SYNOPSIS OF XIV SUNDAY HOMILY ON LUKE 10: 1-12, 17-20 (LP)
Introduction: Today’s scriptures remind us that announcing the good news of the kingdom by words, deeds and life is not the task of only a few,but is rather a task for all baptized Christians.
Scripture lessons: the first reading, Isaiah sees the city ofJerusalem as the prototype of the rejoicing Church—the Church whocomforts her children, “as a mother comforts her baby son.” He assureshis listeners that they live in the certainty of Yahweh’s promises oflove, protection, prosperity and salvation. In today’s second reading (Galatians 6: 14-18), Paul clearly teaches that it was Jesus’ death onthe cross which brings us salvation and not his Jewish heritage. Hereminds us that every Christian is called to be a “new creature,” andthat the mission of each member of the Church is to bear witness to thesaving power of the cross of Christ through a life of sacrificial andself-giving service. Today’ gospel according to Luke describes thefulfillment of the prophetic promise made by Isaiah in Jesus’commissioning of 72 disciples to preach the gospel in towns andvillages in preparation for his visit. He gives them “travel tips” for their missionary journey. They must be walking witnesses of God’s providence by relying on the hospitality of others, living very simple lives, preaching the good news and healing the sick. Today’s gospel reminds us that the 1.5 billion Christians in the world today have the same mission to preach the gospel of Christ to the other 4.5 billion non-Christians.
Life Messages: 1) We need to continue the preaching mission: Just as Jesus in today’s gospel gave instructions to the seventy-two missionaries, he also gives each one of us a mission to carry out. As faithful Christians we should attract others to our faith by exemplary lives just as a rose attracts people by its beauty and fragrance. It’s our job and our responsibility. We must not miss the current opportunities to be apostles in everyday life by our words and deeds.
2) We need to avoid the counter-witnessing of practicing the “supermarket Catholicism” of our politicians who publicly proclaim their “Catholicism” and yet support abortion, gay marriage, human cloning and experimentation with human embryos. Nor should we be “armchair Catholics” “cafeteria Catholics” or “Sunday Catholics” who bear counter-witness to Christ through their lives.
3) Let us start preaching the gospel in our families by leading exemplary Christian lives where spouses love and respect each other and raise their children in the spirit of obedience and service, disciplining them with forgiving love and teaching them to pray, love and help others by sharing their blessings.
XIV SUNDAY- JULY 8: IS 66:10-14; GAL. 6:14-18, LUKE 10: 1-12, 17-20-L
Anecdote # 1: 001- James Bond and Jesus’ disciples. James Bond according to M15 is simply unacceptable as a spy. At least that is what MI5 said. In March 2003, MI5--Great Britain's domestic intelligence agency--reported that characters like James Bond are too tall to serve as a spy in Her Majesty's Service because good spies should blend in with those around them. Since the average man is 6' tall or less, then the upper acceptable height limit for Great Britain's male spies is 5' 11" and for female spies, the upper limit is 5' 8". All the actors who have played James Bond in the movies have been 6' or taller. By MI5's current standards, none of them would have been qualified to serve as real domestic spies. A secret agent can't exactly keep his secret status if he stands out too much. (CNN.com - James Bond "too tall" to be a spy - Mar 6, 2004, International Edition London, England (Reuters). I doubt that Jesus chose his disciples on the basis of their height, do you? As he sent them out into the world, he certainly didn't seem concerned that they would stand out too much. In fact, he insisted that they should stand out as walking witnesses of Jesus’ good news -and that their mission could be dangerous.
Anecdote # 2: One-man army for Christ: The story of St. Philip Neri,who earned the title “Apostle of Rome” in the 16th century, is anexample of missionary zeal demanded by today’s gospel. Philip came down toRome in the early 1500s as an immigrant from Florence and a layman.When he arrived, he was horrified by the physical and moral devastation of thecity. Rome had been sacked in 1527 by the Germans who had left much of thecity shell-shocked and ruined. The Gospel wasn’t being preached, andmany priests and cardinals were living in open defiance of Christ’smoral teachings. Philip prayed to God to learn what he might do. Heread the letters that St. Francis Xavier had sent back to Europe fromIndia, where he had been converting tens of thousands, and Philipthought that God was calling him to follow the great Basque missionaryto India, to give his life in proclaiming the Gospel. He went to hisspiritual director and told him what he thought God was asking of him.The wise old priest affirmed his desire to serve and bear witness toChrist, but told him to focus his attention on re-evangelizing thosearound him: “Rome is to be your India!” This was quite a task for oneman. But Philip, relying on God’s help, started — first as a layman,then as a priest — to convert Rome, one person at a time. He wouldcheerfully go to street corners and say, “Friends, when are we going to start to do good?” He developed various entertaining social and religious activities to give the people, especially the young people, better alternatives for their hearts and time than those offered by the debauched culture around them. His impact was enormous, and when he died in 1595, much of Rome had been reconverted. The same God who spoke to Philip almost five hundred years ago challenges eachone of us this morning through the Scriptures, “Your parish and yourfamily, your workplace and your parish are your mission field!”
