Ordinary Time Cycle A

Eighth Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle C

Eighth Sunday cycle C

February 27, 2023

 

 

Review the Readings

 

Listen to the Readings

 

 

Click Here...Video Clip Fr. Greg Friedman

Reflection on this Sundays Reading and the coming of Lent

 

 

 

 Sirach 27:4-7.

 

One of the greatest gift that God has given to human beings is the power of speech.

We were called to use this so that we can honor God by praising him, by praying to him for all of our needs and for thanking him for all of our gifts. 

 

It is the way for us to make him known to others.

 

Another reason we have been given God’s gift of speech is so that we can live in harmony with all people.

 

We are called to use speech so we can be truthful honest and to share love, (charity) at all times.

 

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At times, one of the hardest things we can do is to  be silent when we don’t have anything good to say.

 

We need are used to use this wonderful gift of God as He intended.  Yet it is so easy not to think about how we use speech in our daily lives.

 

Lent begins soon and it might be a time to become aware of how we use speech.  

 

 

 

Second reading: One Corinthians 15:54-58

Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians reminding them that Christ died so that all might have eternal life. Death is not the end.

 

It is good to remember that each day is for preparing our life for eternal life, for eternal happiness. 

 

 Remember that in all of the events and situations in our life, both he ones we agree with and disagree with, are leading us to eternal life.

 

 

 

When times get rough, call to mind that we are being led to eternal life though all situations and events that happen to us.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gospel: Luke 6:39-45

The words of Saint Luke were probably written around the year 29 AD.

 

It is important that we take time to look at our own faults and difficulties and failures so we don't deceive ourselves into thinking that we have no difficulties or no problems in dealing with the situations and events in our life that God has made possible for us.

One of the hardest things we have to do is to look at ourselves spiritually.

Those moments  when we fail to make Christ present to others; we can so easily deny that has happened. Or we make ourselves believe it’s not my fault.

Our mission is to make God present in the world through our speech, our reactions to negative situations, which can speak loudly about our Christianity.

 

 

 

Perhaps it will be the time that we stop criticizing others and turn the criticism on ourselves.  

Are we judging others?

We are called to love even the enemy.

 

We can grow when we see our failures and turn to our all forgiving God. 

His love and mercy is without end.

 

Give it a try

 

 

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Seventh Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle C

 

February 20, 2022

Cycle C

 

Review the Readings

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Video clip intro to the readings...Fr. Greg Fieldman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First reading: 1 Samuel 26:2; 7-9; 12-13; 22-23.

 

Remember that God had anointed Saul as the first king but he displeased God and Saul lost his kingship.

 

His kingship did not pass on to his son,

but to David who was an unknown stranger from Bethlehem.

Needless to say this made Saul angry and he decided to kill David.

 

So Saul set out with 3000 chosen warriors to search for David.

This reading helps us to see how we are called to love and forgive.

 

 

 

Second reading: one Corinthians 15:45-49

 

Paul wrote this, his letter in 56 A. D.

Apparently some of the Corinthians were doubting that they would have eternal life with the resurrection of our own bodies.

 

Paul sets them straight, reminding them that our human body  will go to dust, but that our bodies will also resurrect just as Jesus did.

 

It is a good reminder that our bodies are a gift from God, a creation is Holy.

 

 

 

 

For each of us there are times that loving the enemy seems impossible. 

Yet the truth is that when we do love, God is made present in the world.

When we can’t love the enemy we make excuses.  

 

 

We may at times we excuse ourselves believing

I have no enemies

or

I love everyone

or

No one could put up with that person or that difficult situation which can be the enemy

 

 

 We just don't want to see our inability love the enemy.

 

It is important not to give on up our attempts at loving the enemy.

 

It is too easy to say that, well I am not Jesus and only he could do that.

 

But the truth is that God dwells within each of us and our way to eternal life is love to the neighbor, and to  love to the enemy.

 

The important thing is not to give excuses, but we look spiritually at ourselves, and see that in a particular situation we could love the enemy.

 

That is  a great gift when we  see that we can't  love as we should. 

Then we know what to pray for,,,for ourselves.

 

Never give up.

Keep praying for our conversion and praying for the enemy that the Lord bless them take care of them and help them.

 

Love is the presence of God in us and we are to make that love appear in the world. 

This is our mission given to us at our Baptism.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sixth Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle C

February 13, 2022

 

Review the Readings

 

Listen to the Readings

 

 

 

 

 

Click here for introduction to the Readings by Rev. Greg Friedman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In this first reading Jeremiah is addressing the people who had been unfaithful to God.

 

He tells them of the  consequences if they turn from God and continue to turn to  worldly things.  But in spite of the warnings of Jeremiah, they did not turn back to God.

 

Eventually they ended up as slaves in a pagan foreign land.

 

Perhaps the message to us is that we are to enjoy this world and its  goods, but at the same time we need to remember that we are not to disregard others.

We are to share with our neighbor, with others.  That can mean sharing our patience, our mercy, our goods, etc.

 

 

Paul wrote  this letter to the Corinthians who had been influenced by some of the pagan beliefs which did not believe that the body was something that would have eternal life.

 

He encouraged them to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ, body and soul and the  promise of eternal life.

 

Part of our journey in this life is to see our own spiritual selves; that is part of the purpose of our struggles, our difficulties, our lack of faith at times, our inability to love the other, even the enemy.

 

 

Just remember that our God is a God of great love and mercy and forgiveness. But in order for God to work in our lives we need to see our own failures, our sins, and ask God for that mercy and forgiveness which He will always give.

 

Sometimes we like to think that we don’t sin very much or we don’t sin at all.

 

But by refusing to see our sinfulness we miss out on experiencing the great love and mercy of our God.

 

 

Saint Luke gives us the story of the beatitudes where Jesus talks about those who are blessed, those who are on the way to eternal life.

 

 

 

It is so easy to think that these are not for us. 

 

But in reality they can also be for each of us.  It is so easy to think we are somehow cheated if we are poor, if we are sad, if we are meek, if we are hungry etc.

 

But in reality the beatitudes are not just in material things, but also in spiritual things.

 

All of us on our journey to eternal life will experience the beatitudes in our own life.  Will we see them as a blessing that can lead us to eternal life, or will we think as the world suggests...

Have no problems in your life.

Don't be poor, meek, etc.

 

 

 

The Beatitudes tell us something else...the truth.

 

 

 

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