Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 53:10-11 | Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22| Hebrew 4:14-16 | Mark 10:35-45
For the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many – Mark 10:45
In this Gospel, James and John approach Jesus, asking for positions of honor at His right and left hand. Jesus responds by challenging their understanding of greatness, reminding them—and us—that true greatness comes through humble service and sacrifice, not status or power. Jesus invites us to "drink the cup" that He drinks, which symbolizes the willingness to give ourselves fully, just as He gave His life as a ransom for many.
This teaching connects deeply with our call to stewardship. As we reflect on God's abundant blessings in our lives, we are reminded that everything we have is a gift from Him. In the Old Testament, the tithe was a call to give back a portion of what we received, but in the New Covenant, we are called to give even more. It’s about offering a sacrificial gift—a return to the Lord for all He has generously bestowed upon us.
As we approach our stewardship campaign this weekend, we ask everyone to prayerfully consider pledging. Your gift not only supports the needs of our parish, but also deepens your commitment to the call of discipleship.
How can I offer my time, talents, and treasures more generously in response to all that God has given me?
In what ways can I make my giving a more sacrificial act of love, aligning it with Jesus' example of selfless service?
Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wisdom 7:7-11 | Psalm 90:12-17 | Hebrews 4:12-13 | Mark 10:17-30
"For human beings it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God.”
Mark 10:27
What if God doesn’t come through? What if I’m on my own? What if …
It’s easy to let anxiousness get the best of us, to catastrophize in our thoughts, and jump to the worst case scenario. We’re hesitant to surrender control as humans, and it often makes sense based on how we’ve been hurt. We can grasp for control through our means or our finances, and attempt to order our lives and cling on to everything.
Jesus invites us into a different way of being. “You’re lacking in one thing,” Christ challenges to the rich young man who has otherwise zealously kept to all the commandments of God. Jesus appeals to his heart to give up his attempt to control and order everything: “go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21).
Generosity is the antidote. Giving up control and embracing the adventure is what Christ offers. And that involves surrendering, giving your life away, and not trying to possess anymore. The rich young man went away sad, but we dont’ know the end of his story, just as we don’t fully know the end of ours. Perhaps, after grieving for his belongings and security, he came to acceptance and returned to Christ. We don’t know! But we can hope for the same courage for ourselves to say “yes” to trusting the Lord, following him wherever he invites us.
In what area is it difficult for you to trust in God’s plan for your life? In your finances, your time, your relationships, etc?
Does a part of you fear that God won’t provide if you are generous with your time, talent, or treasure?
What is the “one thing” Christ might be calling you to surrender?
Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Genesis 2:18-24 | Psalm 128:1-6 | Hebrews 2:9-11 | Mark 10:2-16
Embracing Sacrifice and Commitment in a World of Consumption
The readings for the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time call us to reflect on the sacred vocation of marriage and the deeper meaning of commitment. In a culture that often prioritizes personal satisfaction and consumption, Jesus’ teachings remind us that true love requires sacrifice. Genesis 2:24 reveals that marriage is not just a union of two people but a profound bond where "a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
Jesus further emphasizes in the Gospel, "What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder" (Mark 10:9). This divine command challenges us to move beyond a consumer mindset that treats relationships as disposable. Instead, we are called to embrace the self-giving love that marriage demands—a love that mirrors Christ’s own sacrificial love for the Church.
St. Teresa of Calcutta warned against the destructive effects of a self-centered culture, saying, "The greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself." This speaks to the broader issue of how our society's focus on personal convenience can undermine the sanctity of life and the deep sacrifices that true love requires. St. Augustine reminds us, "God is the best and most faithful provider of all; He wills that in marriage one be fruitful and many children be brought up in piety" (De Bono Coniugali).
How can we resist the consumer culture that promotes self-gratification and instead cultivate a spirit of sacrifice and commitment in our relationships?
Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Numbers 11:25-29 | Psalms 19:8, 10, 12-14 | James 5:1-6 | Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
our words and actions are powerful.
Today’s readings highlight the significance of the things we say and do. When we align ourselves with or work against God’s will for our lives, we can create lasting consequences for ourselves and those around us.
