Catholic 704 : Second Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 9 December 2018

Homily Second Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 9 December 2018



THE LITURGY OF THE WORD
First Reading: Baruch 5:1-9
Psalm: Ps 125. Psalm: Ps 24:4-5. 8-9.10.14. “The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. ”
Second Reading: Philippians 1:3-6. 8-11
Gospel Acclamation: Luke 3:4. 6
Gospel: Luke 3:1- 6
++++
Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers, and reflections for the Second Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 9 December 2018 by clicking this link here:   https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/advent-2c-9nd-dec-2018-2018-episode-128  (EPISODE: 128)
++++++++++
John the Baptist boldly proclaims that the Messiah's arrival (long foretold and expected for generations), was now imminent.

The image of roads being straightened and mountains levelled is a great image about a journey. All humans are on a lifelong journey towards God’s house where we are all invited to be members of God’s family. The straight paths, the flattened mountains, the filled in valleys also makes it quite clear that all people are called and invited; people of every race, nation and language, and religion are invited. The paths must be straight to allow people to approach and to allow us to approach God.

“men and women who are more equal and more respectful of others dignity, are the best way for God’s salvation to come.” [II]

It is TIME.

Time to get ready for the arrival of the Son of Man; the Lamb of God who will take away the sins of the world. It is time to prepare the way, and level the mountains, and straighten the pathways. It is TIME, to repent of our sins and be ready to welcome God's chosen one and his Kingdom.

It is one thing to repent of our sins out of fear – fear of God's punishment or anger. But it is quite another to repent of our sins and wrongdoing because we are so sorry that our sin has grieved God's heart and worked against the values of the Kingdom. There is nothing quite so devastating as seeing a parent disappointed and let down by our actions. That cuts deeper than anything. God’s disappointment can spur us on to love more closely according to God’s vision, than merely doing the right thing out of a sense of duty.

We want to repent and be better, more loving, more just and more forgiving, faithful children of God, not because we fear God's anger and punishment but because we love God, and God loves us infinitely. And we cannot bear to cause God grief and disappointment when we may not have lived up to the ways that God lovingly calls us to live.

The readings give us some food for thought. There are a few really beautiful lines of Scripture: The Lord will grant us "Peace through integrity, and honour through devotion" -- This is the way of true peace from God: by walking in the ways of integrity and doing what is right, come what may. Despite the storms and shocks of life, God’s peace is attained from being united with Christ, and walking in his ways of justice and love. God’s peace will sustain and guide us.

Our conscientiousness and devotion to the Word of God, and to prayer and good works will give us fulfilment in a way that nothing else could.
 
And the wonderful words of St Paul from the second reading, (it is one of the most beautiful and touching passages in the Scriptures) : “My prayer is that your love for each other may increase more and more, and never stop improving your knowledge and deepening your perception so that you can always recognise what is best.”

May we always do what is best by an increase of knowledge and perception that can only come from a deepening (day by day) of our love. That theme of ever-deepening love and practical kindness has been flowing through the Scriptures of late, and rightly so. It reminds me of that other quote from Scripture. "By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another." (John 13:35).

The central trait and quality of a true Christian, (a disciple of Christ, and friend of Jesus), is not first and foremost a merely visible keeping of every rule and regulation, not first of all their bold and unbending speaking out against all that is wrong and bad in the world. Our discipleship is not primarily about the eloquence, length or frequency of one's daily prayers, (for as St Paul said elsewhere: “if I did all those things but did them without love, it would do me NO GOOD whatsoever!!” Being a more loving, compassionate, merciful and reverent person, and deepening our love that derives from God who is love, and having the fruits of that love show in our words, our actions and our priorities and choices … now THAT is something .. in fact, that is everything…

In this coming week, let us ask God to show us the paths that need straightening.. the barriers that need lowering… For this is the time and season for intense and urgent preparation and conversion so that we might love more deeply, as Christ does, and so that everything we do may flow from and find its source and destination in God, who is LOVE.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
REFERENCES:

FR. PAUL W. KELLY

ACTION 2000 – PRAYING SCRIPTURE IN A CONTEMPORARY WAY. YEAR C. BY MARK LINK S.J.

