Fr. Rick’s Homily: Thursday ~ 25th Week in Ordinary Time

September 24, 2026
Luke 9:7-9
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/092426.cfm

Conscience And The Voice Of The Lord

Sports have referees and umpires, just as courts have judges. Judges make fair
decisions based on facts, helping prevent conflict and chaos and ensuring a smooth life
for teams and society.   

God gives everyone a conscience, like a compass guiding us through life’s moral
wilderness. King Herod’s conscience kept him awake as John the Baptist’s voice
echoed in his heart, condemning him for luring his brother’s wife, causing a divorce, and
marrying her. 

Cardinal Newman said that conscience is the “closest and possible, sensible and
experiential contact a human being can have with the voice of God.” It’s a wise,
impartial judge, guiding us toward what is right, free from all emotion and self-interest.

It stands alone, calling out amid other voices in our heads and from others. Like a
referee blowing a whistle in a game, our conscience guides us in making moral choices
and avoiding harm. It’s a divine gift, a personal referee in life’s game.

The last line of today’s gospel reads, “Herod kept trying to see John.” In his heart, Jesus
appealed to Herod through conscience, urging repentance and belief in the Good News.

Let us listen to the Lord’s appeal in our hearts. What is he saying to us today?

Love Your Neighbor!

Fr. Rick Pilger, I.C. 
  
www.bscchurch.com
www.rosminians.com