The Vocation of Humanity
Sermon preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, February 8, 2026
There is a theme to all the Pre-Lenten Gospel readings. At their core is the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Zaccheus swindled the tax payers to make himself rich. The Pharisee judged the Publican who came to the temple to repent. The Prodigal Son, in an unthinkable act of fratricide, declared his father dead to him, took his share of the inheritance, and abandoned his family.
Zaccheus repents, the Publican's humility justifies him, and the gentle, heartbroken Father restores the Prodigal to his rightful place in the family. Each one receives mercy unconditionally. Humility is the only litmus test. There is no other. These three are true examples of humility for us. In these readings the identity of God and the vocation of humanity are revealed.
The great contemporary saint, Mother Maria of Paris, summed everything up in one short quote, "The way to God lies through love of people. At the Last Judgment I shall not be asked whether I was successful in my ascetic exercises, nor how many bows and prostrations I made. Instead I shall be asked did I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoners." To this I would add one more, did I welcome strangers? The question even more broadly is, "Did you love well?" Put another way, will the Lord recognize his image in us when we stand before him. Will he say, "Well done, good and faithful servant?"
The problem is, we think we have time. We may not, so it is incumbent that we begin the path of love now and never depart from it. I don't want to answer no when my time comes.
I admire the Buddhist monks who are walking for peace. I admire them because they are practicing what they preach and their message is so beautiful. It has struck a chord in America. Their message of peace, compassion, mindfulness, joy, unity, and love is not different than Our Savior's teaching. They are not asking that we become Buddhist, just that we become human. Didn't Jesus once say, "Whoever is not against us, is for us?" (Mark 9:40) Let's carry that message with us everywhere we go.
My last point is this, all sin is relational. We do not sin in isolation. What we do, say, and think affects the world. Therefore, nurture interior peace. Turn apathy into love. Reject the politics of hatred and division. We must make of ourselves and our churches safe havens for all those needing shelter. Our vocation is to be a boat, a bridge, a ladder for all who seek salvation.
The Church, perhaps more than anything else is meant to be the safe haven for the world, a bright beacon of hope. Let us be sure to make and keep it so.