Homily Fourteenth Sunday of the Year C - Sunday, July 6, 2025
Readings for Sunday, 6 July 2025 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.Year C
FIRST READING- Isaiah 66:10-14c
Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16+20. "Let all the earth cry out to God with joy"
SECOND READING- Galatians 6:14-18
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Colossians 3:15a+16a). Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth. You have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
GOSPEL- Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-holding-three-heavy-suitcases-hand-492066481?src=eK-qq-PWXgVV0jCmTr8soA-1-15&studio=1 Stock photo ID: 492066481. Man holding three heavy suitcases in hand. Travel light. – Image. Licensed by Shutterstock.
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the readings, prayers and reflections for the Fourteenth Sunday of the Year C - Sunday, July 6, 2025 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-537/s-vTG8bTTtMXO - (EPISODE: 537)
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The Gospel this weekend shows our Lord teaching his disciples to travel very lightly. If we avoid being overly attached to material possessions and are not enmeshed with power and authority, we can successfully proclaim and witness to true peace, justice, and the values of God's kingdom. Our Lord knew intuitively that people who are attached to possessions, to personal comforts, to power, and all those material things, will also be more tempted to water down the Gospel message, and to tone down the values of the kingdom, for fear of economic or social consequences, by offending the status quo, or upsetting the influential.
If I value my possessions more than anything else, I'll hesitate to proclaim the Gospel boldly, for fear of forfeiting my valuables when persecuted for this stance. If I value power, I will not be keen to humble myself to the level of a servant, as Christ did, and taught his disciples to do the same. If I value my life too much, the truth and justice of the Gospel will be silenced by the merest threat to life, liberty, or well-being, by those who hate this message and want to stop that message from taking hold.
There's certainly something freeing and light about travelling lightly. Our Lord really knew what he was talking about. Jesus truly wants us to travel lightly, not just including the possessions we have, but also in relation to other spiritual and emotional baggage that we can tend to get really weighed down with.
The second reading by Saint Paul is mysterious. Paul was writing a very important message to the people of Galatia. There were great tensions in the community, and Paul's letter is passionate, loving, and sometimes a stern masterpiece of writing.
To convey his important message of the Gospel to these arguing people, Saint Paul advises them not to become overly focused on external signs of religiousness, unless they also maintain the meaning of the Gospel. He's so passionate about this that he even says at the end of the letter, Look, this is being written in my handwriting. See the big letters? He's so honest and plain-speaking in his words.
Saint Paul is saying, I'm so old and hard of sight now, but this issue so moves me, I'm scribbling this down in my hand. I've taken the writing implement from my usual scribe, and I'm doing it myself. This is so important. How beautiful is that?
Saint Paul then goes on to remind them, and us, of course, that some people wear the signs of faith on the outside, but they don't live them on the inside. Some people wear the outward signs of membership of God's people in the Jewish faith, but only to avoid being persecuted by the Romans for being Christian. He says, Enough of this.
I don't want to hear any more trouble on this matter. And then he goes on quickly to say, Look, the cross of Christ shows us the meaning of true discipleship. If you really want signs to convince you, then look no further than the signs made by the scars that I bear on my own body, referring to what he has suffered for proclaiming the gospel faithfully.
He's been through shipwreck, imprisonment, floggings, stoning, starvation, and so much more. And it's all worth it, for he is proclaiming the truth of his Lord and Saviour. In the gospel, the 72 disciples come back from their mission with great success, and they're overjoyed. (n.b. In some biblical texts, it says 70).
They're delighted that the spirits have submitted to them. But Jesus seems to warn them, Don't give in to pride. Don't gloat over your power. Any achievements you make as a disciple of mine, says Christ, are about God's grace working in you. Then Jesus follows this teaching with a strange comment. He says, I saw Satan fall from heaven.
He may be saying, Watch out. Even one of the angels of heaven fell from heaven because of pride. So, do not fall prey to the trap of pride in your own life or actions.
Being a disciple of Christ is not about us, or how much power we or I can glean for ourselves. Our true power and ability are about allowing God's grace and peace to work in and through us. This requires a profound humility, incredible generosity, and an open heart.
And also, it's about not going around looking at everything in a way that's about how can I get something out of this for myself? Only by this humility, simplicity, openness, generosity, willingness to serve, ability to travel lightly, can we more fully allow God's grace to fill us up and flow out of us. We become willing and living instruments in the hands of God, who is truly the divine artist.
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References:
THE DAILY STUDY BIBLE. GOSPEL OF LUKE. (REVISED EDITION). BY WILLIAM BARCLAY.Fr Paul W. Kelly
Sharing the Word through the Liturgical Year: (1997). Gustavo Gutierrez
Fr. Paul Kelly
Also, Prologue: (scripture scholar William Barclay, as cited above): "The first disciples are sent out on their first missionary assignment as raw recruits, with little to help them, but the lessons they learn here will be greatly needed later. Whatever we seek to achieve in Jesus' name, we are indeed doing it in the name of Jesus... not in our names or by our powers of talents....// We receive the assistance we need. Jesus reminds us that the crucial factor is not that we are personally powerful or that we are successful. What really matters is that we are doing the will of God, in Jesus' name, and it is this which is the reason for our ultimate salvation."
[https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-holding-three-heavy-suitcases-hand-492066481?src=eK-qq-PWXgVV0jCmTr8soA-1-15&studio=1 Stock photo ID: 492066481. Man holding three heavy suitcases in hand. Travel light. – Image. Licensed by Shutterstock. ]
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PREFACE: Ordinary 7
Eucharistic Prayer 2
(theme variation: theme 4 )
(post version: v2-short)
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{15. Thank you for giving generously of your time and prayer.}
4. Go in peace.
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Details relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney, Australia).
Sung "Mass in Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
"Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - In memory of William John Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W. Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
"Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly (2007, 2019). Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser. And (2024+) Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.
Editing equipment: -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Master's Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)
TurboScribe.ai transcribes text as per the recorded podcast version
{excellent and accurate transcription from voice to text} - {this is not a paid advertorial- pwk}
[Production - KER - 2025]
May God bless and keep you.
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Fourteenth Sunday of the Year C
(Sunday, July 6, 2025)
(EPISODE: 537 )
The Lord be with you.
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{{May Our Lord's Fidelity strengthen you.}}
My brothers and sisters, trusting in God's mercy and love, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you call your people to turn away from sin: Lord, have mercy//You teach us wisdom, and write your truth in our inmost heart: Christ, have mercy//You forgive sins through the ministry of reconciliation: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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Sundays Ordinary IV
Eucharistic Prayer I
Communion side. pwk: RH
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I pray this week brings you an ever deeper experience of his compassion and love.
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
