0:07
reading of the Book of Genesis the whole
0:10
earth had one language and used the same
0:12
words and it came to pass as they
0:14
departed from the East that they found a
0:17
plane in the land of shanar and there
0:19
they settled and they said to one
0:21
another come on let's make bricks and
0:24
bake them on the fire they used bricks
0:27
instead of stone and baman instead of
0:30
order and they said come let us make
0:33
ourselves a city and a tower whose top
0:35
will reach to heaven so we will become
0:37
famous and we will not be scattered over
0:40
all the face of the Earth then the Lord
0:43
came down to see the city and the tower
0:45
that the men were building and the Lord
0:47
said behold they are one people and
0:50
speak one language and this is only the
0:54
undertakings now nothing will stop them
0:56
from doing what they set out to do let
0:59
us go down and confuse their language so
1:02
that that they do not understand each
1:04
other and the Lord scattered them from
1:06
that place over all the surface of the
1:08
Earth and they ceased to build the city
1:11
therefore it was called Babel because it
1:13
was there that the Lord confused the
1:15
language of the whole world and from
1:17
there he scattered men throughout the
1:19
Earth word of the Lord thank God
1:31
proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
1:33
Christ according to St Mark Glory To You
1:37
Lord at that time Jesus called the crowd
1:40
with his disciples and said if anyone
1:42
wants to follow me let him deny himself
1:45
take up his cross and follow me for
1:47
whoever wants to save his life will lose
1:49
it but whoever loses his your life for
1:52
the sake of me and the gospel will save
1:54
it indeed what good is it for a man to
1:57
gain the whole world if he loses his own
1:59
life life ashamed of myself and my words
2:02
before of this adulterous and sinful
2:04
generation the son of man will also be
2:06
ashamed of him when he comes in the
2:09
glory of his father with his Holy Angels
2:11
Jesus said to them truly I tell you some
2:15
of those standing here will not die
2:16
until they have seen the kingdom of God
2:18
come with power word of Salvation Glory
2:32
Brothers and Sisters in Christ today we
2:34
are invited to reflect on two biblical
2:36
passages that at first glance may seem
2:39
disconnected but which in fact offer us
2:42
a profound lesson about humility
2:44
obedience and the true meaning of
2:46
following Christ the first reading taken
2:49
from the book of Genesis presents us
2:51
with the famous story of the Tower of
2:53
Babel the gospel of Mark brings us the
2:56
harsh but hopeful words of Jesus if
2:58
anyone wants to come out after me let
3:00
him deny himself take up his cross and
3:03
follow me let's dive into these passages
3:06
and discover how they connect and what
3:08
they have to tell us today the story of
3:11
the Tower of Babel begins with Humanity
3:13
United speaking a single language and
3:15
driven by an apparently Noble desire to
3:18
build a city and a tower that would
3:20
reach the sky let us build ourselves a
3:22
city and a tower whose top reaches to
3:25
Heaven this way our name will be famous
3:28
and we will not be scattered throughout
3:30
Earth at first glance it may seem like a
3:33
grandiose project a collective effort to
3:36
achieve something extraordinary but when
3:39
we looked closer we realized that there
3:41
was a deep problem there human Pride the
3:44
intention was not to glorify God but
3:47
rather to exalt one's own name to seek
3:49
Fame and security outside of him it was
3:52
an attempt to replace God to reach
3:54
heaven on our own Merit without
3:56
depending on him and what happens God
4:00
comes down to see the city and the tower
4:02
and understands the hearts of those men
4:05
he sees that United in their pride they
4:08
would be capable of anything including
4:10
moving further away from him then God
4:13
confuses their languages and scatters
4:15
them throughout the land the Tower of
4:18
Babel becomes a symbol of the disunity
4:22
self-sufficiency brothers how many times
4:24
have we also tried to build our own
4:26
towers of Babel how often do we we seek
4:30
security fame or fulfillment away from
4:32
God trusting only in our own strength
4:35
how many times do we close ourselves off
4:38
in our personal projects forgetting that
4:40
without him we can do nothing now let's
4:43
get to the gospel Jesus tells us about
4:46
the cost of following him if anyone
4:48
wants to come after me let him deny
4:51
himself and take up his cross and follow
4:53
me these words are in direct contrast to
4:56
the attitude of the Builders of the
4:58
Tower of Babel while while they sought
5:00
to exalt themselves Jesus invites us to
5:03
renounce ourselves while they wanted to