Introduction: Today’s gospel describes how Jesus sent his disciples out to towns and villages to prepare for his visit by giving them “travel tips” for their missionary journey. This reminds us that announcing the good news of the kingdom is not the task of only a few, but is rather a task for all. Following the model of Jesus, the Church rejoices in the triumphs and accomplishments of her children. She constantly nourishes them, directs them, consoles them and gives them strength. In the first reading, Isaiah sees the city of Jerusalem asthe prototype of the rejoicing Church—the Church who comforts her children, “as a mother comforts her baby son.” He assures his listeners that they live in the certainty of Yahweh’s promises of love, protection, prosperity and salvation. In the words of the Psalmist, “we rejoice in the awesome deeds of God who keeps us among the living and will not let our foot slip.” In today’s second reading (Galatians 6: 14-18), Paul clearly teaches that it is Jesus’ death on the cross which brings us salvation and not his Jewish heritage. Paul reminds us that every Christian is called to be a “new creature,” and that the mission of each member of the Church is to bear witness to the saving power of the cross of Christ through a life of sacrificial and self-giving service. Today’s gospel according to Luke describes the fulfillment of the prophetic promise made by Isaiah in Jesus’ commissioning of 72 disciples to preach the gospel in towns and villages in preparation for Jesus’ visit. The 1.5 billion Christians in the world today have the same mission to preach the gospel of Christ to the other 4.5 billion non-Christians.
First reading, Isaiah 66:10-14: The prophet Isaiah is encouraging the Jews returning from Babylonian exile to see their beloved city of God, Jerusalem, alive under its ruins. In poetic and symbolic language, he describes the prosperity and peace which the New Jerusalem will give them. Both the Holy City of Jerusalem and God are presented in the image of a mother. The prophet offers a maternal image of God. The returned exiles will have the experience of a child being fondled by its loving mother. They will be like suckling infants enjoying the comfort and nurture of a mother because the city will give them the experience of Yahweh’s love and care, the Temple of Jerusalem will represent God’s presence in their midst and "the Lord's power shall be known to his servants." The prophet calls on his fellow-Jews to rejoice and be glad because Jerusalem will be greater, more peaceful and more prosperous than she ever was before. Today’ gospel according to Luke describes the fulfillment of the prophetic promise made by Isaiah in the seventy-two disciples as they returned after completing their mission.
Second Reading, Galatians 6:14-18: These are the concluding words of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Shortly after Paul left Galatia, some ultra-conservative Judeo-Christians ("Judaizers”) arrived there from Jerusalem. They taught that, since the historical Jesus was Jewish, circumcised and observed the Torah, his disciples also had to be Jewish and circumcised and had to observe the Torah. So Paul wrote a letter to those in Galatia who were disturbed and confused by these new teachings. Paul was angry with the Galatians for their stupidly in accepting the false arguments of the Judaizers. In the letter Paul argues forcefully that God requires no such thing, and that keeping such a false obligation is nothing to boast about. Astonishingly,Paul boasts about what would otherwise be shameful, the execution of Jesus on the cross. "Crucified to the world" is another strong image, meaning that Paul's relationship with the world is no longer governed by the old Mosaic Law or anything else from the past, but by his relationship with Christ crucified.
