Homily for the Memorial of St. Patrick

In our Gospel passage today, Jesus proclaims openly that His aim is not to do His own will, but the will of the One (the Father) who sent Him. Jesus’ entire life was molded by the will of His Father, and that will is that all people might find life through faith in Jesus. As John says in Chapter 3 of his Gospel, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” God wills life and that is why Jesus says, “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

This is also the image of God we find in today’s first reading from the prophet Isaiah. Just as a mother cherishes the child in her womb and gives life to her child, even more so does God cherish us and work to bring us to the fullness of life.

God guides us to springs of living water. When we pray in the LORD's Prayer, “Thy will be done,” we are praying that a culture of life will prevail over a culture of death. We are also committing ourselves to do God’s will by protecting life, by bringing life to others, by helping others to live fully human lives, lives that are shaped by the Holy Spirit and lead to eternal life in heaven.+