Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.Year B - Sunday, 28 July 2024 (EPISODE: 489)

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.Year B - Sunday, 28 July 2024 (EPISODE: 489)

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 42044212- Miracle attributed to Jesus, The Feeding of the five thousand people. Photo Contributor- Zvonimir Atletic.
Readings for Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: 2 Kgs 4: 42-44. Twenty loaves
Ps 145: 10-11, 15-16, 17-18. "The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. "
SECOND READING: Eph 4: 1-6. Preserve unity
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 7: 16). Alleluia, alleluia! A great prophet has appeared among us. God has visited his people.
GOSPEL: John 6: 1-15. Five loaves
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 28 July 2024, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-17th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-489/s-ljdULIJka3V  
(EPISODE: 489)
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* (Prologue: Fr Paul Kelly)
Love, gentleness and dignity is at the heart of everything Our Lord did and taught.
The miracle with the loaves and the fishes is amazing enough. But HOW he distributes the miraculous loaves and fishes is also PROFOUNDLY important. Our Lord could have had this huge and plentiful supply given out by saying something like: "Okay everyone, line up!! We will hand this out." That is to say, Our Lord could have insisted on handing out the bread and fish like the recipients were just beggars, recipients of charity…. People who merely grab and clutch the food. But no!! Our Lord respects each person's dignity. He asks that everyone sits down, in groups…. In little community groups. The food is brought to the people, and they eat it as equals and with all dignity. Truly a second miracle has occurred…..an equally needed miracle. Yes, we have people who are in physical need; and we also have people in our society who are crying out for a sense of dignity, for equality and who do not want to be treated just like a number. People still cry out for human and respectful interaction and an experience of a real and nurturing community.

Our Lord gives us both nourishment and dignity and asks us to do the same.
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(Homily): "Bread with Dignity"

This weekend's first reading and gospel are closely connected. They speak of God's compassionate feeding of the people in their time of need. It's also a reminder of God's desire for us to offer our gifts, our resources, and talents to others for the good of all.

We offer these gifts to God through our care for each other. The gifts we have, we're given to share. We're very mindful of the many areas in the world where there are huge numbers of people who don't even have enough of the basics of life.

Food, water, shelter, health care, education, safety or even freedom. We're inspired to work to help those people through the caring help of missionaries and charitable groups who meet those essential needs. And the ideal is those groups who follow the example of Christ and meet people on the ground in their own situations.

In the gospel, it's been noted that our Lord is very careful to make it clear that his actions in feeding the crowd are not meant to be any kind of show of power or wonder. These acts were not intended to win him popularity. In fact, our Lord shuns popularity and swiftly leaves the scene after this extraordinary event in order to prevent the popular enthusiasm of the crowd from rising up and to avoid the unsavoury situation of people trying to make him an earthly king.

That's not what he wanted. Our Lord's actions are motivated only by compassion and for concern for the real needs of his people. Real practical needs.

And he calls on his disciples, that's us too, to do everything we can to use our resources that we have available to be real food for the hungry and help for those most in need. It's so reassuring to remember that God is the one who gives us what we need in due season. God has our concerns in his heart.

It's God who works to give us what we need, and he calls upon others to assist in the meeting of real human needs of others. When we're tempted to lose hope or to question, then the words of the scriptures remind us that God is completely faithful and desires that we are fed. God is generous, but God does not want us to waste this generosity, even a crumb of the graces and blessings he gives us.

We should use them for the benefit of others. Our Lord calls us to give and keep giving without counting the cost, without the expectation of return. Our Lord promises to transform this heartfelt but humble offering of ours into many things of rich grace.

There's a beautiful reflection attributed to Saint Teresa of Kolkata, which I think was actually written by a man named Kent M Keith and published in a 1968 college pamphlet. However, a copy of this reflection was kept on the wall in Mother Teresa's children's home. It goes like this.

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centred.
Forgive them anyway.

If you're kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you're honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others may destroy overnight.
Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway."