Jesus strongly proclaims in the Gospel reading that “if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.” While the statement is an exaggeration using strong, hyperbolic language, it signals to us that we have to take what we do seriously. The Lord desires our good, and He wants us to choose the path that leads us home to Him. For this reason, Jesus asserts that it is better to live without the things that lead us into sin if those things are keeping us from Heaven.
Maybe the music you listen to, the people in your social circle, the shows you watch, thenews you consume, or the books you read aren’t inherently sinful to engage with, but it’s important to ask yourself if you notice a difference in your own actions because of them. Maybe there are things God is asking you to let go of in order to better love Him and those around you.
1. Think about how you spend your time each week. Are there opportunities to spend more time serving others, growing in prayer, or connecting more deeply with those around you?
2. What are some things that you may need “cut off” that might be leading you away from God?
3. Practice saying no this week. Find something to fast from for the next few days to help you grow in discipline.
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wisdom 2:12, 17-20 | Psalm 54:3-6 and 8 | James 3:16—4:3 | Mark 9:30-37
“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” -Mark 9:35
In today’s Gospel, the apostles discuss who is the greatest among them. Knowing what was on their hearts and minds, Jesus gathers them to remind them of a hard, counter-culture truth: the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. By asking His followers to be “last,” Jesus does not mean forgotten, abandoned or unprovided for. In fact, Jesus invites us into this posture of humility so that we can receive more, and receive from Him.
So often when we are tempted by the Enemy to put ourselves first, we are grasping for titles or possessions that will not satisfy us. The Lord created us for more; He created us for Eternity with Him. Yet He knows that as long as our hands are full of these self-obtained, worldly gains, we have no room to receive true life from Him as our Father. Jesus invites us to become little and humble like children, so that we may be sustained by Him, our Father, who wills our good more than we could ever imagine.
What area of your life do you most struggle with pride? (in the workplace, in conversations with family, self-image etc.)
What might Jesus’ invitation be to you in this place?
Who is one person you can put before yourself this week?
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 50:5-9a | Psalm 116:1-6, 8-9 | James 2:14-18 | Mark 8:27-35
"Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.” – Mark 8:34
In this Sunday’s second reading, James speaks to the Jewish Christian community, emphasizing that both faith and works are essential for salvation. He strongly declares that “faith without works is dead,” (Jas 2:26) urging believers to reflect on the relationship between what they believe and how they act. While Jesus has already given us the free gift of salvation by taking our place and dying on the cross, James makes it clear that true faith cannot exist without showing itself through good actions. Mere belief, without accompanying good deeds, is insufficient for a genuine and living faith.
James is not suggesting that we earn our salvation through good works, but rather that our works are a natural and necessary expression of our faith. Simply claiming to be a Christian or professing belief in God isn’t enough. God, in His love, has given us free will, allowing us to accept or reject the gift of salvation. Our good works show our way of saying yes to this gift. Just because a gift is freely given doesn’t mean it will be accepted and received by everyone. James' statement serves as a powerful reminder that authentic faith requires a commitment to live it out through tangible actions.
How can you actively portray your faith through good deeds?
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 35:4-7a | Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 | James 2:1-5 | Mark 7:31-37
“Anyone who listens to the Word of God can and must speak and transmit it to others, to those who have never heard it, or who have forgotten it and buried under the thorny troubles and deceptions of the world” – Pope Benedict XVI
During the time of today’s Gospel story, society cast out those with any sort of physical impediment rendering them as unequal. Jesus transcends cultural and social boundaries in two ways.
He first takes the man “off by himself away from the crowd.” The act of taking the man aside demonstrates the need for spiritual openness. Many times we are too busy, indifferent, closed-off, and we cannot hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. We surround ourselves with too many distractions that can lead to a spiritual deafness. The Lord removes the man from the crowd, showing through example the need to step away from the noise of everyday life that hinders us from hearing the Word of God.
Secondly, “He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue;” and said “‘Ephphatha!’— that is, ‘Be opened!’” This command signifies both a physical healing and a spiritual awakening to God’s word. Jesus had performed previous miracles where his mere words were enough to heal. But, here, we see His intentionality in intimacy. He displays his desire to draw close to us in our weaknesses. Jesus is not deterred by our faults.
This encapsulates the kerygma (the proclamation of the faith) message: that Jesus has come to heal, restore, and redeem, allowing us to be opened and hear the Word of God which awakens us to new life in Christ.
