Episodes
Thursday Jul 28, 2016
July 31 - Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: The Fool’s Vanity
Thursday Jul 28, 2016
Thursday Jul 28, 2016
First
Reading Genesis 18:20-32
Abraham pleads with God to save the innocent people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm
138:1-3,6-8
Lord, on the day I cried for help, you answered me.
Second Reading Colossians
2:12-14
You were buried with Christ in Baptism and also raised with him.
Gospel Reading
Luke 11:1-13
Trust in God - as the Rock of our salvation, as the Lord who made us His chosen people, as our shepherd and guide. This should be the mark of our following of Jesus. We can harden our hearts in ways more subtle but no less ruinous. We can put our trust in possessions, squabble over earthly inheritances, kid ourselves that what we have we deserve, store up treasures and think they’ll afford us security, rest. All this is “vanity of vanities,” a false and deadly way of living, as this week’s First Reading tells us. This is the greed that Jesus warns against in this week’s Gospel. The rich man’s anxiety and toil expose his lack of faith in God’s care and provision. That’s why Paul calls greed “idolatry” in the Epistle this week. Mistaking having for being, possession for existence, we forget that God is the giver of all that we have, we exalt the things we can make or buy over our Maker (see Romans 1:25). Jesus calls the rich man a “fool” - a word used in the Old Testament for someone who rebels against God or has forgotten Him (see Psalm 14:1). We should treasure most the new life we have been given in Christ and seek what is above, the promised inheritance of heaven. We have to see all things in the light of eternity, mindful that He who gives us the breath of life could at any moment - this night even - demand it back from us.
Wednesday Jul 20, 2016
July 24 - Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Asked and Answered
Wednesday Jul 20, 2016
Wednesday Jul 20, 2016
First Reading Genesis 18:20-32
Abraham pleads with God to save the innocent people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 138:1-3,6-8
Lord, on the day I cried for help, you answered me.
Second Reading Colossians 2:12-14
You were buried with Christ in Baptism and also raised with him.
Gospel Reading
Luke 11:1-13
Though we be “but dust andashes,” we can presume to draw near and speak boldly to our Lord, as Abrahamdares in this week’s First Reading. The mystery of prayer, as Jesus reveals to Hisdisciples in this week’s Gospel, is the living relationship of beloved sons anddaughters with their heavenly Father. Our prayer is pure gift, madepossible by the “good gift” of the Father - the Holy Spirit of His Son. It isthe fruit of the New Covenant by which we are made children of God in ChristJesus (see Galatians 4:6-7; Romans 8:15-16). Jesus teaches His disciples topersist in their prayer, as Abraham persisted in begging God’s mercy for theinnocent of Sodom and Gomorrah. This intriguing story of Abraham interceding forSodom is not really about a numbers game but about the significance of salvationfor the righteous in a corrupt community. Authentic prayer opens us up tothe action of God's Spirit, bringing us in line with God's desires, and makingus into true disciples, obedient to Jesus and to the Father who has sent him.Prayer becomes one of the ways by which we follow Jesus in the Christian life.
Wednesday Jul 13, 2016
July 17- Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Serving God and Serving Neighbour
Wednesday Jul 13, 2016
Wednesday Jul 13, 2016
First Reading
Genesis 18:1-10a
Abraham entertains three strangers and is promised a son.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm
15:2-5
Those who do justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Second Reading Colossians
1:24-28
The mystery hidden from ages past has now been revealed in Christ.
Gospel Reading
Luke 10:38-42
Last Sunday we were shown through the Parable of the Good Samaritan how important it is to serve our neighbour : "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice". And in today's Gospel Jesus completes that by showing how important it is to serve God and give Him our fullest attention by highlighting Mary who was at His feet. Martha stands for the service to the Neighbour while Mary stands for the service to God. Thus we need to be both Martha and Mary.
Thursday Jul 07, 2016
July 10 – Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: What We Must Do
Thursday Jul 07, 2016
Thursday Jul 07, 2016
First Reading Deuteronomy 30:10-14
Moses reminds the people that God's commandments are not remote but are alreadyin their hearts.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 69:14,17,30-31,36-37
Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
Second Reading Colossians 1:15-20
Jesus is the head of the body, the Church.
Gospel Reading
Luke 10:25-37
In today’s Gospel we are given the summary ofChristian belief: Love God & Love Neighbour. This command is nothing remoteor mysterious - it’s already written in our hearts, in the book of sacredScripture: “You have only to carry it out,” Moses says in this week’s FirstReading. Jesus tells His interrogator the same thing: “Do this and you willlive.” -The scholar, however, wants to know where he can draw the line.That’s the motive behind his question: “Who is my neighbor?”. In hiscompassion, the Samaritan in Jesus’parable reveals the boundless mercy ofGod - who came down to us when we were fallen in sin, close to dead, unableto pick ourselves up. Like the Samaritan, He pays the price for us, heals thewounds of sin, pours out on us the oil and wine of the sacraments, entrusts usto the care of His Church, until He comes back for us. Because His love hasknown no limits, ours cannot either. We are to love as we have been loved, todo for others what He has done for us - joining all things together in His Body,the Church. This is the love that leads to eternal life, the love Jesuscommands today of the scholar, and of each of us - “Go and do likewise.”