God Works Within Us

Homily for Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary

Paul speaks to the Corinthians with a gentle clarity. Today, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians that their growth in faith is God’s work. They are God’s field—planted, watered, tended, and strengthened by grace. This image helps us understand our own spiritual lives. We grow because God is at work within us, shaping our hearts through prayer, community, and the daily choices that reveal our desire for God.

The psalm today deepens this sense of trust. “Our soul waits for the Lord.” Most of us don’t like to wait, especially in a doctor’s office. However, this waiting is different; it is hopeful and steady. It is the stance of a heart that knows God’s care is constant. Just as a field is watched over with patience, our lives are held in God’s loving attention.

In the Gospel, Jesus enters Simon’s home and heals his mother‑in‑law. She rises immediately and begins to serve. This simple moment reveals the pattern of grace: God restores us, and we respond with generosity. Jesus then moves from town to town, bringing healing and proclaiming the Kingdom. His mission flows outward, touching lives and lifting burdens.

Today’s memorial of John Francis Burté, Séverin Girault, and Apollinaris of Posat fits quietly and beautifully into this pattern. These Franciscan friars lived their vocation with sincerity and courage. During the turmoil of the French Revolution, they remained faithful to their calling, offering their lives with the same steady trust Paul describes. Their witness shows us what a cultivated heart can become—strong in hope, generous in service, and steadfast in love.

When we place all of this together, a pattern emerges. Paul shows us God’s work within us. The psalm shows us our hopeful trust. Jesus shows us grace flowing outward in healing and mission. The Franciscan martyrs show us the fruit of a faithful life.

So today we ask for openness to God’s quiet work, for trust that allows us to grow, and for the generosity that rises naturally when Christ strengthens us. And we ask for the intercession of these Franciscan martyrs, that our lives may reflect the courage and fidelity they embodied.G