The gospel does not make judgment or self-justification into the common bond between us, but rather God makes love and goodwill, generosity of spirit, as the true bond that unites us all. We love our neighbour precisely because God's presence is in everyone around us, whether the others recognize it in return or whether or not they recognize the beauty of God's indwelling spirit in themselves or in their own actions. The second reading has Saint Paul imploring us, pleading with us, live a life worthy of your vocation in humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love.

I think it's fair to say that Saint Paul would not have had to need to plead with us to bear with each other if it was already an easy thing to do. It's not easy to follow the way of our Lord. It doesn't always come naturally to bear with one another in patience and love, even if it's what we're made for and destined for, because we are called to live in communion with God and allow God to transform our humanity into the shining image of God's divine life and values, and that's something divine that comes from God's grace.

Love, gentleness and dignity are at the heart of everything our Lord does. Our Lord respects each and every person's dignity, and that's shown in the miracle of the loaves and too. He asks that everyone sits down in groups, in little communities.

The food is brought to the people, and they eat it as equals with great dignity. It's not just handed out as if the recipients were mere beggars. No one wants to be treated just like a number.

Many people are crying out for human and respectful interactions and experiences of real and nurturing community. Our Lord gives us both nourishment and dignity. Jesus never stops at half measures.
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References:
 
Fr Paul W. Kelly

Kent M. Keith. "The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning in a Crazy World." October 25, 2001." (ISBN-10: 1930722052).

+ Some ideas are taken from Gustavo Gutierrez, "sharing the word through the liturgical year."

Abbotts Homily, Monastery of Christ in the Desert
 
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 42044212- Miracle attributed to Jesus, The Feeding of the five thousand people. Photo Contributor- Zvonimir Atletic.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B (Sunday, July 25, 2021)
(EPISODE: 489 )
The grace of our Lord Our Lord Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's generosity inspire you. }} welcome everyone, we gather - To Pray, listen and reflect upon God and God's Kingdom.

Coming together as Gods family, let us call to mind our sins.

Lord Jesus, you healed the sick: Lord, have mercy//You forgave sinners: Christ, have mercy//You give us yourself to heal us and bring us strength: 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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Ps 145: 10-11, 15-16, 17-18. "The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs. "

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Luke 7: 16). Alleluia, alleluia! A great prophet has appeared among us. God has visited his people.
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EP IV (with own preface)
(theme variation: 3 )

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{Thanks for joining us for this time of prayer and reflection}

Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.

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

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

Further information 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 (Bill) 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. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
 
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphone: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.
 
Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
 
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44
 
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production - KER - 2024]

May God bless and keep you.
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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, July 21, 2024 (EPISODE: 488)

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, July 21, 2024

(EPISODE: 488)

Readings for Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Jer 23: 1-6
Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6. "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."
SECOND READING: Eph 2: 13-18
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 10: 27). Alleluia, alleluia! My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me.
GOSPEL: Mark 6: 30-34
 

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Photo Description - Stock Photo ID: 1210022278 -PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - OCTOBER 13, 2018: The mosiac of miralce The Feeding the multitude in church kostel Svatého Václava by artwork of S. G. Rudl in workroom of Albert Neuhauser (1928.) Important information Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor - Renata Sedmakova

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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, July 21, 2024, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-16th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-488/s-9yghCU9qKCt  
(EPISODE: 488)
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(Homily:  Fr Paul Kelly).
"He had compassion on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd."
 
There's a beautiful line in the second reading today that one could spend a whole week or a whole lifetime contemplating the meaning of it. Jesus is our peace, he who made both one, and broke down the dividing wall through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace. This is really fascinating, so peace is not just a state of mind or body, and reconciliation and forgiveness is not just something we do or do not do, peace is actually a person.

 

Forgiveness is a person, and that person is Christ, who is the Lord of Peace and the Prince of Mercy. The writer and poet Alice Camille tells of an incident in her life that brought this kind of personal dimension of peace home to her. She says, There was no way I was going to speak to that guy who offended me ever again.