Exegesis: Travel tips for the seventy-two walking witnesses on their first mission trip: While all the synoptic Gospels mention a mission of the Twelve, only Luke adds a second mission of the 72. Just as Moses selected the seventy-two elders to guide and govern his people, so Luke presents Jesus as the “new Moses” in today’s gospel. Jesus sends out his seventy-two disciples to towns and villages to announce his visit, thus giving a symbolic meaning to the number seventy-two. The Jews also believed that there were seventy-two nations in thewhole world, and they had seventy-two members in the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews. In the Book of Genesis, seventy descendants of Jacob moved with him from Israel to Egypt to begin a new life. In the Book of Exodus, seventy elders go up the Mountain of God along with Moses to learn about the new covenant with YHWH. Each of us, by the very fact that we have heard the Lord's call, is likewise sent on a mission. Hence, announcing the good news of thekingdom is not something optional for a Christian. The disciples received instructions as to how they were to carry out their mission. For example, they were to "carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals." There is also an ominous warning that they are sent as “lambs among wolves.” Their guidelines were simple: go where they were received (verses 5-6); remain in one place (verse 7) and eat what was set before them (verse 8). This would help them avoid the appearance of being mercenary. The basic idea behind Jesus’ instruction is that his disciples were sent as walking witnesses and hence they were not todepend on anything or anybody except on the Holy Spirit of God and on divine providence.
1)”Ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to the harvest.” The mission of the seventy-two disciples was not a human project, and hence they needed strength from God to do the work. In proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, we, too, participate in God’s work. It is the Lord who is working in and through us. He gives us the power to announce his presence with our lives. Therefore, constant contact with the Lord of the harvest is necessary. This means that we must be men and women of prayer -- not only for an hour a week at Mass but on a daily basis.
2) "Do not carry a walking staff or traveling bag; wear no sandals." In Jesus’ day, travelers carried a stick as a defense against snakes and wild animals, and used sandals as an aid in traveling along dusty roads and rocky byways. Likewise, a change of clothing as well as food and drink were thought necessary—but Jesus forbade all these. His command was that the disciples should give up even thesenecessities so as to be both a living act of faith in God and “walking signs” to those who saw them. The disciples were only armed with their faith and the name of Jesus. They needed nothing more. Their detachment from material goods would enable them to uphold the absolute priority of preaching the Good News. They did not need a staff or provisions because God would take care of them through the people to whom they were to preach. The spirit of detachment would also help them to trust more deeply in Divine Providence and would oblige them to rely humbly on the hospitality of those who were receptive to the Gospel. Their life-style should help proclaim their message: "The reign of God is at hand." In other words, "God is among you as Jesus of Nazareth, working with power."
3) "Greet no one along the way." (See also 2 Kings 4:29). This instruction implies that the mission was so urgent that nothing should divert the disciples from it. Likewise, the disciples were told to travel in pairs, suggesting that the work of evangelization should be a collective one.
4) Acceptance and rejection: One of the reasons we prefer to delegate our Lord's evangelistic work to priests, religious and missionaries is that we fear rejection. When by our words and lifestyles we tell others about Jesus, we sometimes find ourselves labeled as “religious fanatics," “Bible-thumpers,” or perhaps, simply as “old-fashioned.” Many times we take the rejection personally. So Jesus consoles us: "Let your peace come back to you.” This means, “Don’t take it personally. You have done your part, so don’t worry about the outcome.” He goes on, telling them, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven” in the book of life! It is not up to us to force anyone to accept Jesus. Our mission is to prepare the way. If aperson's heart is open, the Lord will enter in.
5) Preach that the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom of God comes into being wherever God reigns, and wherever His will is done. The kingdom of God is present in the people through whom God acts. “Hence the early church equated Christ with the kingdom of God because God reigns in Christ, God’s will is done in Christ and God acts through Christ” (Lumen Gentium, #5). Thus to proclaim the kingdom of God is the same as to proclaim Christ. In fact, the Church from its beginning, by proclaiming the good news of Christ, was being faithful to his mandate to proclaim the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God has come upon us if God reigns in our hearts, if we do God's will, if God acts through us.
Life Messages: 1) We need to continue the preaching mission: Just as Jesus in today’s gospel gives instructions to the seventy-two missionaries, he also gives each one of us a mission to carry out. There were just a handful of followers in Jesus’ day to preach the good news, but today there are over one billion Roman Catholics and about a half billion other Christians (in 30,000 denominations!) who accept Jesus as “Lord” and “Savior.” So there are 1.5 billion missionaries in a world of six billion people. A recent survey asked the question, “Why do adults join the Catholic Church in spite of the scandals publicized in the media?” Seventy-five percent of the new adult converts to the Catholic Church reported that they were attracted by a personal invitation from a Catholic who had alively relationship with Christ and his Church. As faithful Catholics, we will attract others to the Catholic Church—just as a rose attracts people by its beauty and fragrance. It’s our job. It’s our responsibility. We must not miss the current opportunities to be apostles in everyday life by our words and deeds.
