Guiding Children to Maturity in Christ – Aug 27 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr. Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Aug 27, 2025, where he emphasizes St. Paul’s role as a spiritual father, guiding believers toward maturity, charity, and freedom in Christ.

Father explores St. Paul’s role as a spiritual father, drawing from 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12, where Paul describes treating believers like a father, urging them to live worthily of God’s kingdom. He cites 1 Corinthians 4:15-16, emphasizing Paul’s fatherly role through the gospel, calling for imitation of his faithfulness. Father explains that spiritual fathers educate, from the Latin "educere," leading children from darkness to light and sin to grace. He connects this to Jesus’ call in Matthew 5:48 to "be perfect," meaning mature in charity, and in Luke 6:36 to be merciful, reflecting God’s love. Through Colossians 1:16 and 1 Corinthians 6:17, Father underscores our creation for Christ and union with Him, making all life experiences part of His life, as affirmed in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:15. Even sins are borne by Jesus, per 1 Peter 2:24. Spiritual fathers instill confidence, replacing servile fear—illustrated in Matthew 25:24-25—with filial fear, a loving avoidance of sin, as per the Catechism of the Catholic Church in paragraph 1831, which lists fear of the Lord as a gift of the Spirit. They act as detectives, discerning the Holy Spirit’s work, aligning with Romans 8:29, and foster freedom, as in Psalm 119:32 and 2 Corinthians 3:17, to help children become who God created them to be, loved with Christ’s heart.

For Further Reading

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 - NAB - Paul’s fatherly care for believers - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/2?11
1 Corinthians 4:15-16 - NAB - Paul as a spiritual father - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/4?15
Matthew 5:48 - NAB - Call to be perfect - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5?48
Luke 6:36 - NAB - Be merciful like the Father - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6?36
Colossians 1:16 - NAB - All created for Christ - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/colossians/1?16
1 Corinthians 6:17 - NAB - Union with Christ - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/6?17
1 Peter 2:24 - NAB - Jesus bore our sins - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1peter/2?24

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Monica - Mem - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1
Readings: Wednesday 21st Week of Ordinary Time - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/082725.cfm
1st: 1th 2:9-13
Resp: psa 139:7-12
Gsp: mat 23:27-32

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1145&r=1483

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