[ii] SHARING THE WORD THROUGH THE LITURGICAL YEAR. GUSTAVO GUTIERREZ.
+++
Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
Please note - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul’s homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Photo by Jon Flobrant on Unsplash
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
“Faith, Hope and Love,  A time of Christian worship and reflection”  - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.

Psalm verses are taken from “The Psalms: the Grail Translation. Inclusive Language Version.” ©1963, 1995, 2004 The Grail (England), published by HarperCollins. London.

Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg’s 1993 book “Together we pray”. Published in Sydney Australia By  E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).

{ “Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin” -published 2011,  Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski   
Featuring the….Gloria.  COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/  

“Faith, Hope and Love” theme Hymn:   Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.

Christian Pics Licensed Photographs. Images Used in accordance with Licence. All Rights Reserved by the Licensor.https://christianpics.co/   

Freely Photos website. All photos published on Freely Photos have been gathered as licensed under Creative Commons Zero, or equivalent. Images Used in accordance with Licence. All Rights Reserved by the Licensor. https://beta.freelyphotos.com/

For more details please visithttp://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us atpaulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources. 

May God bless and keep you.


Second Sunday Advent. Year C
(Sunday, 9 December 2018)   (EPISODE: 128 )

“The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. ”

The Lord be with you.
+++++
In this season of Advent, we feature an Advent Wreath – with its candles and green branches— it is a reminder of God's promise to our world: Christ, our Light, and our Hope, will come.
 
(we light the second Advent Candle ****)
  
 
2nd CANDLE – (purple)
THE BETHLEHEM CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF PREPARATION – God kept his promise of a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem.
 
O Key of David, O Flower of Jesse’s stem.... commanding at your will the gates of Heaven: O royal Power of Israel...Come, break down the prison walls - for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.

+++++++++++++
Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Kyrie eleison/ christe eleison/ kyrie eleison
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++

Memorial Acclamation

When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Advent 1

Euch Prayer II

Communion side.  pwk:  RH
++++
Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

To unsubscribe click here.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholic Reflections (Fr Paul Kelly archives)" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to paulkellyreflections+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Catholic 703 : First Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 2 December 2018

The Beginning of the Church’s Calendar Year.

{Photo by Blake Cheek on Unsplash}

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16
Psalm: Ps 24:4-5. 8-9.10.14. “To you O Lord I lift my soul”
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - 4:2
Gospel Acclamation: Ps 84:8
Gospel: Luke 21:25-28. 34-36++++Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the First Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 2 December 2018 by clicking this link here:   https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/advent-c1-2nd-dec-2018-2018-episode-127  (Season III, EPISODE: 127)

The Church’s year has a timing different from the usual calendar year.  This weekend, with the first Sunday of Advent, the new liturgical year for the Church begins.  We have a three-year cycle of readings for each new year. 

The Church’s liturgical year begins with Advent, in anticipation of the birth of Christ.   Every year we focus upon and read continuously through a particular gospel. 

The weekend cycle covers three years, year A (Matthew’s Gospel), Year B (Mark’s Gospel), and year C (Luke – which begins next week). If you are wondering why there isn’t a four-year cycle (with John’s Gospel as the fourth),  it is because John’s Gospel, so rich in theology and the latest of the four gospels is spread through all the years and is especially fitting in the Lent, Easter and Christmas seasons.

The readings are fairly continuous, although parts are not included, largely due to repetition, or to fit the asymmetrical nature of the Bible into a neat three-year cycle. There may be some jumping about so that the old testament readings are often placed in the same weekend next to a gospel passage with similar, contrasting or expanded themes.

The Beauty of our Continuous Cycle of Readings.

In the Catholic Church, and in fact most of the mainstream Christian Churches, there is a set cycle of readings. Our “lectionary” is actually the Bible divided up into regular installments. The great thing about this is that, over a three-year cycle, we cover most of the old and new testament readings. The weekday readings are also a cycle (independent of the weekends) which covers a two year’s period. In the weekday cycle, the first reading changes and the gospel is the same for the same weekday of the year, irrespective of whether it be year 1 or 2).