2) We need to avoid counter-witnessing: The Church is founded on the rock of Peter, a humble, ignorant fisherman who died for the Lord he loved. Compare his faith and heroic witnessing with the “supermarket Catholicism” of our politicians who publicly proclaim their “Catholicism” and yet support abortion, gay marriage, human cloning and experimentation with human embryos. We should not be “Catholics for a Free Choice” who oppose anything proposed by the Church, including the most basic right to life. Nor should we be armchairCatholics, spiritual weekend warriors, “cafeteria Catholics” or “barely-make-it-to-Mass” members of the Church, who bear counter-witness to Christ. Instead of giving counter-witness, let us become heralds of the Kingdom in our own homes by treating each other with profound respect. When spouses respect each other, the children and our neighbors will experience the Kingdom in our families because the kingdom of God is God’s rule in our hearts enabling us to do His will.
3) The modern world needs the heroic witnessing of martyrs. The earlywriters of the Church never called the first Christians “martyrs,” inthe modern sense of the word, but rather those who died “givingwitness” (martyrein) to Christ. The most important element wasn’ttheir deaths; it was their fidelity to their faith until the last moment oftheir lives. Martyrs are not people to be relegated to the distantpast. Recent history abounds with examples of martyrdom: civil war inSpain, religious persecution in Poland, Mexico, Vietnam, Russia,China, and Africa. The names of Edith Stein (Germany), MaximilianKolbe (Poland), Miguel Pro (Mexico), and Pedro Poveda (Spain) are onlythe beginning of a long list of innocent victims, witnesses for theirfaith. Even today, religious freedom is still denied in variouscountries and, in fact, several Muslim nations forbid the celebrationof the sacraments. In our day, there are also “moral martyrs” who,although they are never physically killed, die an ignominious death,persecuted in the press, defamed in the media and falsely accused offaults they never committed. As successors of the seventy-twodisciples, we are called upon to do Christ’s work with the courage ofthese martyrs’ convictions.
JOKES OF THE WEEK (on the preaching mission).
# 1 The definition of a good sermon: It should have a good beginningand a good ending and they should be as close together as possible. Asermon should be modeled as a woman's dress: long enough to cover thesubject, but short enough to keep it interesting. A rule of thumb forpreachers: If after ten minutes you haven't struck oil, stop boring! Apastor was greeting folks at the door after the service. A woman said,"Father, that was a very good sermon." The pastor says, "Oh, I have togive the credit to the Holy Spirit." "It wasn't THAT good!" she says.A priest, whose sermons were very long and boring, announced in thechurch on a Sunday that he had been transferred to another church andthat it was Jesus' wish that he leave that week. The congregation inthe church got up and sang: "What a Friend we have in Jesus!"
# 2: Boring preacher: A man was walking a pit bull down the road. The dog got away, ran up to a preacher and bit him on the knee. Then the dog went acrossthe street and bit a beautiful young woman. The owner was broughtbefore a judge who asked, "Why did your dog bite the preacher?" Theman answered, "I don't know! He's never done anything like thatbefore." Then the judge asked, "Well why did he bite the young woman?"The owner replied, "Oh that's easy to answer! Probably he wanted toget the taste of that boring preacher out of his mouth!"
# 3: Place of amusement: A pastor who was well known for the jokes he told during his sermons asked Park Benjamin, a famous humorist, why he never came to hear him preach. Benjamin replied, "Why, Sir, the fact is, I haveconscientious scruples against going to places of amusement onSunday."# 4: Abraham Lincoln put it rather strongly but effectively, when hesaid: "I do not care for cut-and-dried sermons. When I hear a manpreach I like to see him act as if he were fighting a bumblebee.
