Ordinary Time Cycle A

Fifteenth Sunday Cycle B

July 11, 2021

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For the next few Sundays, we will hear from several prophets.  

 

 

This Sunday, Amos.

 

 

 

And then, next Sunday, Jeremiah

 

And if we look at their history, one thing they seem to have in common is that all prophets are persecuted and rejected.  

 

Today's prophet, Amos, was called by God to speak to His people from 783-743 B.C.  He was a shepherd and  a dresser of sycamore trees, which meant he was a low cast person, called by God.  

Who would listen to him?  Yet, Amos knew that he was called by God to make God's Word present; that the people had once again abandoned God.  

 

 

 

What we hear is that the head priest, Amaziah, at the sanctuary in Bethel, is outraged at the claims made by Amos; that Israel had abandoned God and would go into exile and the king Jeroboam II would be killed.  

Amos is accused  of not being a prophet, and as such, has no right to preach, and so  is rejected.

Even today, we, as individuals and as a society, reject the prophets that come into our own lives.  Whenever some event or person challenges us, or makes us uncomfortable, we fail to see God's part in this.  Could it be God has given us a prophet even today?  Perhaps God is trying to show us that we do not have patience, or mercy, or compassion, or love for the enemy.  

 

We also need to remember that we too, at our Baptism, were anointed and called by God to be a prophet, priest, and king.  We are to make God present for others.  

 

 

 

Like Amos and the other prophets, we too will be rejected, persecuted, disliked.  And yet, we need to continue to make God present to others, not only by our words, but most importantly, by our actions- our mercy, compassion, forgiveness, etc.

 

 

 

 

When Saint Paul finds himself in prison in Rome as he appeals to Caesar, he knows he has been called by Christ.  He writes to the Christian Community in Ephesus.  He encourages them to remain faithful, and to realize the great gift that has been given them, the Way to eternal life.

These words from his letter that we hear today, are also be important for each of us, especially in those times of rejection, persecution, giving up, etc. We are still called to make God present to others, just like all the prophets of old.  

Jesus sends us out every day, just as He did his apostles.

 

It can be hard to comprehend just how much God loves humanity, and in every generation, wants us to have an important part in making Him present to others.

We are to carry God's message throughout the world.

For sure, God wants every human being to reach eternal life.  And God uses us.  Remember that at our Baptism we were anointed and called to be priest, prophet, and king.

 

...prophets (we are all to make God present for others),

...priests (we are all to make sacrifices for others)

... kings (we are all a part of the kingdom of God).  

 

Jesus tells us, as He did the Apostles, not to take anything extra with us.  That can mean, our ideas of how things should go when we are to make God present for others.  We all know that rejection and persecution will be there for us.  To the world of today, what we know as truth and the Word of God, is rejected.  

We will be considered old fashion, outdated, uneducated, etc.  Yet we are still to make God present through our living the words and teachings of Christ.

 

Pray to be up to the challenge

For each of us, it is the way to eternal life

You have been called and given the Spirit by God

 

 

Alleluia

 

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THE ASCENSION Cycle B

Celebrated the Ascension on Sunday May 16, 2021

 

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As we look at the readings for the Ascension, let's try to place ourselves in the mindset of the Apostles. They do not understand why Jesus has to suffer and die. That is not what they expected the Messiah to have to go through. The Messiah was to take away all their worldly problems, solve all the political problems of that day; to rid them of the Roman control and to become a political leader.
Review the Readings

I find myself, at times, in the same mindset, especially when God does not work in my life as I think He should. No more problems, no more conflicts, no more...etc.

 

This first reading was  to remind those early Christians of the promise of the Holy Spirit, who would  give strength and courage.  

Why do we fear?

Why do we doubt?

 

It is so easy to forget, or to not believe, that we  too, have been given that same promise.  

So we can, at times, just wait around for God to work as we expect Him to act.

A good reminder for us are the words of the angel to those watching the Ascension of Jesus,

"Why do you stand there looking up?"

 

Don't we do the same thing when we find life difficult, and when God does not seem to work in the way we expected?

 

Paul's letter is his prayer for the early Christians; that they would become more  open to how God works, even in suffering and persecution.  You

That prayer is also for each of us, especially when life presents us with people and situations that are difficult and are not what we expected.  

So again...

Why do we fear?

Why do we doubt?

 

 

Mark 16:15-20
The Gospel let's the Apostles and us know that we have been sent to make Christ present in the world, to bring...

...His mercy,

...His compassion,

...His patience,

...His understanding

...to all, even to the enemy.

 

 

Why do we, at times, doubt?

 

 

"I am with you always," He says.

 

 

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

 

 

Go into the world of our daily life!

Make Christ present!

 

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Fifth Sunday of Lent Cycle C

 March 13, 2016

Review the Readings used at Mass with no RCIA scrutinies

Listen to the Readings at Mass with no RCIA scrutinies

 

Review the readings used at Mass with the RCIA Scrutinies

 

 

 The reflection below is on the readings at Mass with no RCIA Scrutinies

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gospel  is about the woman who committed adultery.

In spite of all the judgments made against her, this woman is willing to come to Christ knowing her sins and asking for forgiveness.

 

 

It is in front of the Lord that she finds forgiveness.

 

 Do we have the courage to come before the Lord with our sins?

 

 

Or are we like the Pharisees who only judge and are ready to cast the stone at those that we see as sinners?

We are called, like Christ, to have mercy, forgiveness, and compassion  rather than to judge.

 

 

 

We all know the story about SaintPaul who discovered how much mercy God had for him. Remember he was once a  Jew who persecuted and probably killed some of the early Christians. But he discovered God's great love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness He has toward him.  Will we have the courage to see our sins and failings or will we see ourselves without any sins?

 

 


He writes this letter to encourages the Philippians to pick up their cross and follow Christ daily. He knows that that includes some suffering, persecution and rejection.

 
It is a real temptation for each of us, like the early Christian Community of the Philippians, to reject the cross, our unavoidable struggles, and follow Christ. But St. Paul  experienced that his struggles were the way to eternal life.

 
The cross, that is sufferings, persecutions, and rejections, make no sense to the world today.  We are encouraged by the world to not pick up for cross, but to find pleasure and escape from the cross, e.g. the struggles and difficulties.

 

 

 

 
Paul tells the Philippians that he knows that  the cross is the way to eternal life. He encouraged the Philippians and he certainly encourages each of us to pick up and carry the cross daily and to see its value as a part of our journey to eternal life now.

 

 

 

The prophet Isaiah in the first reading recounted for the Israelites all that God has done for them when  took them out of their slavery in Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land where they now were.

 

 

God's great love and forgiveness was there for the Israelites in spite of their abandoning God many, many, times.  God never gave up on them and he will never give up on us.

 

For sure at times we will fail and sin, but the important thing is to come before God asking for forgiveness, and He certainly will forgive each of us as the readings of today indicate.

Lent has been that discipline to help us see our sins, our lack of mercy, our lack of forgiveness, our lack of patience, our lack of going out of our way for the other person, and the list could go on and on.

The sacrament of reconciliation, penance, is a way, like the adulterous woman, to come before the Lord and ask for forgiveness, which He will always give.

Do we have the courage to do that?

 

It is so easy to judge and in doing so we sin.  We need to continually pray for the grace not to sin.  

 

 My Homily given in 2009...click here to listen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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