The advantage of this way of choosing readings is twofold: we progressively hear from the breadth of the scriptures and not just the ‘old favourites.’ The other reason is that we let the Word of God “choose us” and not “us choose the word of God.” If we arbitrarily choose the readings for each weekend, it could open up the scriptures to all sorts of watering-down. For example, some texts are more challenging and less pleasant than others. How many times have you seen when a group is choosing the readings for a liturgy that they will skip over an option because the subject matter is “not pleasant” or deemed “irrelevant”. In fact, most scriptures are relevant, if we sit with them and ponder their often challenging meaning.

Admittedly, some passages seem more readily relevant than others, but this can be a great trap. Also, for the preacher, it could be a temptation to pick readings that are easier, more entertaining, or more engaging to preach upon. But, in the end, surely the Word of God needs to be let free to set the agenda and not us. Also, a challenging word from the bible can be neutralized if people think that the preacher or others have chosen a particular passage to “get a point across.” So, in our system, if a reading seems uncannily topical, it is not chosen by the minister, it is the action of the Spirit, who enlivens the Word of God contained in the Scriptures.

++++

Message from Archbishop:

LISTENING LEARNING PRAYING

An Advent Pastoral Letter

             At a time when the average age of Catholics in Australia is 59, it has been good to celebrate the Year of Youth which is now coming to an end.  Perhaps it would’ve been better to have a decade of youth, but the year was a promising start. 

             One thing that happened in the Year of Youth was the world-wide Synod of Bishops in Rome, which showed that Pope Francis has his finger on the pulse.  It was different from other Synods because this time young people took part and spoke with their own voice.  The rest of the Church, especially the bishops, was invited to listen.

             Not just in Rome but everywhere, the Year of Youth has been a time for the whole Church to listen to the voices of young people who often feel unheard in the Church.  The young inhabit different cultural, social and religious worlds than do those of us who are older.  But their deepest hopes and longings, even if expressed in different accents, are familiar to us all, because they are so deeply human. 

             Those hopes and longings find voice in a special way through the days of Advent when the whole Church cries out, “Come, Lord Jesus!”  In the end, all of us, young and old, yearn for Jesus, often in ways we scarcely recognise.  Who of us doesn’t want peace and joy?  We all do, because the human heart is made for them.  But they can be found only in the encounter with the Risen Lord, apart from whom we find only cosmetic peace and cosmetic joy.  But there’s nothing cosmetic in him, which is why the restless heart finds rest in him. 

             The Year of Youth has been a time for whole Catholic community – lay people, religious, deacons, priests, bishops – to reach out to meet young people where they are, walk with them on the way and listen to them as we take the road together.  At times we’ve done this well, at other times less well, perhaps slipping back into ways we hoped we’d left behind.  But everything that’s been done has been only the start of a long journey together.

             As we enter the time of Advent and Christmas this year, I encourage you to engage afresh with family and friends, learning to listen to them in new ways, especially to those who are younger.  We won’t always get it right, but the more we open the ears of our heart, the more we discover the power of listening to one another, as we allow God to transform us through other people.  That’s the grace God offers through the season of Advent and Christmas.

             Listening to each other means telling our stories to each other.  We are often very private about our faith, but young people need to hear our story of faith, our journey of discipleship.  You may think you have nothing much to share, but that’s not what others think, especially the young. 

             Telling the story of our faith can make us vulnerable, but there’s nothing to fear in that, because often to tell of our vulnerability is to tell the story of our true strength and the power of God’s mercy in our life.  To love others means to hear their story, and to let them hear ours.

             Love means being vulnerable and allowing others to be vulnerable before us.

Look for ways and moments, then, when you can speak of what God has done and is doing in your life.  Bear witness in that way as you walk with young people on the journey of faith.  You’ll be surprised by the effect it has, and you’ll grow stronger by your truth-telling.  As I’ve said elsewhere: “If the young are given the right experience, then the Catholic Church is still the greatest show on earth and Jesus as irresistibly attractive now as he ever was”.  You need to be part of that experience.