“USEFUL WEBSITES OF THE WEEK
1) Daily Catholic: http://www.dailycatholic.org/issue/04Jan/index.htm
2) EWTNLibrary: http://www.ewtn.com/ewtn/library/search.asp
(Scriptural homilies No. 343 by Fr. Tony (akadavil@mobis.com)
6 additional anecdotes for O. T. XIV
# 1: Albert Schweitzer, the missionary doctor and Nobel Laureate, was born in 1875 in the region of Alsace, an area claimed vigorously both by France and Germany. Schweitzer was always attracted to scholarship and to his father’s ministry in the Church as pastor. He earned degrees in Theology and Philosophy while at the same time serving as a curate for a small congregation. And he kept that small ministry even when he wasteaching at a prestigious university and writing a foundational workof theology, Quest of the Historical Jesus, in 1905. Schweitzer alsoachieved renown as an authority on the music of J.S. Bach. Anorganist of international repute, he produced a great edition ofBach’s works and wrote a six-hundred page study of the composer. Oneday he chanced upon a notice in a magazine describing the need fordoctors in Africa. And so he decided to leave behind all hisaccomplishments and answer the call. His friends and colleaguesthought he was mad. But his mind was made up. He earned a medicaldegree with a specialty in tropical diseases and presented himself tothe Paris Missionary Society which sent him with his wife to the areaof Africa now called Gabon. Within months he had designed and builtan African-village-style hospital. He tried by his work as amissionary doctor to relate Christianity to the sacredness of life inall its forms. He followed strictly the guidelines for the preachingand healing mission Jesus gave to the seventy-two disciples asdescribed in today’s gospel and became one of the great Christianmissionaries of the twentieth century.
# 2: The story “Picture of Peace” by Catherine Marshall. There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture on peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains allaround it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All whosaw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace. Theother picture too had mountains. But these were rugged and bare. Abovewas an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played.Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This didnot look peaceful at all. But when the king looked closely, he sawbehind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. Inthe bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of therush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest – in perfectpeace. Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose thesecond picture. Do you know why? “Because,” explained the king,“peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise,trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all thosethings and still be in calm in your heart. This is the real meaning ofpeace.” This Sunday’s Gospel reading (Lk 10:1-12, 17-20) tells usabout the mission of the seventy-two disciples who are called to bepeace-bearers and peace givers. (Stories for the Heart, compiled byAlice Gray) (Scr. Hom- Fr. T)
# 3: Kim the missionary: A true story told by Father Ray. A couple ofmonths ago, a man from our parish, Kim by name, came up to me andsaid, "Fr. Ray, please say an extra prayer for me. I’m giving a talkthis afternoon to some high school teenagers at a public school, whichmy nephew attends. This year his class has been having ‘motivationalspeakers’ talk about how they have overcome the obstacles anddifficulties they’ve faced in their lives. My nephew asked me to comeand share my story." Fr. Ray said to him, "That’s a public school, youknow. Do you plan to tell them everything?” He asked that questionbecause he knew Kim’s story. Kim’s stepson had been murdered, hisstepdaughter had died of cancer a week after she graduated from highschool and his wife had been killed in a car accident. Prior to thesetragedies Kim had lived the life of a pagan and hadn’t even beenbaptized. In the midst of the terrible sadness caused by thesetragic events, however, he had opened his heart to God and embraced theCatholic faith. So Father Ray knew that if Kim were going to tell themeverything—including the part about the Church and sacraments—theofficials at the school might not like it. So Fr. Ray repeated thequestion, "Do you plan to tell them everything?” Without hesitation,Kim answered, "Absolutely!" Fr. Ray then told him, "Then I’lldefinitely pray for you – and if you get arrested for mentioning God,Jesus and the Catholic Church in a public school, I promise to comeand visit you in prison!”
Kim gave the talk. And what happened? The young people loved it! Theythought it was so great that they voted him "the best speaker of theyear," and asked him to return in the fall to tell his story to thewhole school! This current incident illustrates the deep hunger forGod still present in this materialistic world, and shows that youngpeople like to hear authentic, sincere, witnessing to Jesus Christ. Intoday’s Gospel text (Luke 10), we are told that Jesus sent outseventy-two disciples into the towns he was planning to visit, toprepare people for his arrival. The disciples were to do this byproclaiming the good news of God’s love and salvation and by healingthe sick. This is what Kim did for those high school students! Hehealed the sick of heart by his words of witness, and he helpedprepare some of them to receive Jesus Christ more fully into theirlives! (Scr. Hom- Fr. T)