 

No way. I repeated this mantra several times to fortify my resolve. I was outraged, I was hurting.

 

As I rehearsed for the twentieth time the righteousness of my position against my enemy who had offended me, then I remembered, peace wasn't something that was mine to give or deny. Jesus is our peace. Jesus is the way of peace.

 

Unity with him is unity with peace and reconciliation. To withhold reconciliation is to withhold Christ and what Christ can do. The balance between reflection and action, prayer and good works, work and rest, comes into focus in this weekend's Gospel.

 

It's often hard to get that balance right in our lives. So many demands of our time, many good projects that can be called on us. And so the balance of work, rest, prayer, action is quite challenging.

 

Our Lord knew this balance was difficult, and he responded and was flexible and even changed his plans when situations unexpectedly arose. But at the same time, there's a deep sense about Jesus that he kept the balance within his heart and was able to be peaceful and loving in his response, despite the many demands. Jesus knew the benefit of taking some time to get away from it all and revive, to rest, pray, and have time to nourish ourselves in body, spirit and mind.

 

He showed that care for himself and his disciples was important, even in the midst of the heavy demands of his ministry, whilst facing crushing needs of countless people who came to see him, hear him, and to touch him. Their need was so great. Among the natural benefits of taking time out is renewal and physical and spiritual recuperation.

 

There's also the valuable chance to stop, take a breath, and look where we are. Look where we're heading and what we're trying to achieve. If we constantly respond only to the urgent, we may miss getting a chance to weigh up whether it's also important.

 

This was something that came as a bit of a shock and a revelation to me, that something can be urgent, but not necessarily important. And that's a wonderful insight. Some of the most important things in life may not present themselves to us as urgent, but if neglected, these needs could cause major difficulties and even cause us to lose sight of the things that really matter.

 

Also, we believe that our God can be encountered in the silence and the stillness, so we must make time for that silence and stillness. I'm impressed by the quote from Saint Teresa, which says, Settle yourself in solitude and you will come upon him in yourself. Another really striking thing about today's gospel passage is that although Jesus knew he needed to get away from it all and give himself and his disciples time to eat, to rest and to pray, and to gain renewal and focus his attitude towards the needy crowds when he saw them is important and inspiring.

 

He gets to the place where he is heading for a well-deserved rest, only to find the crowds have found their way here too. We could be forgiven in some way if in exasperation we reacted in a similar situation by saying, oh please give me a break, go away, I'm tired, I'm too tired to do anything, leave me alone. But of course our Lord's reaction is not that.

 

Our Lord's reaction is the same as what many parents and carers would also do when they're faced with the all-too-real needs of their beloved. It's a response of love, of deep compassion and inclusion. Christ understands them, he knew their needs and he could see into their hearts.

 

He did not see the crowds as if they were nothing to do with him, they were never just people he spoke to and taught and then switched off. They had a connection to him and he to them. These needy people, these crowds, were not disconnected from him, he identified himself with the people.

 

He was like a parent to a child, like a spouse to their beloved. This was not a case of them and us when it came to relating to the crowd. Christ's attitude to his ministry wasn't like the proverbial shop assistant who would say, this job would be really good if it wasn't for all these customers.

 

No, Jesus was fully immersed in what he was on about. Jesus' compassionate reaction to the crowd was because although he wasn't denying his needs, he knew them too well and he knew his disciples' needs too, for rest, prayer and reflection. But when he came across the crowds, he recognised their needs as also important.

 

That's such an important key point. All of these needs are important, no doubt, and denying one over the other is not the solution but finding a way to meet all of them as best one can. So, for our Lord, it was always a case of not them and us, but us and us.

 

His needs and the needs of his disciples were as important as the needs of the crowds, and the crowds' needs were as real and important to him as his own. He kept that in his mind, and more importantly, in his heart. And his response reflected that.