             By the influence of the Holy Spirit, the Year of Youth in Australia has coincided with preparations for the Plenary Council in 2020.  The Plenary Council is about the future of the Catholic Church in Australia – the whole Church, which is what the unusual word “plenary” means.  Pope Francis often speaks of the need for us to become a “synodal” Church.  That’s another unusual word, but it means a Church where God speaks not just to some of the bishops some of the time but to all the baptised all the time.  In that sense, the Plenary Council has already begun, because it’s more a process than an event.  The process has three phases – preparation, celebration and implementation; and the first phase of preparation is well and truly under way. 

             A Plenary Council isn’t just a talkfest or a political jamboree.  It’s the whole Church gathered by the Holy Spirit in order to make decisions about the future according to the mind of God.  This means we’re on a journey of discernment, seeking to listen to the voice of the Spirit to see what the Spirit is saying to us about the future.

             As we prepare for the Plenary Council, we’re offered an opportunity to enter more deeply into dialogue with one another.  In the Gospels, Jesus knows what is in a person (cf John 2:24) and how to listen to what the heart of the other is saying.  Jesus doesn’t begin with a big pronouncement; he takes time to engage with people and usually starts with a question.

             We too need to be a people who know how to engage with others as Jesus did, to listen before we speak, lest we talk at people rather than with them.  As one theologian has said: “This pilgrim Church will be most faithful to its truest identity when all the baptised acknowledge the wisdom of listening before speaking, of learning before teaching, of praying before pronouncing” (Richard Gaillardetz, Jamison, 2013, p. 55).

             So as the Year of Youth comes to an end, we remain faithful to the path traced by the Holy Spirit through these twelve months, listening before we speak, learning before we teach and praying before we pronounce.   Following that path, we will come to recognise and adore the Child who is God-with-us, the newborn Saviour who is “joy for all the people”

(Luke 2:10).

 ++++

Homily First Sunday Advent. Year C - Sunday, 2 December 2018
Photo by Blake Cheek on Unsplash

+++++
1st SUNDAY OF ADVENT – YEAR C –
         ENTRANCE PROCESSION:     
INTRODUCTION
In the Name of the Father (+) and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
[Presider blesses the wreath with the sprinkling of holy water, using these words]:
Presider:   As we begin our Advent Journey, in preparation for Christmas,
We bless this Advent Wreath.
May the sprinkling of this water remind all of us gathered here of our first sharing in the grace of baptism.

During this time of Advent may we prepare for the Lord’s coming with open hearts and minds. May this wreath be a symbol to us (+) of this time of prayerful watching and waiting For the coming of the Lord.
Presider now blesses the wreath and sprinkles it with holy water
We now light the candle for the 1st Sunday of Advent . The “Prophet’s Candle” Symbol of Hope.  Reminding us that Jesus is coming.
{Presider takes taper and lights first candle on Advent wreath}. .
Lord Jesus your coming was proclaimed by the prophets of old. Lord Have Mercy.
Lord Jesus, you promise to keep us steady until the last day. .Christ Have Mercy.
You instruct us to be ever-watchful. Lord, Have Mercy.
(no Gloria in Advent)
Collect:
+++
Homily – Fr Paul Kelly: 
Advent has begun. 
A new church year has also begun. 
It is a time of renewal and ‘new beginnings.” 
From a church perspective, now is the best time to bring out those inspiring ‘new year resolutions’ (Christian-style), and for us to ask God to direct and guide us as we immerse ourselves deeper, (and deeper, each day), into the reality of God’s love, compassion , mercy and justice. 

We have commenced our four-week preparation for the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. It is such a short time of preparation that we have to be vigilant, because the busyness of the season could easily mean that we “blink and miss it.” 

The readings this weekend are all about preparing and being ‘ready’ and ‘staying awake’ and being watchful.

I particularly like Saint Paul’s words in the second reading:
“May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness …. (And to) make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants….” (JB)

The whole purpose, point and goal of our “lives of faith,” is to continue along the path of loving our God by means of deepening our love and reverence for one another.

