Hear His Voice, Harden Not Your Hearts – Jul 20 – Homily – Fr Michael

Fr. Michael M. Gauvreau, FI, gives the homily on how we must not harden our hearts to God's voice and abundant signs, but rather respond with faith, gratitude, and upright living, recognizing His goodness and saving power, unlike those who demand signs or refuse to believe despite overwhelming evidence.

In his homily, Fr. Michael stresses the importance of not hardening our hearts to God's voice, referencing Psalm 95:7-8. He illustrates this with stories of St. Francis preaching to birds and St. Anthony of Padua preaching to fish when people refused to listen. The homily then turns to the prophet Micah, where God convenes a "court" against Israel, asking what He has done to weary them, reminding them of His providence from Exodus to their desert wanderings. God desires a contrite heart and upright living, not just burnt offerings (Micah 6:8). The homily highlights that while creation follows God's design, humans, with their freedom, often harden their hearts. Jesus rebuked an "evil and unfaithful generation" seeking signs, offering only the "sign of Jonah" (His resurrection). As Fulton Sheen noted, for believers, no proof is necessary; for non-believers, no proof is sufficient. We have been given abundant signs through the Old Testament, Jesus' life, the Resurrection, the Church, and the saints. We are called to recognize God's goodness, walk humbly with Him, and not harden our hearts. The homily concludes with St. Anthony's challenge, where a donkey knelt before the Eucharist, proving Christ's real presence to a disbeliever, urging us to embrace faith in God's given proofs.

Pope John Paul II 2000 – Humanity must contemplate and sing wonder at Trinity's glory – https://airmaria.com/go/EqCbA5
Commission – Creation doctrine affirms existence by grace, not by right – https://airmaria.com/go/M4qcCv
Psalm 95:7-8 – Hear his voice, harden not hearts – https://airmaria.com/go/YHd4nR
CCC 32 – God known through creation's order and beauty – https://airmaria.com/go/4wNkfG
CCC 1374 – Christ truly present in the Eucharist – https://airmaria.com/go/FcpPZ7

00:00 - Introduction: Hardening Not Our Hearts
00:01:28 - God's Court of Law: Creation as Witness
00:03:33 - God's Plea to Israel: What He Truly Desires
00:04:55 - The Hardened Heart and Seeking Signs
00:07:08 - Our Call to Believe and Walk Humbly
00:09:11 - The Power of Faith and God's Goodness

Ave Maria!

Mass: Monday in the 16th Week in Ordinary Time - Wkdy
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/072026.cfm
1st: Micah 6:1-4, 6-8 - Lord’s Case Against Israel
Resp: Psalms 50:5-6, 8-9, 16-17, 21, 23 - Summons to Genuine Worship
Gsp: Matthew 12:38-42 - Demand for a Sign

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=890

Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak7ncGL9fZk