What are some habits that we have on a daily basis that keep us from hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd?
How might the Lord be calling us to remove ourselves from the crowd to better hear his voice (e.g. spend time in silence, go on a silent retreat, take a walk outside)?
Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 | Psalm 15:2-5 | James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 | Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
“The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.”
Psalm 15
Where does your heart lie?
In our readings this weekend we hear about living rightly according to God’s statutes, and decrees. For the Israelites who grew accustomed to living amongst Egyptian gods and idols, there were many behaviors and customs that needed course correction, and this is why there was such a proliferation of laws and commandments to set their behavior aright.
Jesus is certainly concerned with our right behavior and action—as James’ letter affirms us to be “doers of the word and not hearers only”-- but Jesus’ focus is on winning the battle for the heart, above all else. Jesus knows that he who wins the battle of the heart wins the soul of the whole woman or man.
The heart is sometimes referred to as the dwelling place of God, the seat of the person, or the inmost self. "From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed,” Jesus declares (Mark 7). To be a disciple in Christ’s footsteps is to constantly seek to purify our hearts, not just live by right action alone. This is long and exacting work, requiring the grace of God to transform our conscience, attitudes, and inner desires.
Our hearts should be moved to carry the burdens of our neighbors. Our hearts must be open to be loved by the one who first loved us (1 John 4:19).
Do you believe that God is seeking you and cares for your heart?
How does your heart inform your decisions and the way you look at others?
What small service might you do for someone in need this week?
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Scripture and Early Church Teachings on the Eucharist
Proverbs 9:1-6 | Psalm 34:2-7 | Ephesians 5:15-20 | John 6: 51-58
“If it's just a symbol, to hell with it.” - Flannery O'Connor
Rooted in Sacred Scripture and affirmed by early Church Fathers like St. Ignatius of Antioch (died c. 108 AD), who passionately described the Eucharist as the "flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ" (Letter to the Ephesians, 20:2), we explore the Scriptural, theological, and historical foundations that affirm the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
Scripture, particularly John 6:51-58 and Matthew 26:26-28, unequivocally presents the Eucharistic elements as Christ's body and blood through His literal words—"This is my body" and "This is my blood." Early Church Fathers routinely affirmed this understanding. St. Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 AD) elaborated in his First Apology, portraying bread and wine as transformed into Christ's body and blood, spiritually nourishing believers (First Apology, 66). St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 130-202 AD) defended Christ's real presence against Gnostic interpretations, affirming the Eucharistic elements as truly Christ's body and blood (Against Heresies, Book 4, Chapter 18). St. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. 313-386 AD) detailed the Eucharist in his Catechetical Lectures, emphasizing its role in imparting forgiveness of sins and eternal life (Catechetical Lectures, 22:1-4).
In John 6, the shift from the Greek verb "phagein" (to eat) to "trogein" (to chew or to gnaw) occurs during Jesus' discourse on the Bread of Life. In the discourse, Jesus begins by contrasting the manna eaten by the Israelites in the wilderness with the true bread from heaven, which He identifies as Himself. He first uses the word "phago" (to eat) to describe this act in general terms. “Your ancestors ate (phago) the manna…I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats (phago) of this bread will live forever” (John 6:49-51). The Jews are shocked at this statement, and instead of clarifying that it was only a metaphor, Jesus intensifies His language to demonstrate the reality of what He is saying. In verse 54, the word “eat” shifts from “phago” (to eat) to “trogo” (to chew/gnaw), emphasizing the reality of consuming his flesh and blood, “those who eat (trogo) my flesh and drink my blood…the one who eats (trogo) this bread will live forever” (John 6:54-58).
Reflecting on the significance of Jesus' use of the Greek word "trogein" in John 6:54, this vivid language deepens appreciation of the Eucharist as a tangible encounter with Christ's sacrifice, affirming its reality beyond merely symbolism and its visceral significance in early Christian belief. The Eucharist thus stands as the sacramental heart of Christian worship, where believers partake in the true body and blood of Christ, uniting them intimately with their Savior and nourishing their souls unto eternal life.
Join us for our final installment where we will celebrate a teaching Mass, demonstrating how all these theological, scriptural, and historical insights converge in our Liturgy.