Our attitudes, our thoughts, and actions are intended to foster each day an ever-deeper love, charity and concern for all our fellow brother and sister; that is, all people. 

What a wonderful calling. To strive (with God’s grace), to be everything God desires us to be. We are called to grow daily in love, goodwill, peace, and forgiveness.

The readings also ask us some important questions: Do you believe that God will indeed fulfill his solemn promises to us? Do you truly believe that in the end, God will come in power and glory to establish in its fullness the Heavenly Kingdom of God’s peace, justice and mercy? Do you believe that ultimately, honesty, peace, integrity, and love will be at the centre of all creation, through Christ? 

Come, Lord Jesus, teach us your truth and love. Establish your Kingdom in its fullness. 

+++++
References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly


+++
Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here.
Please note - It is often a week or so Ahead: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul’s homily mail-out by sending an email to this address:paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
“Faith, Hope and Love,  A time of Christian worship and reflection”  - Led by Rev Paul W. Kelly
Texts used in this programme are for the purposes of worship and prayer for listeners wherever you are.
Prayers and chants are taken from the English Translation of the Roman Missal, edition three, © 2010, The International commission on English in the liturgy.
Scriptures are from the New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, by the national council of Churches of Christ, USA. , //adaptations to conform with Catholic liturgical norms, © 2009, by the same.

Psalm verses are taken from “The Psalms: the Grail Translation. Inclusive Language Version.” ©1963, 1995, 2004 The Grail (England), published by HarperCollins. London.

Prayers of the Faithful are adapted from Robert Borg’s 1993 book “Together we pray”. Published in Sydney Australia By  E.J. Dwyer. (out of print).

{ “Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin” -published 2011,  Composed and Sung by Jeffrey M. Ostrowski 
Featuring the….Gloria.  COPYRIGHT @ 2018 CORPUS CHRISTI WATERSHED. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  www.ccwatershed.org/vatican/Ralph_Sherwin_Videos/  

“Faith, Hope and Love” theme Hymn:   Words, based on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, set to original music © 1996 by Paul W. Kelly.

Photo by Blake Cheek on Unsplash

Photo by Guilherme Stecanella on Unsplash
Christian Pics Licensed Photographs. Images Used in accordance with Licence. All Rights Reserved by the Licensor. https://christianpics.co/

Freely Photos website. All photos published on Freely Photos have been gathered as licensed under Creative Commons Zero, or equivalent. Images Used in accordance with Licence. All Rights Reserved by the Licensor. https://beta.freelyphotos.com/

For more details please visithttp://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au/
Contact us atpaulwkelly68@gmail.com
Production by Kelly Enterprises Resources. 

May God bless and keep you.


First Sunday Advent. Year C
(Sunday, 2 December 2018)   (EPISODE: 127 )

“To you O Lord I lift my soul”

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Kyrie eleison/ christe eleison/ kyrie eleison
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
+++++++++++++++++++++

Memorial Acclamation

We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Advent 1

Eucharistic Prayer II

Communion side.  pwk:  LH
++++
Go forth, the Mass is ended.

Catholic Reflections 607 : Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Sunday, May 21, 2017

Homily Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Sunday, May 21, 2017

THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

       First Reading: Acts 8:5-8. 14-17

       Psalm: Ps 65:1-7. 16. 20. “Let all the earth cry out to God with joy”

       Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:15-18

       Gospel: John 14:15-21

     ++++

Please listen to my audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Sunday, May 21, 2017 by clicking this link here:   https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-easter-6a 
+++++

The readings this weekend speak of the early church communities forming just after Jesus returned to his Heavenly Father…   and had sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles and to the church….    The readings also show that the Holy Spirit sends the disciples out into mission..  into new territories…  further afield.. to preach and to spread the word of God further and further…..   
 
Jesus, as we hear in the Gospel this weekend…  prepared the apostles for his leaving (at his Ascension) by telling them that they would never really be left alone. They would never be like orphans; but, rather, the Spirit of Truth would come (at Pentecost). It is this Spirit that helped them to know the presence of Jesus in their lives even when they were no longer able to see him with their eyes.