5:05
build a tower that reached Heaven Jesus
5:08
shows us that the way to heaven goes
5:09
through the cross while they sought Fame
5:12
and Glory Jesus teaches us that True
5:15
Glory is in losing one's life for the
5:17
love of him and the gospel Brothers
5:19
following Jesus is not an easy path he
5:23
himself warns us whoever wants to save
5:25
his life will lose it but whoever loses
5:28
his life for my sake and the gospel will
5:30
save it these words may seem harsh but
5:33
they are full of Hope Jesus is not
5:36
inviting us to a life of meaningless
5:38
suffering but to a life of Love of
5:40
surrender of true Freedom he calls us to
5:44
abandon Pride selfishness empty
5:47
Ambitions and to place our trust in him
5:50
he calls us to carry the cross yes but
5:52
with a certainty that he is with us that
5:54
he has already overcome the world and
5:56
that in the end he will give us eternal
5:59
life here we can see the connection
6:01
between the two readings the Tower of
6:04
Babel shows us what happens when we try
6:06
to reach heaven by our own means
6:08
confusion disunity failure the gospel
6:12
shows us the true path to Heaven
6:14
humility renunciation trust in God while
6:18
the Builders of Babel wanted to be
6:20
famous Jesus teaches us that true
6:22
greatness lies in serving in loving in
6:25
giving one's life for others while they
6:28
wanted to avoid dispersion Jesus calls
6:30
us to go throughout the world bringing
6:32
the good news to all peoples languages
6:35
and Nations Brethren what does this mean
6:38
for us today how can we apply these
6:41
lessons to our everyday lives first we
6:44
need to examine our hearts and identify
6:46
our towers of Babel what are we building
6:50
in our life that does not have God as
6:52
its foundation is it our personal
6:54
projects our Quest For Success our need
6:57
for control we need to renounce all of
6:59
this and put God at the center of our
7:02
Lives second we need to embrace the
7:05
cross that Jesus offers us the cross can
7:08
be suffering renunciation service to
7:11
others the fight against sin but with
7:14
Jesus the cross becomes light because he
7:17
is with us giving us strength and hope
7:20
and finally we need to live as true
7:22
Disciples of Christ bringing the light
7:24
of the Gospel to a world that is often
7:26
immersed in the darkness of Pride
7:28
selfishness and and disunity we need to
7:31
be Bridge Builders not Tower Builders
7:34
bridges that unite people that lead to
7:37
God that show the path to Salvation as
7:40
Jesus tells us in the gospel whoever is
7:43
ashamed of me and my words before this
7:45
adulterous and sinful generation the son
7:47
of man will also be ashamed of him when
7:49
he comes in the glory of his father with
7:52
Angels We cannot be afraid to testify to
7:55
our faith to live according to the
7:57
values of the Gospel even if it cost us
8:00
Brethren the story of the Tower of Babel
8:03
ends with dispersion and confusion but
8:05
the gospel offers us hope Jesus promises
8:09
that if we follow him if we renounce
8:11
ourselves and take up our cross we will
8:13
have eternal life he tells us truly I
8:17
say to you some of those standing here
8:19
will not die until they have seen the
8:21
kingdom of God come with power This
8:23
Promise is for us too if we live as true
8:26
Disciples of Christ we can experience
8:28
the kingdom of God here and now a
8:30
kingdom of Love Of Peace of justice that
8:34
today when we leave here we can leave
8:36
our towers of Babble behind and embrace
8:39
the Cross of Christ may we renounce
8:41
Pride selfishness empty Ambitions and
8:45
place our trust in God may we be Bridge
8:48
Builders bringing the love of Christ to
8:50
everyone we meet and that at the end of
8:53
our journey we can hear from the Lord
8:55
the words that we all desire come you
8:58
who are blessed by my father receive the
9:00
kingdom prepared for you from the
9:01
foundation of the world may the Virgin
9:04
Mary who knew how to renounce herself
9:06
and say Yes to God help us to follow
9:10
Jesus with courage and humility amen
9:13
Lord Jesus you called us to renounce
9:15
ourselves to take up our cross and
9:18
follow you give us the grace to abandon
9:21
our towers of Babel and place our trust
9:24
in you help us to live as true disciples
9:27
bringing the light of your love to a
9:29
world that needs it so much
9:39
amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
9:43
in battle be our protection against the
9:45
wickedness and snares of the devil may
9:48
God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
9:52
thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
9:54
the power of God cast into hell Satan
9:58
and all the evil spirits who prow
10:00
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