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 19:4-8 | Psalm 34:2-9 | Ephesians 4:30—5:2 | John 6:41-51
Deepening Our Understanding of the True Presence
We explore deeper into the heart of the Eucharist—the True Presence of Christ among us. Echoing St. Athanasius, who said, 'He indeed assumed humanity that we might become God' (On the Incarnation, 54), the Eucharist presents a profound encounter where Christ—body, blood, soul, and divinity—becomes tangibly present. Scripture, particularly John 6:41-51, reinforces this truth as Jesus declares, 'I am the living bread that came down from heaven' (John 6:51).
Belief in the Real Presence calls us to prepare spiritually, akin to the reverence shown by the early Church. Reflecting on the metaphor that the Eucharist helps us shed our spiritual 'Egypt,' we recognize its transformative power to liberate us from sin and spiritual bondage, guiding us towards eternal life with God. This sacrament reminds us of our deep communion with Christ, who nourishes and sustains our souls.
Through the Eucharist, we experience a mystical union with Christ, participating in His sacrifice and receiving His life-giving grace. Early Church Fathers such as St. Polycarp emphasized the Eucharist's role in maintaining Church unity and true faith (Letter to the Philippians). Similarly, St. Clement of Alexandria described it as a sacred meal where believers receive the life of Christ, becoming partakers in the divine nature (The Instructor, Book 1, Chapter 6).
Reflecting on the true presence of Jesus—body, blood, soul, and divinity—in the Eucharist, how does this belief influence your daily attitudes and behaviors?
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 | Psalm 78:3-4, 23-25, 54 | Ephesians 4:17, 20-24 | John 6:24-35
Exploring the Mystery of the Eucharist
"In the Eucharist, Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul, and divinity" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1374). Entering into the mystery of the Eucharist, we encounter the enduring truth of Christ's Real Presence—a sacred cornerstone of our faith throughout history. As St. Augustine expressed in Confessions (7.10.18), "Christ bore Himself in His hands when He gave His body to be eaten." The Eucharist is not merely symbolic but a miraculous encounter where Jesus becomes present—body, blood, soul, and divinity. St. Ignatius of Antioch described it as the "medicine of immortality," nourishing us to share in the life of Christ (Letter to the Ephesians, 20:2).
This profound truth calls us to explore the transformative power of encountering Christ in the sacrament that sustains our faith journey. Just as the Israelites in Exodus were provided with manna as food for their journey from slavery to freedom and towards the promised land, the Eucharist serves as our spiritual sustenance for the pilgrimage of faith. As St. Thomas Aquinas teaches, "The Eucharist is transformative, changing us into the likeness of Christ" (Summa Theologiae, III, q. 73, a. 3). Believing in the Real Presence calls us to both understand and live out this profound truth: spiritual and mental preparation is essential to encounter Christ in the Eucharist fully. Through prayer, reflection on Scripture, and the Eucharist, we open ourselves to receive the grace and presence of Christ more deeply.
How does encountering Christ in the Eucharist transform your understanding of His presence in your daily life?
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
2 Kings 4:42-44 | Psalm 145:10-11, 15-18 | Ephesians 4:1-6 | John 6:1-15
“One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?’ Jesus said, ‘Have the people recline.’” -John 6:9-10
Are you strong enough to be weak?
The reality of our lives is that we live in a world of logistics. Food costs money, and people need to be fed to live. The Lord does not condemn us for considering these worldly calculations, but instead invites us to also remember that His power reigns above our human logic and limitations.
When faced with feeding the 5,000, both Phillip and Andrew have no idea how the task will be accomplished. Yet the difference was that Andrew, even in his confusion and doubt, still brought to Jesus what was available: a seemingly insignificant five loaves and two fish. Like Andrew, the Lord invites us as well to be honest with our doubt and the things we may lack, yet still in faith, bring everything to Him.
When we bring our crumbs to the Lord, He does not ask us to provide for ourselves. On the contrary, Jesus asked the crowd in this story to have a posture of receptivity, saying “Have the people recline” (John 6:10). It does not say that Jesus gave food to the most deserving, or those who worked the hardest that day. Instead, John again states that Jesus fed “those who were reclining” (John 6:11). The Lord does not ask us to fix our own emptiness. He simply asks us to come to Him in honesty, to give Him what we have, no matter how insignificant it may seem, and simply receive His abundance.
