19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday we continue our prayer for peace in the world. The pictures and the stories of starvation coming out of Gaza are a constant reminder of the need for peace of heart, mind and soul. With  the current state of the world we  pray  that  the politicians will come together to work for peace. The readings for 19th Sunday advise us to be prepared for we do not know when our time to move from this world to the next will come. Spiritual readiness is the theme for this Sunday and we should ask ourselves are we prepared for our lives in the world to come.    In the first Reading  from Wisdom the ancestors had foreknowledge of the Passover, giving them courage. The salvation of the just and destruction of foes were awaited. The Responsorial Psalm tells us that the righteous are urged to rejoice in the Lord. The people chosen by God are blessed, and the Lord’s gaze is upon those who respect Him. They await His mercy and protection.   In the  Second Reading   from Hebrews Abraham’s unwavering faith in God’s promise led him to a foreign land, where he and his descendants flourished.

This Gospel reading begins with some of the most beautiful of Jesus’ words: “There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. These particular words fear not little flock are so full of meaning especially these days when there is so much fear and distrust around in many different countries and spheres of life. The words of our Lord should make us all sit up and take notice. He has taken us into his household. He has made us his “little flock.” We are invited guests in his house rather than just being mere servants. Jesus also warns us that we must always be busy about our vocation and there are many vocations in life. We also remember the reason why he invited us into his home. We are Christians, we are members of his Church, God, through Christ’s Incarnation, has put us on the road to heaven. He is always there with us helping us along the way.  We don’t know in advance what God may do with us and our own oftentimes selfish plans a friend of mine always said that Man proposes and God disposes in other words the will of God will happen no matter what we might want or do.  To those who have faith, all things are possible there is an  old saying that faith moves mountains but we should keep on climbing  and it certainly is true.

Faith helps us to rely on the infinite power of God, not on our own limited power. We don’t know when personal circumstances will put us to the test. But we do know that our lives will be a success if we set our hearts and minds on values that go beyond all the goods and chattels of this world. Our faith, is leading us onward, always pointing to something still to come, and at the end of our pilgrimage on earth we will find where our true treasure is and that is in heaven with the Father in his house. The gospel words do not fear little flock are a call for us to place our trust in God and he will help us when we come to the trials and tribulations of life especially these days when the world seems to be  in turmoil.  The Holy Year of Hope encourages us to remain hopeful, even in the face of adversity. Again and again, the Gospel assures us: we need not fear the future. Instead, we are called to place our hope and trust in God our refuge, our strength, our help, and our shield. In doing so, we journey together, trusting that God’s love will see us through all of life’s trials and lead us to our eternal home.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The readings for 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time are a warning for us not to become too attached to worldly goods and temporary pleasures. Detachment from the things of this world and enriching our spiritual lives is really what  need to be doing. In the first Reading – The preacher declares everything meaningless. Working hard only to leave the results to someone else is futile. Life is full of pain and worry, and this is also meaningless. Psalm 90  offers a prayerful response to the fleeting nature of life. The psalmist does not despair but turns to God, asking for wisdom, compassion, and blessing. In the Second Reading  Paul urges the Church to set their hearts on what is above. The letter to the Colossians emphasizes the full sufficiency of Christ. This reading reminds us that our life in Christ is a new reality.

Earthly attachments and sinful habits are part of the old self, which must be left behind. Paul calls the community to live out their baptismal identity in practical ways. This reading shifts the focus from earthly gain to spiritual renewal of oneself and the community. The gospel is the story of the rich man who foolishly stored up his wealth for a future that he thought would be in his own hands instead the future was in the hands  of God.  Luke  tells us the man is foolish for his planning and for believing that he was immune to life’s tragedies. The lesson of this Sundays parable is obvious and it is perhaps as difficult to put into practice.  To be in this world and not of it, to collect the necessary goods of this world by honest labor and yet remain detached from them, to possess but not be possessed by the worldly riches we may have, this is an ideal to which our weak human nature responds very reluctantly. However some Christians, do respond to the challenge. They earn and use the goods of this world for the good and wellbeing of everyone, while at the same time they keep God’s laws and earn spiritual wealth putting their riches into their spiritual bank. Some renounce the right to possess the things of this world, by entering religious life taking on the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Thus they free themselves to devote their whole time and energy to the service of God and neighbor trough living the spiritual life.

