Welcome, brothers and sisters. We are back here after a week of hard labor and probably a heavy heart. We are here again to sit at the feet of the Lord and listen to his life-giving words.

May I ask you to gently close your eyes? No matter what kind of week you’ve had, no matter how heavy your heart feels today —now you are home.

In this holy Mass, Jesus looks at each one of you, seeing your stress, your tiredness, and your silent struggles, and He gently whispers:

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Leave you heavy luggage at his feet. Be in His presence, breathe in His peace, and let His boundless love touch you and restore your soul and body. 

Dear sisters and brothers, let us prepare to celebrate these sacred mysteries.

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HOMILY

Our True Home

Have you ever noticed that we are almost always looking forward to the next thing? When we are kids, we think, “If I just get that one toy, I will be happy forever.” But then we get it, we play with it for a few days, and suddenly we want a different toy.

As we grow up, the toys just get bigger and more expensive. We think, “If I can just get that job, make that much money, or buy that house, then I’ll finally be happy.” But a strange thing happens when we get what we wanted: we instantly want more. We accumulate, and accumulate, and accumulate.

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself: How much do I actually need to be truly happy?

The truth is, nothing on this earth can keep us happy forever. And that is not a design flaw. It is actually a beautiful clue. It shows that we don't belong here. If nothing in this world can truly satisfy us, it means we were made for a world beyond this one.

Because we are constantly chasing after things that cannot satisfy us, we end up completely exhausted. Look around you—every day of our lives, we are searching for a place where we can unburden ourselves and find some comfort, because we really are stressed out.

It is so sad that we often look for comfort in the wrong places. We look for it in screen time, in buying more things, or in trying to prove we are better than others. But none of those things can fix the tiredness inside our hearts.

This is exactly why Jesus looks at us with so much compassion and says:

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."

Our Lord invites us to go to Him, promising that He will unburden us and comfort us. Nothing in this world can truly comfort our souls. Only the Lord can, because our true, ultimate resting place is heaven, where God is.

Knowing that heaven is our true home changes how we view our time here. Let’s be honest with each other: none of us is going to live on this earth forever. We all know this, yet we often live as though we will be here for eternity.

But think about the day we have to leave this earth. When that day comes, you cannot take a flight from Narita Airport. No rocket ship can carry you. And you cannot bring any luggage. You can’t take your bank account, your nice clothes, or your trophies with you. You will make that journey completely alone.

The only fuel, the only engine that will help you make that journey safely, is the invisible goodness you grew inside yourself while you were here.

That doesn't mean our time on earth is not important. It is incredibly important! But it is important because it’s a school of love. Jesus showed us exactly how to live here. He taught us to love everyone just as much as we love ourselves, and to forgive others completely, just as we hope to be forgiven.

Nourishing your soul is beautifully simple. It doesn't require a lot of money or a degree. It just requires a kind heart.

Every day, treat the people around you with love, kindness, and understanding. Forgive the people who hurt your feelings, because holding onto anger is like packing heavy rocks into your backpack for a journey where you are meant to fly light.

We are all the children of a loving Creator. When we accept His invitation to rest, and when we start living as His ambassadors of love, the heavy stress of trying to win the world just melts away.

You don't need to worry about how you will find your way back to the source of all love. Live a life of love today, and the Creator will arrange for His angels to take you by the hand and lead you safely all the way home to heaven.

Amen.

by Fr. Thomas Varkey S.J.