The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/0113-memorial-hilary.cfm

Father Gabe Cillo, MIC, explains a truth so foundational that everything in the Christian life depends on it: Jesus Christ is truly God. Not partly divine, not a created being, not “like” God — but fully God and fully man.

Father Gabe reflects on how the Church has defended this truth from the earliest centuries, especially against the Arian heresy, which claimed that the Son was created and therefore not truly God. The Church rejected this error because salvation itself depends on Christ’s divinity. If Jesus were not God, He could not forgive sins, defeat demons, give us the Eucharist, or reconcile humanity with the Father. As Scripture proclaims, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn 1:1; NABRE).

This truth gives believers confidence and courage. When we make the Sign of the Cross, invoke the holy name of Jesus, or adore Him in the Eucharist, we are not addressing a mere creature — we are worshiping God Himself. The demons recognize His authority because it is divine. Every knee bends at the name of Jesus because His name is the name of God.

Father Gabe reminds us that the Eucharist, salvation, and every Sacrament only have power because Christ is God. Holding fast to this truth strengthens faith, deepens worship, and renews our trust in the Lord who alone can save.

To grow in understanding of how Christ’s divinity works through the Sacraments, explore Understanding the Sacraments, available at ShopMercy.org. Watch the full homily on YouTube and on Divine Mercy Plus, where Catholic content is free, ad-free, and faithful to Church teaching.