Homily | June 16, 2026 | God Sees The Sin We Hide And Offers A Way Back | (Episode 163)

Yesterday we saw the tragedy of Ahab, a man who wanted something that did not belong to him, a man who allowed desire to become entitlement and entitlement to become injustice.

Today the story continues, but something unexpected happens.

God confronts him.

Elijah arrives with one of the strongest condemnations in all of Scripture.

There's no ambiguity, there's no sugar coating this.

God sees the murder of Naboth.

God sees the corruption he sees the abuse of power, he sees everything.

And Elijah speaks the truth.

What strikes me is that Ahab can no longer hide.

For a while he probably convinced himself that he had gotten away with it.

Naboth was dead, the vineyard was his.

The witnesses were gone, the deal was done.

But then God sends Elijah.

Because there's a truth that every generation needs to hear.

Nothing is hidden from God.

We can fool other people, we can manage appearances, we can build an image, we can even convince ourselves.

We could keep running.

But sooner or later every one of us stands before truth.

And that can be frightening.

But it also can be a grace.

Because God does not reveal our sins in order to destroy us or to shame us, he reveals them in order to save us.

Notice what happens next.

Ahab tears his garments, he puts on sackcloth, he fasts, he humbles himself.

Now let's be honest, Ahab is not a saint.

His repentance is imperfect.

The consequences of his actions remain.

Yet something remarkable happens.

God notices.

In fact, God points it out to Elijah.

Have you seen that Ahab has humbled himself before me?

Think about that.

The same God who condemned Ahab's wickedness immediately notices the first signs of repentance.

The moment Ahab takes one step towards God, God responds with mercy.

This is one of the most beautiful truths of our faith.

God is infinitely just, but he is also infinitely merciful.

The devil wants us to believe that our sins define us.

That's who you are.

God says our repentance can redefine us.

The devil wants us to believe it's too late.

God says, Come back to me.

The devil wants us to stay in shame.

God wants us to live in conversion.

Now, if we turn to the gospel, Jesus takes us even deeper.

He says, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Of all the teachings of Jesus, this may be one that most clearly reveals the heart of God.

Because you see, anyone can love someone who loves them back.

That's easy.

Anyone can be kind to the person who is kind to them.

Anyone can greet their friends.

Jesus says disciples must go further.

Why?

Well, because that's how God acts.

Every morning the sun rises on good people and bad people.

Every day the rain falls on the just and on the unjust.

God continues to offer grace even to those who reject him.

God continues to seek those who run from him.

God continues to call sinners back to himself.

And if God can show mercy to Ahab, then who are we to withdraw or withhold mercy from others?

This does not mean we pretend evil is good.

It does not mean we ignore injustice.

Elijah certainly didn't.

He spoke the truth clearly.

But after truth comes the possibility of conversion.

The Christian never gives up on a soul, never.

Because we know what God can do with a humbled heart.

Perhaps there's someone in your life right now who has hurt you.

Someone you struggle to forgive, someone you would rather avoid than pray for.

Jesus is not asking you to feel affection for them.

He's asking you to place them before the Father.

Pray for them.

Pray for their conversion.

Pray for their healing.

Pray for their salvation.

Because when you do that, something happens.

Not only can God change them, God begins to change you.

The goal of Christian life is not simply to avoid sin.

The goal is to become like the Father, to love as he loves, to forgive as he forgives, to show mercy as he shows mercy.

And that's why Jesus ends with this astonishing words Be perfect just as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

In other words, let your heart become more and more like his a heart full of truth, a heart full of mercy, a heart that never gives up on the possibility of conversion.

Even for the worst sinner, even for an enemy, even for us.

Amen.