bundle of faded letters tied with string. They were mysterious, filled with names he didn’t know, places he’d never heard of, and cryptic phrases about “promises kept” and “debts forgiven.” His curiosity was piqued. He told everyone about the strange find and even Googled some of the words. But after a week, he placed the box back in the attic and forgot about it.

Years later, he discovered that the letters were part of a family legacy—an inheritance of land that he had never claimed because he didn’t take the time to really investigate. His curiosity had been strong, but his commitment was weak.

This is Herod’s story in today’s Gospel. He was curious about Jesus, but he never sought Him with sincerity.

We hear that Herod the Tetrarch was perplexed by the reports about Jesus. Some said He was John the Baptist raised from the dead, others thought He was Elijah or one of the ancient prophets come back to life. Herod himself had beheaded John, so he was deeply unsettled. He said, “Who then is this about whom I hear such things?” And Luke tells us, “He kept trying to see Him.”

At first glance, this sounds positive—Herod is curious, even eager. But as the Gospel unfolds, we realize that Herod’s curiosity never ripens into faith. He wanted entertainment, not transformation. Later, when he finally meets Jesus during the Passion, he mocks Him, hoping for miracles but refusing to listen.

The teaching is clear: curiosity about Jesus is not enough. We must move from interest to encounter, from hearing about Him to following Him.

This theme of half-hearted seeking is echoed throughout the Bible.

• In Jeremiah 29:13, God promises: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Notice—God doesn’t reveal Himself to idle curiosity but to sincere seekers.
• In the Psalms, the psalmist cries: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Psalm 42:2). True longing for God drives us to deeper prayer and action.
• In the New Testament, the Magi from the East represent the opposite of Herod. They also heard of a king, but unlike him, they set out, searched, traveled, and worshiped. They didn’t stop at curiosity—they moved into adoration (Matthew 2:1-12).

The pattern is clear: those who truly seek God find Him, but those who seek only spectacle remain empty.

St. Augustine knew this restless curiosity. Before his conversion, he dabbled in philosophies, pleasures, and distractions. But in his Confessions, he writes: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” Curiosity alone didn’t satisfy him; encounter with Christ did.

St. Teresa of Ávila once said: “To have courage for whatever comes in life, everything lies in that: to seek God.” She reminds us that real seeking is not passive. It demands courage, sacrifice, and perseverance.

Pope Benedict XVI often warned against reducing Jesus to a “figure of history” rather than meeting Him as the living Lord. He said, “Faith is not merely a set of ideas, but a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”

Living the Gospel in Daily Life

• In family life, we may speak about Jesus at holidays or say prayers occasionally, but do we really seek Him together daily? Is He part of our routines, our conversations, our forgiveness?
• At work, curiosity about faith may arise in small moments—when someone asks, “Why do you go to Mass?” or when we see injustice and wonder what God asks of us. Do we shrug it off, or do we press deeper into what Christ calls us to do?
• In personal struggles, curiosity might take the form of questions: “Why is God allowing this?” The invitation is to go beyond questions and lean into relationship—prayer, Scripture, community—where answers may not come instantly but where presence is found.

Herod’s mistake was treating Jesus as a curiosity rather than a Savior. We are challenged not to repeat it.

Challenge for the day

Jesus’ challenge is stark. Idle curiosity may lead us nowhere—or worse, it may harden us. Herod heard about miracles, but he did not repent. He encountered Jesus face-to-face, but he mocked Him. The warning is clear: hearing about Jesus is not the same as following Him.

The challenge is personal: Do I treat faith like something interesting but optional? Do I listen to Jesus’ words but leave them on the shelf, like unopened letters in a box? Or am I truly seeking Him with my whole heart?

Today’s Prayer

Lord Jesus, keep me from the empty curiosity of Herod. Give me the courage to seek You not as an idea but as my Savior. Draw me closer to You each day, so that I may encounter, follow, and love You with all my heart. Amen.

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