HOMILIES FOR Feb. 23 to 28, 2026 (weekdays). By: Rev. Fr. Clifford Atta Anim.

Feb 23 Monday: Mt 25:31-46

Today’s Gospel presents Jesus’ powerful description of the Last Judgment. He uses a familiar image from Palestinian shepherd life. At night, shepherds would separate the more restless goats from the quieter sheep. Using this everyday scene, Jesus speaks about the final and public separation of the righteous from the wicked at his Second Coming. He will come in glory as Judge, and all nations will stand before him.

The striking element in this passage is the criterion of judgment. It is not based on status, wealth, or even religious appearance, but on love expressed in action. The measure will be the works of mercy we have performed, or failed to perform. In each person in need, whether we realized it or not, we encountered Christ himself. To serve them was to serve him. To ignore them was to ignore him.

Jesus presents six concrete situations. “I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger. Did you give me food, drink, welcome?” Then, “I was naked, sick, in prison. Did you clothe me? Did you visit me?” These are simple, practical acts of compassion. They are not extraordinary achievements but ordinary expressions of love. The righteous are surprised, they did not even realize they were serving Christ. The condemned are equally surprised, they did not recognize that their indifference was a rejection of him.

This teaching makes clear that Christian faith must be lived. Grace is given to us not only for personal sanctification but also for service. As Mother Teresa of Calcutta often reminded people, when the poor suffer, it is often because we have failed to become instruments of God’s love in their lives. Christ comes to us in what she called a “distressing disguise.”

Life messages:

1. Everything the Church gives us, Sacred Scripture, the Sacraments, the Commandments, and her moral teaching, is meant to shape us into people capable of genuine charity. The purpose of prayer and worship is not isolation from the world but transformation of the heart, so that we may love concretely and generously. Eternal life is the fulfillment of a love that begins here.
2. We must take seriously the danger of sins of omission. It is not only the evil we commit that endangers our souls, but also the good we neglect to do. When we fail to recognize Christ in the needy and refuse to serve them, we close our hearts to the very One who will judge us.

The Gospel invites us to examine our lives honestly. Each day gives us opportunities to meet Christ in others. The question at the end will be simple, did we love in action? God bless you.

Feb 24 Tuesday; Mt 6:7-15

Today’s passage from the Sermon on the Mount presents Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. He warns them not to pray like the Gentiles who multiply empty words, thinking they will be heard because of their many phrases. True prayer, Jesus explains, is not about length or repetition for its own sake. It is about lifting the mind and heart to God with love, trust, and sincerity.

He then gives them a model prayer, the “Our Father.” This prayer is both simple and profound. It is not merely a formula to recite but a pattern that shapes our entire relationship with God.

The prayer has two main parts.

In the first part, we turn toward God in praise and adoration. We address Him as “Our Father,” expressing intimacy, trust, and belonging. We ask that His name be hallowed, that His kingdom come, and that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. These petitions place God at the center. Before asking for anything for ourselves, we acknowledge His holiness, His reign, and His loving plan. We commit ourselves to live as obedient children who desire that His will shape our lives.

In the second part, we present our needs. First, we ask for our present necessities, “Give us this day our daily bread.” This includes food, clothing, shelter, and all that sustains life, but it also points to the Bread of Life, Christ himself. Then we ask for our past needs, especially forgiveness, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Finally, we pray for our future, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” asking for protection and strength against sin and the power of the evil one.

In these petitions, the whole Trinity is at work in our lives. We turn to God the Father as provider, to the Son as Savior who reconciles us through forgiveness, and to the Holy Spirit as guide and protector who strengthens us against temptation.

Jesus places special emphasis on forgiveness. Immediately after teaching the prayer, he makes it clear that our willingness to forgive others is inseparable from our receiving forgiveness from God. “If you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Forgiveness is not optional in Christian life. It is the condition for living as true children of the Father.

The familiar doxology, “For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and forever. Amen,” is not found in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew’s Gospel and does not appear in traditional Catholic biblical texts. It developed from early Christian liturgical practice and became part of the Church’s worship. By concluding with “Amen,” meaning “So be it,” we affirm and accept the prayer Jesus has taught us, making it our own commitment.

The “Our Father” is therefore not just words to memorize. It is a daily school of trust, surrender, forgiveness, and hope. When prayed slowly and thoughtfully, it forms our hearts to resemble the heart of Christ himself. God bless you.