# 4: Travel guides: Savvy travelers about to embark on a trip oftenprepare themselves by consulting the appropriate experts. A wealth ofhelpful information can be found in the form of travel guides whichare readily available at any local library or bookstore. Therein,amateur tourists and veteran globe-trotters alike, can become familiarwith what there is to see and to do in their chosen destination. Mapsof the region aid in planning travel routes. Charts of averagetemperatures and rainfalls, addresses and telephone numbers of touroperators, timetables for buses and trains, calendars of specialevents, tables of the monetary exchange rate and listings of localmuseums, galleries, post offices, markets, banks, etc., all provehelpful to those who wish their travels to be uneventful andworry-free. Many guide books also include a region by regiondescription of the most important and interesting sites to visit aswell as a brief survey of the history of the area and a profile ofpersonality of the local residents. Budget-minded or financially-strapped travelers usually appreciate the travel-guides’ recommendations as to the price ranges of various restaurants, hotels and motels. Some guides contain descriptions and recommendations as to the local cuisine and certain gourmet specialties. Many also provide a brief dictionary of important words and useful phrases to facilitate the travelers’ efforts at communication. A few of the more detailed travel books even offer tips concerning certain mores and culturalsensitivities of which the average tourist may be unaware. More oftenthan not, those who avail themselves of such information enjoy morepleasant and memorable travel experiences. In today’s gospel, Luke hasfeatured Jesus detailing a list of travel tips and information of avery different sort; while this advice may not compare to that whichis included in a Fodor’s or a Michelin or any other such guide, it isnevertheless valuable and necessary for every would-be disciple.(Patricia Datchuck Sánchez)
# 5: There is a funny story about two young Mormon missionaries who were going door to door. They knocked on the door of one woman who was not at all happy to see them. The woman told them in no uncertain terms that she did not want to hear their message and slammed the door in their faces. To her surprise, however, the door did not close and, in fact, almost magically bounced back open. She tried again, really putting her back into it and slammed the door again with the same amazing result--the door bounced back open. Convinced that one of the young religious zealots was sticking their foot in the door, she reared back to give it a third slam. She felt this would really teach them a lesson. But before she could act, one of them stopped her and politely said, "Ma'am, before you do that again, you really should move your cat."
# 6: When Someone Is Drowning: There was an interesting story in Readers Digest sometime back by Elise Miller Davis titled, "When Someone Is Drowning, It's No Time To Teach Him How to Swim." Ms. Davis tells of sitting near a swimming pool one day and hearing a commotion. A head was bobbing in and out of the deepest water. Ms. Davis saw a man rush to the edge of the pool and heard him yell, "Hold your breath! Hold your breath!" Then a young lady joined him, screaming, "Turn on your back and float!" Their voices caught the attention of the lifeguard. Like a flash, he ran the length of the pool, jumped in, and pulled the man in trouble to safety. Later, the lifeguard said to Ms. Davis, "Why in the name of heaven didn't somebody holler that one word--Help? When someone's drowning, it's no time to teach him how to swim." Do you understand that there are people in our community who are barely staying afloat? Families are disintegrating, young people are becoming chemically addicted, and middle-aged people are facing life-crises that would blow your minds. What they need is good news of Jesus from zealous missionaries and pastors and committed Christians.
Weekday HomiliesJune 28- July 3 (2010) L
June 28 Monday: Mt 8: 18-22: 18 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 21 Another of the disciples said to him, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 22 But Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."
The context: Today’s gospel passage explains the cost of Christian discipleship and the wholehearted constancy and sacrificial ministry that the Christian mission requires.
It was quite unexpected for a learned scribe to volunteer to become Jesus’ disciple. But Jesus offered him no false promises. "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests,” He said. Jesus was simply being honest about the demands and the cost of a commitment the scribe might make too lightly and a journey he might be undertaking too easily. Being a Christian is not an easy or comfortable affair: it calls for self-denial and for putting God before everything else. Jesus’ response to another would-be disciple who asked for more time before becoming a disciple sounds harsh: “Let the dead bury their dead.” But this man’s father was not dead or sick. The man had simply asked to stay with his father until the father’s death. Jesus knew that later he would find another reason to delay answering the call.
Life messages: 1) We need to honor our commitments: Today, more than ever, people make marriage commitments too easily and then break them. The problem today is that the couples do not have the courage to make the commitment of marriage. We all know there is a tremendous shortage of priests because our young people are unwilling to make commitments to God by committing themselves to life-long celibacy, to a diocese or to the vowed life of a religious community. 2) We need to pray for strength to honor our commitments. We are here this morning because, in one way or another, we have said to Jesus, “I will follow you.” Sometimes we have been faithful, to him and other times we have not. Hence we have to pray for strength to honor our commitments, we have to ask for forgiveness when we fail, and we have to renew our determination to walk with Jesus by being loyal to our spouse and family, earning our living honestly, and living not only peacefully, but lovingly, with our neighbors. (Fr. Tony)
June 29 Tuesday: Apostles: Peter & Paul: Mt 16: 13-19: 13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" 14 And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"16 Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." 20 Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." 23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."