Jesus asked the apostles to love him and to follow his commandments, for this is the way to have life. This is the way to experience the love of the Heavenly Father. There is really only one commandment, the single command to love. If we love Jesus, then we have love for one another. When we live the values and commands Jesus lived in his own life—humility, joy, peace, compassion and love —we are doing the will of the Father.

It is also the Spirit of Truth who helps us to understand the presence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our lives even now and always.

In the coming week..  in some time of quiet and prayer and reflection..   let us reflect prayerfully upon some questions…….
• What is your experience of how Jesus continues to reveal himself to us today?
•     What value that Jesus lived do you find the most attractive?
•     When is the promise of the Spirit of Truth most alive in you?
•     How comforting is it to you to live in the promise that the Holy Spirit will always be with us?
 
And notice, in the gospel.. Jesus speaks about sending the Holy Spirit upon his followers…   the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth…  the Holy Spirit comes into our hearts and makes us sons and daughters of God… and joins us to God.. so that we are in communion.. in union with God and with one another..  what a special gift!!!….
 
The presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and in our church is absolutely vital.  Without the Holy Spirit of God, we cannot do anything effective….
 
This truth was known right from the beginnings of the Church two thousand years ago… and so… the ancient greeting the early Christian communities gave to each-other reflected the presence and the truth of the Holy Spirit in their lives…  the priest or bishop would say “the Lord be with you”  and the people would reply.. “and with your Spirit”.,,,   this was a recognition and acknowledgement that the Spirit was present in us….    Rather fittingly.. the church has gone back to this ancient saying….    It actually never changed.. the English response we had been using forty years, before it was changed back to the ancient words again a few years ago)…  the words.. “and also with you”  we're actually a very loose translation; a paraphrase of the latin master-edition of the Mass….    And Rome and the local bishops decided that this translation didn’t capture sufficiently the recognition of the Holy Sprit, who is SO necessary for the life of the church.. now, since 2010, we Catholics have returned to the ancient words that say so much!!!  And, I must say, although it is an unusual phrase…  I like it..  I like how it acknowledges the presence and action of the Holy Spirit, and how this Spirit of God is with us always, bringing Jesus not only to mind, but also making him present and active in our lives, and in our hearts…  

+++++
References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

Celebrating the gospels  (Cronin).

 +++

Archive of homilies and reflections is at: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul’s homily mailout by sending an email at this address:    
paulkellyreflections+subscribe@googlegroups.com

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
+++++++++++++
Brothers and sisters, let us acknowledge our sins,
and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Lord Jesus, you healed the sick:Lord, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you forgave sinners:Christ, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength: Lord, have mercy.
++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation

Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Preparation of the Gifts
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the bread we offer you: fruit of the earth and work of human hands, it will become for us the bread of life.
       Blessed be God for ever.

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for through your goodness we have received the wine we offer you: fruit of the vine and work of human hands, it will become our spiritual drink.
       Blessed be God for ever.
Pray, brothers and sisters, that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God,
the almighty Father.
     May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Easter V p.26

Euch Prayer II p.56

++++
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. Alleluia, Alleluia! 

To unsubscribe click here.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholic Reflections (Fr Paul Kelly archives)" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to paulkellyreflections+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Paul's Reflections 496 : Homily Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B. 21st June, 2015

Homily Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B.  21st June, 2015

Jesus Calms the storms of life. Jesus is God, whom even the Wind and the Waves obey.

“Jesus was asleep in the boat; how few souls there are that let him have his sleep out! He can't be always doing all the work, responding to all the calls made upon him; so for my own part I am content to leave him undisturbed. I dare say he won't make his presence felt till I start out on the great retreat of eternity; I don't complain of that, I want it to happen… our Lord doesn't supply me with provisions for my journey – he just gives me food unexpectedly when and as I need it. [St Thérèse (1873-1897)]