 

He solved the slightly conflicting needs, equally important, by responding in compassion to the lost and desperate needs of those he encountered. And I'm sure after that, he went off and gave himself and his disciples the space they needed afterwards.

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References:

Homily –Prologue - Fr Paul W. Kelly

Quote from Alice L. Camille. Reflection in PrepareTheWord.com. - PrepareTheWord.com, ©2012, TrueQuest Communications, LLC.}

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Photo Description - Stock Photo ID: 1210022278 -PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - OCTOBER 13, 2018: The mosaic of miracle The Feeding the multitude in church kostel Svatého Václava by artwork of S. G. Rudl in workroom of Albert Neuhauser (1928.) Important information Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor - Renata Sedmakova

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B   (Sunday, July 21, 2024)  (EPISODE: 488)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{May Our Lord's care, comfort you}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives

Brothers and sisters, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord's supper, let us recall our sins and acknowledge them in silence.

Lord Jesus, you raise us to new life: Lord, have mercy// //Lord Jesus, you forgive us our sins: Christ, have mercy//Lord Jesus, you feed us with your body and blood: 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
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Ps 23: 1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6. "The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 10: 27). Alleluia, alleluia! My sheep listen to my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me.
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PREFACE: Sundays III
EP II
(theme variation: 2)

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{Thanks everyone and have a grace-filled and compassion-filled week. }

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord.

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

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
 
Further information 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 (Bill) 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. 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.

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production - KER -  2024]

May God bless and keep you.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. -Year B - Sunday, 14 July 2024 (EPISODE: 487)

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. -Year B -  Sunday, 14 July 2024 (EPISODE: 487)

Readings for Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.- Year B
FIRST READING: Amos 7:12-15
Ps 85:9ab+10, 11-12, 13-14. "Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation."
SECOND READING: Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Eph 1:17-18). Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our heart. That we might see how great is the hope to which we are called.
GOSPEL: Mark 6:7-13

(Shutterstock licensed stock photo - 315725582 SEBECHLEBY, SLOVAKIA - JULY 27, 2015: The  Jesus Sends Out His Disciples lithography  by artist Scheuchl 1907 in the book "Zivot Jezisa Krista bozskeho Spasitela naseho" printed in Trnava. Photo Contributor - Renata Sedmakova- augmented background )

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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 14 July 2024 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-15th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-487/s-P3z7xsq8Lf3  
(EPISODE: 487)
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Prologue: As Saint Paul Says in the Second reading today: "God has showered us with EVERY spiritual gift," – so it is good for us to pause and ask ourselves…. How are we using all these gifts to live in harmony with God's loving vision for the world.?

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The spiritual gifts include wisdom, understanding, knowledge, discernment, courage, reverence, and wonder.

 

Our Lord must have known the effect and the radical originality of what he was proposing in his message. The gospel this weekend highlights the differences, particularly in the first reading. There were people in the time of the people of Israel and in Jesus' time as well, who were professional prophets.

 

They were born into a family of prophets. This was the family business. Just like others might be carpenters, some were prophets.

 

And they made their money and earned their bread and shelter by plying their trade as a prophet, which was often a rather financially rewarding occupation, particularly if you told people what they wanted to hear and avoided offending anyone with the truth. But in the first reading, we hear of Amos, and it's made quite clear that Amos is no professional prophet, but rather Amos is simply a poor shepherd who was called by God to speak God's word to the people. He's not there to reinforce people's self-serving worldviews.

 

He's there to build up the kingdom of God, not the kingdom of me. Our Lord calls his followers to that same authenticity and simplicity, to be open and faithful to God's word and God's vision, no matter how challenging, no matter how difficult it is to hear or how difficult it is to speak. However, at the same time, Jesus is calling us to an attitude and a practice of simplicity in our lifestyles and in our desires, to live more simply and to travel lightly with less baggage, whether it be physical, spiritual, or emotional baggage.

