HOMILY • The 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Monday of the 18th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: August 5, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 14:13-21 When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns. When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, "This is a deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves." He said to them, "There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves." But they said to him, "Five loaves and two fish are all we have here." Then he said, "Bring them here to me," and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over– twelve wicker baskets full. Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children. Reflection We see in this gospel an aspect of Jesus. It is so attractive. He just learned of the death of his cousin. He wants to go to a private place and then instead, when he gets there, it's not private. All these people are there, and the first thing he thinks about is their needs, not his need. So he's moved to cure them. But then he uses this moment, I think, in a very powerful way, to teach us all about how his ministry is going to be continued in us. We are all disciples. We are all called to feed and nurture one another. And what is so interesting about this is the thing that we want to have. The the love that we need to have for one another is going to be a gift to us. He will empower us to love. He will empower us to serve. And everyone will be satisfied. Closing Prayer Father, awaken us to the power that you have shared with us. We tend to turn to ourselves and ask ourselves to produce the things that we need. You are there for that purpose. Bless us with confidence and dependency on everything that you promise. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

HOMILY • The 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Original Airdate: August 2, 2020 Isaiah 55:1-3 | Romans 8:35, 37-39 | Matthew 14:13-21 Opening Prayer Draw near to your servants, oh Lord, and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness that, for those who glory in you as their creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored.  Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever, amen. Closing Prayer Father, your goodness, your generosity, your mercy are so far beyond our mind to comprehend, but our heart understands.  And when we live in that atmosphere, in that environment, in that comfort of that sense of who you are, we find ourselves feeling so much less stress.  It is stressful times for us, this virus, how are economy is going.  So please bless us with a conviction that all of this somehow has purpose and meaning and is going to bring us to a place of abundant life.  And we ask this through Christ our Lord, amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Saturday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: August 3, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 14:1-12  Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesus and said to his servants, "This man is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him." Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, for John had said to him, "It is not lawful for you to have her." Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people, for they regarded him as a prophet. But at a birthday celebration for Herod, the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guests and delighted Herod so much that he swore to give her whatever she might ask for. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present, he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. His disciples came and took away the corpse and buried him; and they went and told Jesus. Reflection One of the things that has been a great mystery to me is how difficult it has been for the church to make changes, to go from the Old Testament model to the New Testament. And the Old Kingdom to the New Kingdom. And even in the church's history when change came about, it was always difficult for the church to make those changes if they demanded that people see things differently. God's grace is essential for us to embrace the new and integrate it with the old. It's always going to be that way. It's never everything's the same. Certain laws and rules are essential, but how we live them, how we understand them changes as we change. Closing Prayer Father, it's clear that the church is going through some radical changes. Ever since Vatican Two, there's been a stress on the union that we've longed to see in the church. And it has separated us into groups of people who seem to be at odds with each other. The kingdom of heaven is something that we must embrace together. And working together with a spirit of openness is essential. That's what I pray for the church today, that we embrace the new, even though it's difficult, and preserve some of the old, even though that may be difficult for some. Bless us through this crisis. And we ask this in Jesus’ name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Friday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: August 2, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 13:54-58 Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds? Is he not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother named Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us? Where did this man get all this?" And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and in his own house." And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith. Reflection In some ways, the kingdom of God is too simple, too natural, too within our own reach. It's not about becoming some spectacular miracle worker or somebody who walks around and heals everyone around them. No, it's about human beings living out their own destiny, becoming authentically who they are. And in that process, aligning their wills to God and doing the most natural thing. Care for people. Nurture people. Tend to their needs. Shepherd them. It is a beautiful image of something that is within our ability to accomplish. Closing Prayer Father, help us to understand the naturalness of your work within us. Give us the hope that comes from knowing that we are moving everyone that we love and know into a deeper understanding of who you are. When we simply will it and want it and desire it. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

PRI Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 17th Week in Ordinary Time

Original Post Date: August 1, 2024 === Gospel Matthew 13:47-53 Jesus said to the disciples: "The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." "Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied, "Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there. Reflection The promised kingdom of heaven will happen. It is not if it will happen or when it will happen. We just need to know that it will happen. And there will be a time in the history of the human race when God will enter into it, and he will destroy all evil. That's the promise. Without believing in that, we can fall into a trap of thinking somehow, maybe if we're not doing what we should, the whole thing is going to implode and God will have lost. There is no way that God will lose. Closing Prayer God, you teach us over and over to believe, to have faith, to trust. And what you're telling us is that you are in charge, and you will make sure that the kingdom will come and that evil will be destroyed. Help us to be infused with that conviction, so that the shame and the fear of our sins will never overwhelm your power to save. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]