I have never had much luck with boats. One time, whilst on Lake Cootharaba, in a tin boat we were coming close to the pier and the captain yelled out, "quickly, jump out and moor the boat.' I had always been taught that the captain must be obeyed in all things, so I immediately leaped out of the boat. Sadly, the captain had meant, "when the boat gets close enough to the pier please jump out.' The boat was not near enough to the pier so I leapt out and disappeared into the lake, but not before hitting my chin. The whole thing could have been terribly disastrous (even fatal), so I was very much relieved to discover that my head must be made of concrete because I leapt up out of the water, which was thankfully only three feet deep at the pier, and emerged sheepish, but fairly well. Later, I was lying in the back of the boat, half dazed and injured, as they took me back to the other side of the lake, and I thought about how Jesus has lain in the back of a boat as it crossed another river. I was in such a dazed state, I began musing on ponderous topics…..  such as this…."I reckon Jesus would have been calm even if the storm had not quietened, and even if the boat had sunk. This is because Jesus was totally and utterly at one with his Heavenly Father and had surrendered his will and his trust totally in his Father's will. So, come what may in his life and ministry, he was content to be calm and rest in God's will."

For my part, I vowed to be very hesitant to leap into or out of a boat very soon!

Not many of us would be fast asleep in a small boat which was tossing around like a cork on a stormy sea! Jesus must have been extremely exhausted, needing rest, and fearless. We may think the disciples should have had strong faith after the miracles they had witnessed. When we are going through difficult times, we, too, often forget that Jesus is there with us.

God in Jesus calms even what seems like the most unconquerable disturbances, just like the storm at sea.  

What "storms" assail my faith? How do I look to Jesus to quiet my fears?  The disciples wonder, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?" ; How can I go beyond the "signs" of faith and grasp who Jesus is in my daily life?

Life is a challenge. Couples sometimes struggle with their relationships. Parents have to deal with their children growing up in a world that is sometimes hostile to the values we hold sacred. Kids sometimes live with parents who don't necessarily understand the distant horizons that call to a new generation. Every life has its storms that come up and threaten to sink our boats. Doesn't God care that we feel tossed about and lost? Can we believe that Jesus is with us, in our boat, snoozing on a cushion? We are confident and trusting that he will awaken to our calls and calm the storms that frighten us so?

“Why therefore be disturbed? Your heart is agitated by the tribulations of the world, as the boat in which Jesus Christ was asleep.... This boat in which Jesus Christ is sleeping is your heart in which faith is slumbering. What news do you hear, O Christian, what news do you hear?” —AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (354-430)

“When he established the Heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, then I was beside him.” —PROVERBS 8:27-30

 

 

+++

Extra

"We begin to reflect on who God is for each of us. What do we think of God? How have we experienced God in our lives? Like these early followers of Jesus, if we meet someone who can stop a storm, who can still the wind and the waves, we would surely be impressed and wonder about that person. Today we can imagine Jesus sleeping in this boat. It could not have been a very large boat and the storm would have been tossing it all over the place. And Jesus sleeps!

How many times have we experienced storms in our lives and thought that the Lord was asleep, that God was not concerned, that God was simply ignoring us? The Gospel today lets us know that God is always aware of what is happening in our lives, even when He seems asleep, unconcerned and uncaring. The Gospel invites us to a deep level of trust in our God. God loves us and cares for us always and will not let us perish. We don't always understand the ways of God—and that should never surprise us. God sees all and knows all and our vision and knowledge is so restricted!

The first reading today, from the Book of Job, is part of our learning about the divine also. Job finally realizes that God is God—and Job understands so little of all reality. We also must learn that lesson. We can easily think that we know what is best in any situation. So we don't pray and we don't even ask God to give us wisdom and understanding. We also need to repent, as Job does at the end of the Book of Job. We stand in the presence of the Almighty and think that we have more wisdom and knowledge than does the Almighty! Again, we can reflect on our personal image of God and of the power of God."

(excerpt from Abbot's Homily, Monastery of Christ in the Desert).

 

References:

 

* Fr Paul W. Kelly

* Abbot's Homily, Monastery of Christ in the Desert

* Some questions from Prepare the Word

 

++

To unsubscribe click here.

--
This was sent to you by Fr Paul Kelly. My apologies if you did not want to receive this.
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Catholic Reflections (Fr Paul Kelly archives)" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to paulkellyreflections+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.