Peter and Paul are the principal pillars of the Church. Today we celebrate the feast of their martyrdom.
Peter was son of Jona and brother of Andrew. He was a professional fisherman from Bethsaida, a fishing town on the Lake of Galilee or Gennesaret. He may have been a follower of John the Baptist. It was his brother Andrew who introduced him to Jesus, and Jesus who changed his name from Simon to Cephas or Peter. Jesus made him the leader of his apostles. At Caesarea Philippi Jesus promised to make him the head of his Church, and the risen Jesus confirmed Peter’s precedence. It was Peter’s speech on the day of the Pentecost which inaugurated the Church. He made missionary journeys to Lydda, Joppa and Caesarea and convened the first Council in Jerusalem. He wrote two epistles and he was martyred by crucifixion under the emperor Nero.
Paul the “Apostle of the Gentiles” and the greatest missionary was a Roman citizen by birth as he was born in Tarsus. His original name was Saul. As a Pharisee he was sent to Jerusalem by his parents to study the Mosaic Law under the great rabbi Gamaliel. As a student he learned the trade of tent-making. He was actively present at the stoning of Stephen. But he was miraculously converted on his way to Damascus to arrest the Christians. He made several missionary journeys, converted hundreds of Jews and Gentiles and established Church communities. He wrote 14 epistles. He was arrested and kept in prison for two years in Caesarea and two more years in Rome. Finally he was martyred by beheading at Tre Fontane in Rome
June 30 Wednesday: Mt 8: 28-34: 28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. 29 And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?" 30 Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them. 31 And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine." 32 And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters. 33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs. 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
The context: Today’s gospel episode demonstrates Jesus’ power over the devil in a Gentile town called Gadara (Matthew) or Gerasa (Mark & Luke) of Decapolis east of the Jordan. Two possessed men came out of a tomb-filled desolate place. Their demons, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, begged him to send them into a herd of swine. In Mark’s and Luke’s version of the incident, the possessed men’s demons named themselves Legion (6000), indicating their number. Jesus did as the evil spirits requested, and the now-possessed swine ran down the slope and drowned in the sea. The frightened people of the city asked Jesus to leave their city. The people considered their swine more precious than the possessed men, and the liberation given to these men from evil spirits did not matter to them. If we have a selfish or materialistic outlook we fail to appreciate the value of divine things and push God out of our lives, begging Him to go away, as these people did.Life message: Come out of your tombs: Jesus is calling us to come out of the tombs. Our tombs are the closed-in, sealed-off areas of our hearts where life in the Spirit of God has died because we haven't let Jesus minister to us through others. Such ungodly persons are lonely. They try to fill their inner emptiness by filling their lives with money, promiscuity, addictions or workaholism. Jesus the liberator is ready to free us from the tombs of our evil addictions and habits. Let us go to him and receive his love, that we may experience the joy and freedom of the children of God. (Fr. Tony) LP/10
July 1 Thursday: Mt 9: 1-8: Matthew 9:1-8 : 1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven." 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming." 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise and walk'? 6 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he then said to the paralytic -- "Rise, take up your bed and go home." 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
The context: Beyond showing his authority over temptation, over the lives of men, over nature, over demons and over sickness, in today’s gospel we see Jesus demonstrating a new form of authority – his authority to forgive sins. Jesus miraculously restores a paralyzed man to health as a sign of this authority. The healing episode presents Jesus as the embodiment of God, sent to save us, restore us and make us new. So we have to look beyond the boundaries of our religious experience to appreciate the healing and forgiving operation of our God in newer and newer ways.
Many kinds of sickness, like this man’s paralysis, were seen by the Jews as punishment for their personal sin or the sins of their parents. It was also a common belief that no sickness could be cured until sin was forgiven. For that reason Jesus had first to convince the paralyzed man that his sins had been forgiven. Once Jesus had granted the paralytic the forgiveness of God, the man knew that God was no longer his enemy, and he was ready to receive the cure which followed. It was the manner of the cure which scandalized the Scribes. By forgiving sin, they thought Jesus had blasphemed, insulted God, because forgiving sin is the exclusive prerogative of God. This healing demonstrates the fact that we can never be right physically until we are right spiritually, that health in body and peace with God go hand in hand.
