Ordinary Time Cycle A

Fifth Sunday Ordinary Time A

February 5, 2023

Fifth Sunday Cycle A

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We have heard or read this quotation from Matthew's gospel many times.  

The readings for this Sunday can help us to know each day what we are called to do.

 

 

 

 

In the Gospel, Jesus is giving the Sermon of the Mount to his disciples.  As we sit in Church this Sunday, Jesus once again gives us His Words.  They can change our spiritual lives.

 

 

 

 

Are we willing to listen?

Are we willing to change so we will more often make God present to every person and event that comes into our lives?

Or do we simple refuse to think that we are called everyday in every situation to make God present to others?

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the time of Isaiah, the people were being reminded of what they were to do for others to show that they loved God and were thankful to Him for bringing them out of slavery and caring for them.  So, the message is not new.

 

 

 

St. Paul writes to this Christian Community and reminds them that they were called to make God present everyday. Because of our baptism, like that of the Corinthians, we were chosen by God at our own Baptism to make God present in our world today.

 

Think about the responsorial  Psalm as you listen or read the Psalm we respond to at Eucharist this Sunday.  

It describes what we are called to be and to do?

 

But maybe we simply think that there is no more we can do.  

 

How can I feed others?  

 

How can I be light?

 

It simply means going out of our way for others.  

It means always saying hello or something to those we don't really know as we pass them in all our daily activities.  Even a smile to the stranger can be that bread or light to others.  

 

We can even ask God for the grace to convert us, so that we do not let one person that we encounter this day go by us without a smile, or a hello, or even to go out of our way for that person.  Perhaps even saying to God as we pass a person, "God bless that person" .

Of course there will be times we are called to do much more, but to begin to start simply we can make spiritual discoveries about ourselves.  

Maybe we will discover that we are more self centered than we ever thought. That will mean not to give up, but to pray for our own conversion.

 

 

Let's fulfill the call God gave us in Baptism.  

It is never too late.

 

 

 

 

 

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Fourth Sunday of Easter Cycle A

January 29, 2023

Fourth Sunday Cycle A

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This, the Fourth Sunday 

One of the most ancient depiction of Jesus was found in the catacombs.  

Below is an icon of the one found on the wall of the catacomb.

 

 

In the First Reading, we hear of how fearless the apostles were after the Resurrection and Pentecost experience; where before they were afraid and fearful.  Now after Pentecost they plainly spoke out, without fear of arrest, suffering, rejection, or even death. Wow!  

What about us?  

Are we willing to make Christ's message of love, mercy, and compassion to the other, even to the enemy present in the world? 

We live in a world that often indicates that to go out of our way for the other is foolish!  

We can be so influenced by the world around us, that we fail to understand the message of the Good Shepherd.

 

 

We are to go out of our way for the other . 

Why are we afraid to be merciful,

even to those who do not deserve it.

Why are we unable to have compassion on the undeserving?

Why do we try to escape from those who give us difficulty?

 

 

Now is the time to pray  for ourselves, so that we are able to see, that at times, we do not make Christ present for others.  

The problems and struggles are always a gift from God.

 

 

 

It is through them we see that we often fail; that we need to keep praying for a Resurrection and Pentecost experience, and become like the Good Shepherd, going out of our way for the other,  even for the dumb sheep that we encounter in our daily lives.

That may very well be the person who is difficult or the person we don't care for.

In the second reading Peter is speaking to newly baptized Christians who were struggling slaves.  They were told to not to be afraid of struggles and difficulties.

Peter is also speaking to each of us today . In case we did not know it we are all, at times, slaves to the ideas of this world.  

 

 

 

The Gospel helps us to see that Christ calls us to go through the gates that we will all meet in this world

We are often fearful to go through the gate in this world (the struggles of this world).

 

But Jesus is always watching for us as the Shepherd who is the gatekeeper.

He is always encouraging us to go through the gate, through the struggles and disappointments.

He is leading us on, no matter how many times we have failed in the past.

This time go through the gate...

Courage!!!

 

 

We are the lost sheep that Christ comes for, encouraging us to go through the gates that separates us from the wall of this world and that of eternal life.  

 

 

 

 

Come, follow me!

 

 

Courage.

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Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A

 January 20, 2023

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kness?

 

In the Dar           Are you in darkness?  

Are you waiting for the light?

  Or have you given up?

 

 

 

 

Isaiah speaks to a people in the 8th Century B.C. who were a minority among the Assyrians.  They were unable to practice their faith and many had lost their faith. 

 This prophet says that a people who walk in darkness will see a great light.  There is hope for the future.