Feb 25 Wednesday: Lk 11:29-32

Because many false prophets and self proclaimed messiahs had appeared in Israel’s history, the religious leaders were cautious and often skeptical. Yet their pride and preconceived ideas also kept them from recognizing God’s work in unexpected ways. They could not accept a carpenter from Nazareth who became a wandering preacher as the promised Messiah. So they demanded special “Messianic” signs that matched their own expectations.

Ironically, Jesus had already performed numerous healings, exorcisms, and other mighty works. The Gospels present these as fulfillments of the prophetic hopes of Israel. For example, the prophet Isaiah spoke of the blind seeing, the lame walking, and the good news being preached to the poor, signs that Christians later understood as fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel traditionally attributed to Matthew frequently connects Jesus’ actions with Old Testament prophecies to show this continuity.

Jesus responds firmly to the demand for more signs. In Matthew 12:39 to 42, he calls his critics an “evil and adulterous generation” because they refuse to recognize the signs already given. He warns that the people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South will stand in judgment against them.

The people of Nineveh repented at the preaching of the prophet Jonah, as recorded in the Book of Jonah. Likewise, the Queen of Sheba traveled a great distance to hear the wisdom of Solomon, according to 1 Kings 10. These Gentiles responded with faith and humility to far lesser signs. Yet, Jesus says, “something greater than Jonah” and “something greater than Solomon” is present in him.

The only sign he promises is “the sign of Jonah.” Just as Jonah spent three days in the belly of the great fish before carrying out his mission, Jesus foretells his own Resurrection on the third day after his death. For Christians, the Resurrection becomes the decisive and undeniable sign of his identity and mission.

Life messages:

1. We are invited to recognize the signs God already gives us. The Sacraments are visible signs of invisible grace. In Christian worship, the sacrifice of Christ is made present sacramentally through signs and prayers. The Bible is a daily sign of God speaking to his people.
2. The people around us are also signs of God’s presence. Each person bears God’s image and deserves love and respect.
3. Instead of searching for extraordinary or sensational signs, we are called to deepen our faith by recognizing God’s action in ordinary events, in Scripture, in the Church, and in daily life. God bless you.

Feb 26 Thursday; Mt 7:7-12

In today’s Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches what makes prayer fruitful and effective. In Gospel of Matthew 7:7 to 11, he speaks with warmth and clarity about asking, seeking, and knocking.

1) Trusting faith in a loving Father

The first condition is confidence in God’s goodness. Jesus presents God not as distant or unpredictable, but as a loving Father who knows what we truly need. A good parent does not mock a hungry child by giving something useless or harmful. In the same way, God does not give evil in place of good.

This does not mean that we always receive exactly what we ask for, or that life will be free from illness or hardship. Rather, it means that God sees the whole picture, our past, present, and future. What He permits, even suffering, is allowed within His loving plan for our ultimate good. Christian teaching on divine providence consistently affirms that God can bring good even out of painful circumstances, though we may not immediately understand how.

2) Persistence in prayer

The second condition is perseverance. Jesus says, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened.” The verbs imply ongoing action. Prayer is not a single request dropped into heaven, it is a steady relationship of trust.

Augustine of Hippo reflected on why God sometimes seems to delay answers. He suggested that the delay is not refusal, but preparation. God stretches our hearts, enlarges our desire, so that we are better able to receive the gift He intends to give. Persistence deepens faith and reminds us of our dependence on Him.

Life messages

1. A close relationship with anyone requires steady communication. The same is true with God. Prayer is not an occasional emergency call, but a daily lifting of the heart and mind to Him.
2. Prayer is a conversation. We listen to God speaking through Scripture and through the teaching life of the Church, and we speak to Him in personal prayer, family prayer, and communal worship.
3. We should be honest about the excuses that keep us from praying. Being busy, doubting prayer’s value, expecting God to act without our involvement, or finding prayer dull are common obstacles. Yet prayer is not about constant emotion or dramatic experiences. It is about faithfulness. Over time, steady prayer shapes our character, strengthens hope, and aligns our will with God’s will.

Jesus’ teaching is simple but demanding. Trust deeply. Keep asking. God bless you.