Life messages: We need God’s forgiveness to live wholesome lives. The heart of the Christian faith is the "forgiveness of sins." In the Creed we say that we believe in “one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.” While we have the power to forgive others, we need to be forgiven ourselves by the One who has the authority to forgive. In Jesus we see this authority, the same authority He gave to his Church. Today’s gospel gives us an invitation to open ourselves to God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and to hear from the priest Jesus’ words to the paralytic: “Your sins are forgiven.” The Gospel also instructs us to forgive others their sins against us and to ask God’s forgiveness for our daily sins every day of our lives. (Fr. Tony) LP/10
July 2 Friday: Mt 9: 9-13: 9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. 10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 12 But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, `I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
The context: Today’s gospel episode of Matthew’s call as Jesus’ apostle reminds us of God’s love and mercy for sinners and challenges us to practice this same love and mercy in our relations with others.
The call and the response: Jesus went to the tax collector’s office to invite Matthew to become his disciple. Since tax collectors worked for a foreign power and extorted more tax money from the people than the area owed, they were hated and despised as traitors by the Jewish people and considered public sinners by the Pharisees. Jesus could see in Matthew a person who needed divine love and grace. While everyone hated Matthew, Jesus was ready to offer him undeserved love, mercy and forgiveness. Hence Matthew abandoned his lucrative job because for him Christ's call to follow Him was a promise of salvation, fellowship, guidance and protection.
Scandalous partying with sinners. It was altogether natural for Matthew to celebrate his new calling by celebrating with his friends. Jesus’ dining with outcasts in the house of a traitor scandalized the Pharisees for whom ritual purity and table fellowship were important religious practices. Hence they asked the disciples, "Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?" In answer to their question Jesus stressed his ministry as healer: “Those who are well do not need a physician; the sick do.” Then Jesus challenged the Pharisees quoting Hosea, “Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’” Finally Jesus clarified his position, “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Life messages: 1) Jesus calls you and me for a purpose: Jesus has called us, through our baptism, forgiven our sins, and welcomed us as members of the Kingdom. In fact he calls us daily through the Word, through His Church, to be his disciples, and to turn away from all the things that distract us and draw us away from God. Just as Matthew did, we, too, are expected to preach Christ through our lives by reaching out to the unwanted and the marginalized in the society with Christ’s love, mercy and compassion. (Fr. Tony) L/10
July 3 Saturday: John 20: 24-29: Feast of St. Thomas the apostle:
The context: Today we celebrate the feast of St. Thomas the apostle. Today’s gospel passage (verses 24-29) presents the fearless apostle St. Thomas, in his uncompromising honesty, demanding a personal vision of, and physical contact with, the risen Jesus as a condition for his belief. Thomas had not been with the disciples when Jesus made his first appearance to them. As a result, he refused to believe. When the Lord appeared to him later, He said: “Blessed are those who have not seen but have believed.” Thomas was able to overcome his doubts by seeing the risen Jesus.
The unique profession of faith: Thomas, the “doubting apostle” made the great profession of faith, “My Lord and my God.” This declaration by the “doubting apostle” in today’s gospel is very significant for two reasons. 1) It is the foundation of our Christian faith. Our faith is based on the divinity of Jesus as proved by his miracles, especially by the supreme miracle of his resurrection from the dead. Thomas’ profession of faith is the strongest evidence we have of the resurrection of Jesus. 2) Thomas’ faith culminated in his self-surrender to Jesus, his heroic missionary expedition to India in A.D. 52, his fearless preaching, and the powerful testimony given by his martyrdom in A.D. 72.
Life messages: Faith culminating in self-surrender to God, leads us to the service of our fellow-human beings. Living faith enables us to see the risen Lord in everyone and gives us the willingness to render each one loving service. (“Faith without good works is dead” James 2:17). It was this faith in the Lord and obedience to his missionary command that prompted St. Thomas to travel to India to preach the gospel among the Hindus, establish seven Christian communities (known later as “St. Thomas Christians”) and eventually to endure martyrdom. The spiritual Fathers prescribe the following traditional means to grow in the living and dynamic faith of St. Thomas the Apostle: a) We have to know and experience Jesus personally and intimately by the daily and meditative reading of the Bible. b) We have to strengthen our faith by the power of the Holy Spirit through personal and community prayer. c) We have to share in the divine life of Jesus by frequenting the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. d) We have to be reconciled with God on a daily basis by repenting of our sins and asking God’s forgiveness, and by receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation whenever we fall into a grave sin. Mother Teresa presents it this way: “If we pray, we will believe; if we believe, we will love; if we love, we will serve. Only then we put our love of God into action.” (Fr. Tony) LP/10.
