One another, Sunday14B

July 07, 2024

Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123 (122); 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6a

Let us lift up our hearts and voices to the Lord in prayer for all members of the human family:

That the Spirit may enter into us, making of our Church and parish a community of compassion and forgiveness: let us pray to the Lord.

That Pope N., Bishop N., Father N., and our Church’s bishops, priests, and ministers may be effective prophets of the justice and mercy of God: let us pray to the Lord.

That President N., Governor N., and the leaders of nations, states, and cities may lead their peoples with the authority born of wisdom and selflessness: let us pray to the Lord.

That God’s Spirit of peace and love may dwell within all families and households: let us pray to the lord.

That the sick and the dying, the powerless and the addicted, may be restored to health and hope: let us pray to the Lord.

That our deceased relatives and friends [especially _________], may be reborn in the new life of the Risen Christ: let us pray to the Lord.

That God will hear the prayers we now offer in the silence of our hearts [Pause...]: let us pray to the Lord.

We come to you in hope, O Lord, knowing that you will hear the prayers we ask in faith. May your Spirit of wisdom and truth rest upon us always so that we may be prophets of your great love. Grant these prayers we offer. in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024c, July 7). Fourteenth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070724.cfm

-Cormier, J. (1995). Lord, Hear Our Prayer: Prayer of the Faithful for Sundays, Holy Days, and Ritual Masses.

The Word today, W14B

July 08 - July 13, 2024

Monday 08 July

St Kilian, bishop and martyr

Hosea 2:16, 17-18, 21-22 Until Thursday, we read from the prophet Hosea, known for his use of marriage as a symbol of God’s love for his people. This emerges rather touchingly in today’s reading.

Matthew 9:18-26 This is Matthew’s brisk telling of a story familiar from Mark. The “sandwich” technique here creates suspense: he can heal the sick, but can he raise the dead?

Tuesday 09 July

St Augustine Zhao Rong and his companions, martyrs

Hos 8:4-7, 11-13 The worship of idols was a constant threat in the ancient world. Idols were more tangible and visible. In case we dismiss the risk too readily, it may help to remember the words of our Lord: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21)

Matthew 9:32-37 A sinister note is registered in the first paragraph of this reading. After that, Jesus the healer brings people God’s compassion.

Wednesday 10 July

Hos 10:1-3, 7-8, 12 This plaintive text is very powerful. It begins with the traditional image of the vine and goes on to ask penetrating questions. The final paragraph surely speaks today: it is time to go seeking the Lord until he comes to rain salvation on you.

Matthew 10:1-7 The Twelve were a symbol of Jesus’ mission to Israel, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. This focus of Jesus ministry becomes really clear in the last paragraph.

Thursday 11 July

St Benedict, abbot, co-patron of Europe

Proverbs 2:1-9 For the feast, we interrupt the readings from Hosea and read from Proverbs. Where can we find wisdom, truth, virtue, justice, understanding and fear of the Lord? According to Proverbs—and later according to St Benedict and many other holy men and women—these things are to be found by taking the Word of the Lord to heart.

Matthew 19:27-29 The Gospel—chosen for the feast—is really about those who have followed Jesus in leaving behind all “sensible”, “normal” forms of security and happiness for the sake of the Good News.

Friday 12 July

Hosea 14:2-10 This is a great invitation to conversion of heart. The first part is the call to come back to the Lord. The second part spell out the super-generous response of God to our response to him.

Matthew 10:16-23 Jesus was not naive. Sending out the Twelve was sending them into danger. Probably we over hear some of the experiences of the later church in the details, as there is no evidence that these things took place during the ministry of Jesus.

Saturday 13 July

St Henry of Bavaria

Isaiah 6:1-8 Beginning today, we have a week of readings from Isaiah. To start, the lectionary offers us the foundational vision of the prophet, a fabulous vision of the holiness of God, both awesome and alluring. You may recognise words we say at every Mass.

Matthew 10:24-33 Under the general heading of the mission discourse, disparate sayings are offered, reflecting a variety of concerns. Sometimes, the word is threatening; other times, it is consoling. A sense of anxious urgency hangs over the whole teaching.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024c, July 7). Fourteenth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070724.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/

SOCL, Sunday14B

Sunday July 08, 2024

On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded.

See

Familiarity breeds…well, sometimes blindness. We do need familiarity—we couldn’t be working things out for the first time all of the time. What is regular and known can help us get on with the day or the job or the relationship. But there are times—we all have them —when sheer familiarity impedes our understanding and prevents our encounter with the new, the different and the radical. Our case is, perhaps, the diametric opposite of that of the people of Nazareth. Our too comfortable faith familiarity with Jesus can hinder us from seeing the radical, the new, the disturbing. Sometimes a bit of defamiliarisation would be good for us!!

Listen

Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalm 123 (122); 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; Mark 6:1-6a

Reflect

(Mark 6:1-6a)

-The story reminds us of how personal prejudices and agendas can block us from listening to the content of what another person has to say, no matter how relevant or wise it is. Perhaps you have experienced this? What difference has it made to you when you were able to focus on the content of what was being said and leave to one side your own prejudices about the speaker?

-It has been said that there is nothing as useless as the right advice at the wrong time. We may want to reach out to another, but may be unable to make a useful contribution because at that moment the other person is not ready to be helped. Like Jesus we can “do no deed of power”. As Jesus had to be patient and wait for another opportunity so do we. What have you learned about the importance of patience in working with other people?

-The topic of religion can easily bring up prejudices, leading some to dismiss religion as superstition, old hat, or based on an outdated world view. Even among believers, prejudice can make it hard for individuals to listen to an alternative way of looking at things, to consider a different way of celebrating liturgy, or to live at peace with difference. Yet a closed mind can lead to a stagnant faith. When have you found that a willingness to consider a different perspective led to a deepening and strengthening of your faith?

Pray

God of the prophets, in every age you send the word of truth, familiar yet new, a sign of contradiction. Let us not be counted among those who lack faith, but give us the vision to see Christ in our midst and to welcome your saving word. We make this prayer though Christ our Lord. Amen.

References

Our Eyes Are Fixed On The Lord