Ordinary Time Cycle A

Seventeenth Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle A

July 26,2020

Review the Readings

Listen to the Readings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Let's start by looking at  the second reading first. 

 

 

St. Paul writes to his converts to Christianity in Rome.  He could be speaking to all of us.  He calls us to remember that we have been called, chosen. 

 

Sometimes it is do easy to forget that our Baptism was our call by God. We are different from all others,  believe it or not. We are to be the image of His Son in the world today.  It is so easy not to recognize this call. 

 

In the first reading, God appears to King Solomon, King David's son, in a dream. This happen around 970 BC. 

 

 

"Ask for something, and I will give it to you," says God to Solomon.

What would he ask for?

Wealth, Good Health, Good Looks, No Problems.

For most of us, what we would ask for is not what Solomon asked for.

Solomon asked for the hidden treasure that we hear about in today's Gospel, and that was the gift of Wisdom and Discernment, so that he could rule the people justly.  

 

What do we usually ask for???

Wealth, fame, good looks, new car or home, health, a cure, etc.

 

 

Or do we ask for ...

Wisdom

Discernment

Understanding

Ability to love the Enemy

Ability to forgive

 

In the Gospel we hear about a hidden treasure.  

This is the buried treasure; this is the fine pearls that will lead us and others to eternal life.

 

  We are not called to be first, often we are called to be last, to be rejected, to be treated badly, to be ignored.  

It is this buried treasure; it is this set of fine pearls that will lead us and others to eternal life.

 

 

Answer this question truthfully and you will make many discoveries about yourself. 

I certainly did and I must admit I am not always willing...

to be the least,

to be forgiving,

to be patient,

to love the enemy or the difficult person or situation.

. 

But that is why God has called me and each of us. 

He comes for the sick, for the sinner, and at moments, that is each of us.

 

He asks us...

"What can I do for you?

What do you want?"

 

Will we ask for wisdom, for discernment?

 

Or will we ask to have the difficult situation go away, and be solved,  to have the pain and suffering ended. 

 

Certainly Christ found the treasure, the fine pearls.  

And that was the Cross. 

It was also  in his joys, but also in his suffering and death.

 

Where will you fine the buried treasure, the fine pearls this week in the events of your life? 

 

Or...

Will we continue to seek the pleasures of this life and this world? 

 

 

 

Maybe this week we can be alert and watch for a different kind of buried treasure.  

 

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Sixteenth Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle A

July 19, 2020

Cycle A

Review the Readings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
This week's readings can help us to reflect on the great mercy God has for each of us, not just once, but many times everyday.

 

 

 

In the first reading, we hear of God's great power, but also His great mercy for all of humanity.

 This book from the Old Testament was written by a Jew in Alexandria, Egypt.

 

The people at that time were a lot like us. 

Material things were what were important. 

Pleasure and comfort were the important things. 

 These came first.

 As much as we may hate to admit it, we too, are into material things to make us happy for the moment. 

 

 

We can, so easily, forget that God loves us, has patience with us, and forgives us. 

How hard this can be to believe, especially when times are difficult

and we just want relief from our struggles.

 

 

 

In Paul's letter, he speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

 We have been given the Holy Spirit, who knows us personally, and is always there to help us.

 How merciful God is to dwell within each of us, helping us find the way to eternal life.

 

 In the Gospel we are given a parable and we again hear of God's great mercy. 

 God will not destroy us because of our sins and failings.   But instead continues to show us His mercy, time after time. 

When we realize this, we can know the kingdom of God is very near. 

It means that for the many times God forgives us, we too  are to make that same mercy and compassion present in the our world today.

When we die we will see just how many times God had mercy on us. 

Amazing!!!

 

Let's pray that in the week ahead we will realize, even in that difficult situation  or with that difficult person we will encounter, our call is to make God's great mercy present today.

 

 

In the times I had no mercy,

God had mercy on me.

 

In the times I felt anger and maybe even hate,  God had mercy on me.

 

In the times I had no compassion and I judged, God had mercy on me.

 

 

 

Hang on to these images when God allows us to see our failures, our sins.

 

His Mercy is always there for us.

 

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Fourteenth Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle A

July 5, 2020

 

Review the Readings

Listen to the Readings

 

 

 

 

 

 

This first reading probably needs a little background information so we can understand what this prophet and people are going through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zechariah was one of the minor prophets and was returning from exile in Babylon.  He and the people are returning to Jerusalem and are horrified at what they see. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All is in ruins. 

All is gone. 

 

They are in despair and they are depressed. 

Perhaps it may be like those who have lost everything from an earthquake, a flood, a tornado, etc. 

 

 

 
 

Each of us has probably had those times when we were depressed; when we were down. 

How to go on? 

How could this be happening to me?

 

This prophet gives those returning from exile in Babylon hope and courage to rebuild. 

That is also for us, especially for those of us who, today, are in despair. 

We are given courage to go on. 

God does not abandon his people. 

 

 

In the second reading Paul writes to his Roman converts and gives them courage to continue to make Christ present in the world and to see that God has called them and has thus promised them eternal life.  That same promise was given to each of us at Baptism. 

 

 

He encourages them and us not to turn to worldly things when struggles and difficulties come. 

 

When we are down, or in despair, or depressed,  we often want relief, a way out.  Then it so easy to turn to worldly things, to material things, because they give me moments of false joy and happiness.

 

Just as Zechariah told the people in sorrow and struggles to rejoice, even in the midst of seeing Jerusalem in destruction...

 

 ...God assures us, in the midst of our problems, that He will rebuild each of us. 

Rejoice. 

Courage.

 

 

 

In the Gospel, most people that had experienced the miracles and the works of Jesus, still did not believe Him to be the Messiah. 

It was only the Apostles and the seventy-two others that believed. 

They came to know that in spite of all that happened to them, God was leading them to the Kingdom of eternal life. 

 

We hear that Jesus is praying to his Father for those that have followed Him. 

That is also for each of us because we were called by name at our Baptism to follow the Lord. 

In times that are good and great and in times that are filled with despair,disappointment and difficulties. 

Because of the Faith we have been given, we too can listen to the words of Zechariah and St. Paul.  

God will keep His covenant with each of us. 

God is rebuilding us for eternal life. 

 

Courage!

 Rejoice!

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