Feb 27 Friday: Mt 5:20-26

In the time of Jesus, many of the Scribes and Pharisees believed that careful, external observance of the Mosaic Law was the sure path to righteousness. If one fulfilled the commandments outwardly, one was considered just before God.

In the Sermon on the Mount, especially in Gospel of Matthew 5:21 to 26, Jesus deepens and interiorizes the Law. He does not abolish it, but reveals its full meaning. For him, righteousness is not achieved by external compliance alone. It is rooted in the heart and is made possible by God’s grace. Human beings cooperate with that grace by responding faithfully and sincerely.

Control of anger

Jesus takes the commandment “You shall not kill” and moves it inward. He shows that murder begins in the heart. Anger, contempt, and insult are seeds that can grow into violence.

Anger itself is a natural human emotion. Even the Bible acknowledges forms of righteous anger. Yet Jesus warns against anger that leads to sin. He describes escalating stages.

1) Anger in the heart

This can appear as a sudden flare up that quickly fades, or as a smoldering resentment that lingers and seeks revenge. Ancient writers like Cicero called uncontrolled anger a brief kind of madness. Jesus teaches that even harboring such resentment damages relationships and places one in danger of judgment. The issue is not feeling emotion, but nurturing hostility.

2) Anger in speech

Words like “raka” or “fool” in the biblical context were not casual remarks. They expressed contempt and rejection of another person’s worth. Verbal abuse, ridicule, and attacks on someone’s character wound deeply. Jesus warns that such speech is serious because it assaults the dignity of a person made in God’s image.

3) Anger in action

When anger erupts into physical harm or abuse, the destruction becomes visible and severe. Jesus uses strong language about judgment to underline how seriously God regards violence against others.

In short, resentment is dangerous, contemptuous speech is worse, and physical harm is worst of all. The progression shows how inner attitudes, if unchecked, grow into destructive behavior.

Life messages

1. Reconciliation should not be delayed. Letting anger settle and harden only deepens division. The apostle Paul, in Ephesians 4:26, advises, “Be angry but do not sin,” meaning that emotion itself is not the problem, but what we do with it is decisive.
2. Modern medical research also confirms that chronic anger and unresolved resentment are linked to stress related conditions such as hypertension and anxiety disorders. Emotional health and spiritual health are closely connected.
3. Practical steps help. When anger rises, pause. Keep silence for a time. Pray for self control. Ask first for the desire to forgive, then for the strength to carry it out. Forgiveness does not excuse wrongdoing, but it frees the heart from being ruled by resentment.

Jesus’ teaching challenges us to look beyond outward behavior and examine the state of our hearts. True holiness begins there. God bless you.

Feb 28 Saturday: Mt 5:43-48

Today’s Gospel, drawn from the heart of the Sermon on the Mount in Gospel of Matthew 5:43 to 48, presents one of the most demanding teachings of Jesus. It sets before us the Christian ethic of relationships, not only with friends and neighbors, but even with enemies.

Jesus commands, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This is not a suggestion. It is a defining mark of Christian discipleship. The Old Testament commanded love of neighbor, as seen in Leviticus 19:18. It never instructed people to hate their enemies, yet over time some interpreted the command to love neighbor as excluding those outside one’s circle. Jesus corrects that narrow reading. He widens the horizon of love.

What makes Christians different, according to Jesus, is not simply that they love those who love them. Anyone can do that. What sets them apart is grace, the willingness to respond with kindness, mercy, and forgiveness even when the other person seems undeserving. Jesus points to the example of the Father, who causes the sun to rise on the good and the bad alike. Divine love is not selective or conditional.

Loving enemies does not mean approving injustice or pretending that harm does not matter. It means refusing to let hatred define our response. It means praying for the one who hurts us, asking God to bless, heal, and transform them. Such love mirrors the mercy of God and shows that we are truly His children.

The supreme example is found in the crucifixion. In Gospel of Luke 23:34, Jesus prays, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Even while suffering, he lives what he taught. He forgives his executioners and intercedes for them. Christian tradition has always seen this as the fullest revelation of enemy love.

Life message:

If we want to resemble Christ, we must move beyond instinctive retaliation. We begin by praying for those who hurt us, even if our feelings have not yet caught up. Over time, prayer softens the heart. Loving enemies is not weakness. It is strength rooted in grace. It reflects the very heart of God. God bless you.