Each of us, can at times, be like the people in this first reading.  Things just don't  go as we planned.  We seem to be in darkness.  We even give up.  But I think the reading encourages us to understand we will come into a great light. 

 

 

 

I am always amazed that after the darkness, the events in my life that seem so difficult, have passed; I can look back on them and there seems to be a sort of light or understanding that gives me an understanding of what I have learned about myself.  In that difficult situation  did I trust that these words of Isaiah are fulfilled?   That no matter what, we no longer walk in darkness. 

 

 

Christ the light has appeared and offers each of us eternal life. 

What can hurt us? 

With Christ there is no darkness, only eternal life.

 

 

 

In the second reading Paul speaks to a community that is in crisis following different leaders.  "I am for Paul, I am for Apollos, etc.  Paul says come into the light and that is Christ.  The one who makes the light of Christ appears is not the one to hang on to, but only on Christ who brings the light, not the messenger.  The light brings unity not division. 

Christ brings unity.

 

The gospel certainly calls us into the light.  

Are we willing to look at our spiritual self honestly and come into the light.

That is where the kingdom of God is.  But how difficult that can  be. 

We can easily think I don't sin, well not very big. 

We really don't want to look at ourselves. 

 

But when we have the courage and the grace to look at our failures, our sins, we are in the light and very close to the kingdom of God. 

In every daily situation we are called, as were James and John, to leave everything, our plans, our thinking I am right and know best, our way of doing things, our giving of ourselves only when it it convenient, etc. and to follow the Lord, which amazingly will bring us in the light about our spiritual selves.

When the Lord passes today, as He will everyday,  will you follow Him?

 

 

Audio of the Gospel and my Homily given at St. Angela Merici when I first Retired

Click here for audio of my homily

 

 

 

2nd Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle A

January 15, 2023

Second Sunday Ordinary Time Cycle A

 

 

 

 

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In the first reading, the people were in exile in Babylon.  They had lost everything. 

 They were at an all time low and Isaiah gave them the hope that God would not abandon his people; that One would come that would bring salvation for the whole world. 

They were once again given hope. 

 

Perhaps this can be also for us when we are in a down state. 

God will not abandon us. 

 

In the second reading written somewhere around  50 AD, Paul went to preach in Corinth which was a Roman colony and was morally corrupt.   

Even to those pagans in Corinth, God would send a messenger to bring the news of forgiveness and salvation. 

Paul was that messenger  for them. 

These words could also apply to us. 

We are called to make the compassion and forgiveness of God present to others. 

We are commissioned to carry on what Paul was sent to do. 

We, of the current age, are to make God present in the world.

 

 

In the gospel, John recognized that Christ was the one sent from God.

 God has kept his promise not to abandon his people.

 

 

 

 

Each of us through our baptism were called to make God's mercy and forgiveness present in the world today.

We are to make Christ present for others.

Once again today, we can renew what we were commissioned to do through our call at Baptism

 

 

 

 

We can make God present to others through ...

our understanding,

our mercy,

our patience,

our tolerance,

our forgiveness, etc.

 

 

 

We can pray for the Holy Spirit to help us to do what have each of us have been called to do

to make God present in the world today..

 

 

 

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The Epiphany of the Lord

January 8, 2023

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Are we willing to travel in life to meet the Lord,

not only in times that are good and great, 

but also in times when the journey of life is very, very difficult?

 

 

 The readings for this Epiphany are for all of us who, at times, have found ourselves on our life's journey in darkness,  in confusion,  in doubt, in frustration.

 

The first reading was addressed to the Hebrew people who were in the Exile of Babylon.  They, too, were struggling and faced with difficulties. The prophet gave them courage when their lives seemed meaningless and hopeless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At times it is so easy to give up and not continue our journey.  

Our journey can be difficult as life was for St. Paul who wrote to the Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome awaiting death.

 

The Ephesians were mostly Gentiles, those who the Jews considered as not chosen by God.  

Paul encouraged them to continue the journey in spite of the difficulties, and he reminded them that they had been chosen by God as are we by our Baptism.

 

 

In the Gospel of Matthew we meet the three Magi.  They were pagans and did not even worship or know about the God of the Hebrews, yet they were inspired to make a very difficult journey to find the Lord.

  

 

Lord give us the grace and courage given to the Magi so that we can too

can make our our way on the journey in our life and find you and the Eternal Life that you give.

 

No matter how often we may struggle on our journey, may the Magi give us the hope that shows you, God, are for all people, even for us in our moments of failure,fear, sin, and doubt.

 

 Our life's daily journey will lead us to  Christ and his gift of Eternal Life.

May we never give up, just as the Magi never gave up.

Alleluia

 

 

 

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