Many people own the world’s goods in order to provide for themselves and their families, but, while so doing they never let their temporal possessions come between them and their spiritual life. To do this is not easy, but God’s grace is always available to help the willing heart.  The message of the Jesus is one of hope, and compassion, it is not the achievement of great influence or wealth, it is not the power over others that prove our greatness in gods eyes.  What proves our greatness is the humble service freely given to those who need the help and friendship we offer them . The last sentence of the parable is stark and clear: Do not store up treasure for yourself, but seek to be rich in the sight of God. That means that we “Seek the Kingdom of God. As Christians we know that the values of this world do not last and that they cannot bring true fulfillment. A successful life in God’s eyes is not about storing up material treasure for ourselves  but about being a source of spiritual treasure for others. In this Holy Year of Hope, we are called to renew our trust in God’s wisdom and embrace the path of spiritual generosity. That means that we use our time, talents, and resources to benefit others, knowing that in doing so, we enrich our own lives with real meaning and joy. `

14Th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time invites us to reflect on themes of peace, joy, and discipleship. The readings remind us of God’s blessings, our call to share the Gospel, and the hope we find in Christ and his message. The readings also highlight God’s gift of peace. Jesus tells His disciples to bring peace wherever they go, showing that peace is central to Christian life. This is so necessary for all of us in our very troubled world where so many countries and people are at war with each other. In the First Reading  from Issiah we hear about the joy and comfort that the Lord will bring to his people, using metaphors of a nursing mother, a comforting mother, and a flowing river. The Lord promises to extend peace to his people like a river, and his people will rejoice and be glad, with their hearts flourishing like grass.

In the Second Reading  from Galatians we are told that The cross of Christ is important as the means of salvation and new life for believers. Paul declares that he will boast only in the cross of Christ, which has made him a new creation, and he encourages the Galatians to avoid the false teachers instead urging them to embrace the new creation in Christ. This Sunday’s Gospel tells us about Jesus appointing the 72 others and then sending them out in pairs to the towns he was going to visit. As he gives his missionary instruction Jesus is under no illusion about the territory compared to the wolves roaming around, his own crowds are like lambs. He tells the 72 to lead the radical lifestyle of the wandering preacher who must face homelessness and renunciation of family and property. When they enter a house they should bless it with peace. The Gospel also tells us about the practical things to direct the seventy-two as they proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus told them to carry no purse, no haversack, and no sandals. Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom and rebuilding community life are two sides of the same coin. One does not exist and cannot make sense without the other there is a clear urgency about the task in hand with urgency in his voice Jesus says, “Start off now”. On their return the disciples were delighted that their mission has actually worked!  

Their joy demonstrates that the people welcome the word of God and that the word of God is their real resource for mission. There will be a time of crisis with the wolves roaming around and currently we seem to be  living in a time of crisis with so many things that are wrong in the world.  Jesus speaks to us to reassure us and tells us to hold on to all that is good. The Gospel, of course, is not about an historical 72 people being sent out. It is about the mission of every disciple of Jesus. Spreading the message of the Gospel is always done by winning over hearts and minds through the example what we say and do. The fullness of life is the message and the mission of Jesus  who empowers us in our time and place to work in his name to build up the kingdom.  Real rejoicing is not to be had in the conversion of great numbers of people, but in knowing that we  have done the will of God. Our mission where we are today  is to proclaim to others the hope that is in the good news of salvation so that the world will believe May our hearts be open to his words! May our hearts direct our minds! And may our minds direct our hands in the work of the Lord as we go forward in faith and hope.

