Catholic Homily for September 23, 2025
Hello Respected Reader, Catholic homily for today is based on
Do You Belong to Christ’s Family? Here’s the Test.
There’s a story told about a young man who always longed for approval from his family. No matter what he achieved—good grades, promotions, even recognition from others—he felt unseen at home. One day, he joined a small prayer group at his parish. To his surprise, the people there welcomed him without conditions. They cared less about his résumé and more about his soul. For the first time, he realized that “family” was not only about bloodlines but also about those who walk together in God’s will. That was the day he understood what Jesus meant when He said, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”
In Luke 8:19-21, Jesus is surrounded by a crowd when His mother and relatives arrive. Instead of pausing everything to attend to them, He says something shocking: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”
At first glance, it may sound dismissive, but it isn’t. Jesus is not rejecting His earthly family. Instead, He is revealing a deeper truth: true kinship with Him is not defined by biology but by obedience to God’s Word. Mary herself is the perfect example—her greatness is not only that she bore Christ but that she said, “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).
The Gospel invites us to redefine what belonging means. To belong to Christ is to live in His Word.
This teaching connects to the Old Testament vision of covenant. In Deuteronomy 6:4-6, the Shema proclaims: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…” Notice the word “hear.” To hear in Scripture is never passive—it means to obey, to respond.
Psalm 119 continually praises those who not only listen to God’s law but keep it. And in 1 Samuel 15:22, the prophet declares, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.”
In the New Testament, James reinforces Jesus’ teaching: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). The family of God is formed not by heritage but by hearing and living the Word.
Today, we celebrate Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, better known as Padre Pio. He embodied this Gospel. Though many admired his miracles, stigmata, and gift of confession, his true greatness was found in his daily obedience to God’s Word. He once said: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.”
St. Augustine also taught that Mary’s true glory was not just her physical motherhood but her faith: “Mary is more blessed because she embraces faith in Christ than because she conceives the flesh of Christ.”
Pope John Paul II, who canonized Padre Pio, said: “The true measure of holiness is the degree to which one listens to God’s Word and lives it daily.” This is precisely Jesus’ message in today’s Gospel.
Living the Gospel in Daily Life
This Gospel challenges how we define family, identity, and belonging.
- In family life, being part of Christ’s family means more than sharing a roof. It means forgiving each other, listening with patience, and helping one another grow in holiness. A home where the Word of God is lived becomes a true domestic church.
- At school or work, it means letting honesty, kindness, and integrity guide us, even when shortcuts seem easier.
- In our communities, it means being family to those who have no family—the lonely neighbor, the outcast, the poor.
Padre Pio’s life reminds us that listening to God is not complicated. It means praying, persevering, and acting in love even in the ordinary moments. Our greatest belonging is not to a surname but to Christ Himself.
Challenge from Today’s Gospel
But there is also a warning. Jesus says clearly: “Whoever has will be given more, and whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken away.” Belonging to His family is not automatic. It requires hearing and doing.
The danger is to assume that proximity to the Church—attendance at Mass, family tradition, or Christian culture—is enough. Jesus warns: it is not enough to hear; we must act. Are we satisfied with being “close” to Jesus, or do we live as His true family?
Today’s Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me into Your family. Teach me to hear Your Word with humility and to live it with courage. May I, like Padre Pio, pray faithfully and trust completely, so that my life may shine as a witness to Your love. Amen.
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