Homily: Oct. 25, 2020: 30th Sunday: Thessalonians 1:5c-10 (Candidate Endorsement)

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(Please read the passage cited above first.)

My sisters and brothers,

I want to speak to you today about my favorite candidate for President.  This candidate all the people of Thessalonica have nominated and support.  The whole region of Macedonia and Achaia likewise believe in and support this candidate.  I tell you that this candidate can lead us to the road for peace and success.

If the evangelization of the world were a campaign for President, the Thessalonians would be a great wave of voters promoting their candidate.  The Thessalonians were the key to bringing the Gospel to Europe.  Their example invited the rest of the world to turn to the Gospel of Christ.   Through their example the Gospel spread throughout the whole world.

The circumstances of Paul are the same as ours.  Christ is coming.  Days are hard.  There are hardships, catastrophic happenings, afflictions, persecutions, and sorrow.  With Christ we shall win.  Without Christ we shall not win.  If through the example of the Thessalonians the Gospel was spread, through our example the Gospel is able to spread out again in our days.

We are Thessalonians.  We are evangelizers.  We are the new Blessed, Carlo Acutis.

Carlo Acutis?  He was a fifteen-year-old who died in 2006.  He wore Niki shoes and a hooded sweatshirt.  He knew how to use the Internet to proclaim the Gospel.  He liked football and had a Play Station.  He rode a bicycle.  He stood up for those being bullied.  He was a teenager like the teenagers of today.  He was like St Paul who was like the Thessalonians of his day.

We are the Thessalonians of today.  We have to proclaim the Gospel and show others the presence of Christ in our day.  We have to love those who do not agree with us, especially in the election year.  We have to wear masks in this time of pandemic.  We have to support the weak, the poor, the stranger and our enemies.  If we do these things, we shall be true Thessalonians and spread the Gospel.