In the first reading, Elisha multiplies ten barley loaves to feed a crowd of 100. Then in the Gospel, Jesus feeds 5,000 men with only five loaves. The disciples were well-accustomed with the Old Testament, so they knew well the story of Elisha, and yet, they doubted. We all forget how the Lord has provided for us in the past. Take a moment to recall ways that the Lord has provided for you in your emptiness.
What are the crumbs in your life that Jesus may be asking you to give Him in faith today? (i.e. your time, money, energy, mental health, talents)
What would it look like to have a posture ready to receive in that area of your life?
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 23:1-6 | Psalm 23:1-6 | Ephesians 2:13-18 | Mark 6:30-24
Are you strong enough to be weak?
Today’s readings speak of rest and intentionality. Jesus wants to bring His disciples to a place where they can rest after their ministry, but He also sees the need and desire for Him in the crowds that follow them. He sees the good in rest, but also the good in serving those in need. He chooses to listen to His heart as it is “moved with pity” for those around Him.
If we want to follow in Christ’s footsteps, it requires that we not let our hearts become stony. We need hearts of flesh that can be pierced and moved for the people we encounter. Rest is good, but if we find ourselves rushing to get to that place, we might miss someone in front of us who might need what we have.
Maybe we’re exhausted, grasping for a peace we can’t seem to reach. Take heart. Your empathy is never wasted. The Lord promises us His rest in the Psalms, and St. Paul promises in his letter to the Ephesians that God “is our peace.” When we allow ourselves to follow Him in trust, God won’t be outdone in generosity. Trust in His call to serve those around you and believe in His promise for peace and rest.
What is one way you can slow down to notice the needs of those around you this week?
Where do you turn when you feel overwhelmed?
Have you ever asked God for His strength to serve others? Practice calling on the Holy Spirit with a simple “Come, Holy Spirit” prayer to ask Him for His grace
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts.” ~ Mark 6:8
Are you strong enough to be weak?
In our world, we often celebrate strength and success—whether in sports, business, or achievements that stand out as extraordinary. Yet, in the eyes of God, true strength often emerges from embracing our weaknesses and limitations.
Scripture teaches us that God's power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). When we humbly acknowledge our vulnerabilities and resist the urge to rely solely on ourselves, we create space for God's transformative power to work through us.
Consider the prophet Amos, a humble shepherd and dresser of sycamores, whom God called to deliver His message despite his modest background. Reflect on Jesus sending out His disciples with minimal provisions, teaching them to rely completely on God's providence. These examples demonstrate that true strength is found in humble obedience and trust in God's plan.
Today, we can follow their example by embracing small acts of sacrifice—such as fasting, praying the Rosary, or offering penances for others. These actions may seem insignificant in the world's eyes but hold profound spiritual significance in God's kingdom.
Let God be God. His strength is all we need.
Reflection Questions:
How do I struggle with relying on my own strength rather than God's grace?
Where have I experienced God's provision and strength despite my weaknesses?
How can I embrace humility and sacrificial love in the week ahead, trusting in God's transformative power?
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Are you strong enough to be weak?
The Savior, the all-powerful King of the world, came into the world powerless, as an infant and the son of a poor family (Mark 6:3), and left the world powerless on the cross when He was nailed to it.
Our pride tells us that we have to be strong all the time, that our thorns and faults are what keep us from attaining intimacy with Jesus. Paul begs that the thorn be removed from his side, but Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). It is precisely in our weakness and powerlessness that God desires to dwell. Why?
Jesus profits from our faults because they empty us; so much so that Grace has to be infused. It becomes no longer our strength but Jesus’ strength. Our thorns keep us small, cleansing us from self-sufficiency and remind us of our continuous need for Jesus. So, we don’t have to hide from him but rather turn to him and allow him to meet us in our brokenness.
Spend some time praying the Litany of Powerlessness
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
In today’s Gospel, we read the story of the hemorrhaging woman, who had sought healing in the world for 12 long years. It was not until she, in faith, reached out to touch the cloak of Jesus that she received what she had been searching for all along.
As humans, we are both body and soul, and because of this, we experience God through our physical senses. In God’s goodness, He became Emmanuel, “God with us,” so that He could enter into our physical reality and dwell with us on earth.
