Commentary on the Gospel for September 13, 2024

Dear friend,

Preaching, proclaiming the Gospel, talking about your experience of faith, about what you’ve lived… this is the task that every Christian must carry out and that St. Paul, in his outpouring today, tells his beloved community of Corinth: “For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”

Precisely today we celebrate a saint, St. John Chrysostom, whose name “Chrysostom” means something like “golden-mouthed,” because he was a great preacher and that’s why he is the patron saint of preachers, besides having been a supportive pastor, protector of the poor, women, and families of Constantinople in the 4th century.

Throughout the history of the Church, there has been no shortage of men and women full of zeal and faith to proclaim the Gospel. Perhaps we believers today lack a bit of this drive, or encouragement to talk about Jesus and our faith. I get the feeling that we are a bit asleep and need to put aside the prejudices that prevent us from making religion and spirituality a topic that can be discussed in our conversations with others.

“Can a blind person guide another blind person?” Jesus tells us today. How well the guide dogs work, leading the blind through our cities, helping them get on the bus, cross at a traffic light…; some of these blind people I know tell me that they could do almost nothing of what they do without these faithful and unconditional companions.

We need guides in faith, to be guided. We need to guide others in faith. We are not alone. We all have to learn and we all have something to teach. Let’s interact with each other.

Your brother in faith,