Saints Peter and Paul

This Sunday June 29 is the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul. These were the two men that  God used to spread the gospel and lead the early Church despite terrible persecution. In the Gospels Peter stands our as apostle who most frequently took  the initiative when they were with Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles portray him as the undisputed leader of the early Church, undergoing enormous hardships and fearlessly facing persecution for the sake of Christ. He was a man of action. He spent his last years in Rome, where tradition tells us he was martyred during the persecution of Nero, in 64 0r 65 AD. St Paul who was well versed in rabbinical learning, at first persecuted the Christians, he has a vision of Christ on the road to Damascus which changed his life. After three years in solitary retirement in the dessert of Arabia , he plunged into a life of intense missionary activity, Tradition says that the was martyred in Rome around the year 67.

The Jews of Jesus’ time were not a free people. They lived under harsh Roman occupation. Yet they held fast to the belief that God would send a king to liberate them a Messiah who would overthrow their oppressors and bring justice and peace to the world. They had waited a long time, trusting in God’s promise. But no one knew exactly who the Messiah would be, what he would be like, or when he would come. Many expected a warrior-king who would lead a revolt against the Romans. Others hoped for a religious reformer who would purify the Temple and restore true worship. Some even claimed to be the Messiah, but the Romans quickly eliminated them, and their followers scattered. In the First Reading  from the acts of the apostles  we are told that Herod imprisoned Peter to appease the Jews. With the Church praying fervently for Peter, an angel appeared, shining light into his cell. Unchained, Peter followed the angel past guards, through self-opening gates, to freedom. In the Second Reading we hear that Paul, seeing his end was near, tells us  I’ve run the race, I have kept the faith. A crown of righteousness awaits me. The Lord gave me strength, protection, and he will guide me to His heavenly Kingdom.

In the reading from Matthews gospel  Jesus asks His disciples about the people’s opinions regarding His identity. Simon Peter declares that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus acknowledges Peter’s revelation, affirming that upon him, whom He calls Peter, to be the rock that he will build His Church on, and the powers of death will not overcome it. Jesus entrusts Peter with the keys of the Kingdom, granting him authority to bind and loose matters on earth and in heaven. Jesus then asks the disciples, “But, who do you say I am?” It is Peter who adds to the title ‘Son of Man’ by recognising Jesus as ‘the Christ, the Son of the living God’. Jesus names Peter as a happy man. This same Peter whose faith faltered when he was buffeted by the wind and waves of change now shows his openness to God and recognises Jesus for who he is. But this is not the end of Peter’s story. There are ups and downs in his response, as we see that in Matthew 16:21-23 when this ‘rock’ of faith becomes a ‘stumbling block’ to God’s purpose.  In spite of that, Jesus names Peter as the ‘rock’ on which he will build the church. Throughout the centuries Peter is our Holy Father the Pope , Peter the fisherman was the first pope and pope Leo is his successor as the living embodiment of Peter the  rock of faith who is called to build up the church in 2025.

Peter and Paul so different in background and temperament each met Jesus and responded in faith to what they heard and saw. Both Peter and Paul show us how to be courageous in sharing our faith. They faced prison, hardship, and death because they loved Jesus and wanted others to know Him. Their courage encourages us to think about how we live our faith. Do we share it with others? Do we trust God when things get hard?  Peter’s job at the beginning of the church is the same  as it  is today for Pope Leo that is to use the ‘keys of the kingdom’ to unlock the reign of God’s grace and send it out into the world. Are we prepared to be his coworkers where we are right now ? This Holy Year is all about hope often times we feel hopeless and helpless when we see all that is going on in the world around us. Our Prayer and support for one another and our faith leaders is always important.  Our hope filled prayer is that we will be courageous like Peter and Paul as we live and share our faith as they did at the beginning of the Church.