He not only gave of himself through Jesus over 2,000 years ago, but continues to give of Himself in a very real, and physical way through the Sacraments. He longs to heal us, like He healed the hemorrhaging woman, through the graces He pours out in the Eucharist and confession.
The Lord desires to encounter you in your physical, daily reality, and through that, bring an even greater healing: eternal life. The hemorrhaging woman received radical healing in her body, but the true gift was a personal encounter with Jesus that would change her life forever.
How have you experienced healing through the Sacraments, big or small?
What are the obstacles currently keeping you from reaching out to Jesus through confession and the Eucharist, and how can you overcome them this week?
In what way do you desire for Jesus to heal you this week?
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s readings speak to the uncertainty that comes with the storms in our lives. When we experience a chaotic or emotional time in our lives, it can be difficult to find God or see what He is doing in the midst of it all. It’s too easy to get lost in the fear of the unknown or to come to expect the worst of our own circumstances.
When we look to the disciples in today’s Gospel, they also cry out to Jesus in the middle of a violent storm at sea and demand of Him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” They allow fear to triumph over their faith in Him—these people who have seen Jesus perform miracles up close, who have gotten to know Him as their closest friend, who have every reason to trust Him. So, He calms the storm and asks them “Do you not yet have faith?”
Jesus wants to calm the storms in our hearts. Maybe it’s time to cry out to Him in faith to give you peace in your daily life. Take the time to find Him in prayer and let Him give you His peace.
What are the “storms” in your life? Take time to identify the things in your life that are taking away your peace.
What is an area of your life where you need an increase in faith?
Pray the Litany of Trust sometime this week and offer God your worries and fears.
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Have you ever had an encounter with someone who challenged your faith? Perhaps it was a polite discourse sparked by genuine curiosity. Or maybe it wasn’t so friendly, and someone made you feel foolish for being a Christian. It’s very possible that you yourself have asked questions. So much of our faith seems totally unbelievable… so why do we believe it?
The truth is that our faith is pretty unbelievable. It so surpasses the capabilities of our human intellect to fathom that, as in today’s Gospel, Jesus can only reveal it to us through parable and comparison. This makes the faith deeply personal, because each of us receives the faith in a way that is totally unique. In a way, we believe the faith because we cannot totally understand it, because we know that anything we can say or understand about the faith cannot properly express the joy that awaits us in eternity.
While our faith is deeply personal, we cannot grow it alone. Just as God is a communion of persons, our faith must be lived out in communion with each other. We must also always remember that faith itself is a gift. God freely gave us this gift so that we might come to know Him. And Jesus also gave us the Church so that, through its sacraments and communion, we might have the best means of living out that faith as One Body of Christ and experience the kingdom of heaven on Earth. Let us give thanks to God, as is “our duty and our salvation,” for these salvific gifts.
What Saint or Church writing can I study to expand my knowledge of my own faith?
Who is someone in my life with whom God might be calling me to live out my faith in communion?
Do I thank God for the gift of faith and the gift of the Church every day?
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Division and separation are the fruits of our sin and our grasping to do life “our way,” but God is always charting a course for our reunion with Him.
“Who told you that you were naked?” (Gen. 3:11) — In what tone do we hear these words of God to Adam and Eve from our first reading this Sunday? Is He a rageful father speaking angrily in judgment? Or is He speaking gently as a dad with a broken heart, knowing the consequences that will ensue? This insight can reveal to ourselves how we conceptualize God the Father.
“With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption” (Psalm 130), and thanks be to God for His patience and compassion. He is not a father who abandons us, but always desires to bring us back into union with Him. God does not tire of forgiving us, and He doesn’t cut us off after one mistake. He wants to receive us back into communion with Him.
In our Gospel, Jesus notes, “if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand” (Mark 3:25). There are abundant “tribes,” factions, and silos we can belong to today, but we are called to be united in the Church, the Body of Christ. There is plenty of room for differences of opinion and interests, and variety in expressions and cultures, but we are called to be one through our Baptism and to show mercy to others as we have been given great mercy by God.
How would I describe the voice of God the Father in the Genesis account? How do I hear him?
Name a time when you received forgiveness from another person. Who might God be calling you to forgive today?
Where am I tempted to put my identity into other interests (political parties, hobbies, etc) rather than as a baptized member of Christ’s Body, the Church?