Homily on the Feast of St. Bridget of Ireland

Great Lessons From St. Bridget Of Ireland

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily on the Feast of St. Bridget of Ireland

Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis, MN

Sunday, February 2, 2025

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord. But it is also the Sunday we celebrate in a special way our dear patron, St. Bridget of Ireland. Because of the uniqueness of today, I will like to share some of the key lessons we can learn from St. Bridget. Saints in heaven are saints because they were first saints on earth. If you want to be a saint in heaven, you must first be a saint here on earth. So, how did St. Bridget become a saint?

We live in a world where selfishness and greed are the order of the day. Greed indeed is an incurable disease that only the good God can cure. People don’t complain, don’t protest and don’t frown until something hits them directly and personally. But waiting until something affects you personally before you stand up and oppose it is not Christianity. In the case of St. Bridget, we are told that she had a deep compassion for the poor and the marginalized. She was renowned for her unwavering care towards the poor, the sick, and those on the fringes of society. In the course of her life, she emphasized the vital importance of actively reaching out to help others without expecting anything in return. That’s what saints do. They give and give expecting nothing but the Lord. For the saints, the greatest treasure is not silver and gold but the Lord alone. For St. Bridget, what matters is not awesome power but awesome service to others especially the most vilified and maligned in the society. If you want to be a saint in heaven like St. Bridget, start being a saint today by caring for those who need our help the most.

St. Bridget was also known for her generosity and hospitality. She was known for welcoming all people with open arms, sharing what she had with others, and creating a space of hospitality for those in need. What does generosity really mean? It means mercy. If you have experienced the loving mercy of God, allow others to also experience the same through you. If you have felt the providential hand of a loving God, become a vehicle, a conduit through which others experience the same love and mercy. Give to others everything you have received from God. You know, everything God gives you including your life is not for keep. We are given to give. My life is not about me and what I want. It is primarily about God, then others and then me. Take this to the bank: if you want real joy in your life, the word “JOY” has to be an acronym you live by. “J” then stands for Jesus, “O” for others and “Y” for you.” If you want to be a saint in heaven, like St. Bridget, actively welcome people that God brings to your space. Don’t ignore them. Don’t avoid them. Open your arms to them. That will make you a saint.

The great St. Bridget was also known for her prayer life. But beyond prayers, her faith was manifested through her actions. She actively sought to alleviate the suffering of others and lived out the teachings of Christ through her daily life. Saying your prayers frequently is a great Christian virtue and habit, but in prayer, do you encounter Jesus who said, “Whatsoever you did for the least of my brethren, you did to me?” If your prayer life does not lead you to an encounter with this Jesus, something is really missing. During his public ministry, Jesus practiced open table fellowship, he actively reached out and brought back those in Israel who had been disenfranchised— the poor, the sick, lepers, prostitutes, the blind, tax collectors. By gathering the tribes, Jesus announces his disapproval of the ugly game of insiders versus outsiders. As far as Jesus is concerned, no one is an outsider, rather all God’s children are insiders. Do you want to be a saint in heaven? Begin now by being a saint on earth. Show compassion to those on the fringes of society. 

St. Bridget created what we have come to know as St. Bridget’s Cross. Why? She wanted a tangible symbol that will help her share her faith and connect with others. She knew there is nothing like “private faith.” We cannot privatize faith or make it something we do when we are only in church. Authentic faith is lived out. It is shared with all and sundry. Finally, despite her influence and miracles, St. Bridget remained humble and focused on serving others. By concrete example, she demonstrated that true power lies not in dominating and controlling others but in selfless acts of service. What truly makes a person great? Who is a great person? Is it that individual that bullies others? No! Is it that person that dominates and terrorizes others? No! Is it that person that uses power to make his presence known? No! A great person lives for others. If you want to see the greatest person ever, take a look at the cross. What’s Jesus doing on the cross? He is setting us free. He is drawing all people to God, and by drawing people to God, he draws them together. 

Sisters and brothers, this is our patron saint. If we want to be saints in heaven, this is what we have to do on earth. 

God bless you!