 

It's such an attractive and reassuring message in a world where we seem to be being called to the opposite kind of thing, that is possessiveness, to indulgence, to self-realization, usually at the expense of others, to materialism and to an unapologetic participation in unwholesome words, practices, and thoughts. Our Lord commissioned the disciples go out two by two. Again, in our modern culture, the desire to go it alone on projects and challenges is a familiar approach.

 

But this being an island unto oneself would have been a very rare attitude back in the days when belonging to a community meant everything. A person's very survival often depended upon being a member of that community and accepted by it. Nowadays, it seems a popular goal to be a self-made, self-sustaining person, as if they're a law unto themselves even.

 

Our Lord teaches the wisdom of not going it alone on our spiritual journey, especially when we're trying to share our faith or live in its very public dimensions. In the process of taking our faith out into the world and living it, we don't need a lot of baggage. In fact, we shouldn't have it, but we do need other people of faith to support us, to inspire us, guide and help us, and even at times challenge us.

 

There's really no such thing as a solo Christian. Christianity is not something that we can do best all by ourselves all the time. We know it's so much easier to tear down plans and arguments, much easier than it is to build them up or help make a vision work.

 

There seems to be all too many examples of people throughout the world acting before proper sober evaluation, or acting by actually seeking messages that reinforce our own predetermined interests. Christ calls us to act after due consideration, for the kind of world God is asking us to create by our decisions. Jesus' gospel is certainly not about self-serving choices.

 

Christ wants his disciples to travel lightly, so as to be free to live his good news. Our Lord commands us to be detached from "things", because "things" - and ever-increasing possessions easily can clutter up our lives and weigh us down. These "things" can block us from achieving our goal of proclaiming his gospel in action and in word.

 

Someone once wrote that half the confusion in the world comes from being unable to realize just how little we really need. So, if it's harder than ever for us to know how little we need, and how little some others have, perhaps the problem in our modern culture now is that there's an alarming and increasing gap, a blurring between the concepts of want and need. Our Lord clarifies this action with his teaching and his example.

 

As you travel through life, travel lightly.

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References:

Homily - Fr Paul W. Kelly

Shutterstock licensed stock photo - 315725582 SEBECHLEBY, SLOVAKIA - JULY 27, 2015: The  Jesus Sends Out His Disciples lithography  by artist Scheuchl 1907 in the book "Zivot Jezisa Krista bozskeho Spasitela naseho" printed in Trnava. Photo Contributor - Renata Sedmakova- augmented background.


Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Year B  -(Sunday, 14 July 2024)  (EPISODE: 487)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (or/ The Lord be with You)
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{{May Our Lord's care, comfort you}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives On this Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Brothers and sisters, as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the Lord's supper, let us recall our sins and acknowledge them in silence.
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy You open for your people the way from death into life: 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
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ps 85:9ab+10, 11-12, 13-14. "Lord, show us your mercy and love, and grant us your salvation."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Eph 1:17-18).). Alleluia, alleluia! May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our heart. That we might see how great is the hope to which we are called.
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PREFACE: ordinary 3
Eucharistic Prayer 2
(theme variation: theme 1)

 

(post version: v1-short)

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{3. Many thanks for participating in this time of praise, worship and reflection upon our God's infinite love.}

1. Go forth; the Mass is ended.

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

To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

You are welcome to subscribe to Fr Paul's homily mail-out by visting here:

https://surfersparadiseparish.us7.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=85b9ddd594b242276d423bfe9&id=002282d9e0 

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. 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. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)

[Production - KER -  2024]

May God bless and keep you.
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Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, July 7, 2024 (EPISODE: 486)

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, July 7, 2024 (EPISODE: 486)

Licensed Image. Stock AI-generated image ID: 2462373915 - Jesus in the synagogue --Important information - This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. AI-generated image Contributor: Shutterstock AI Generator.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, July 7, 2024
(EPISODE: 486)


Readings for Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Ezek 2: 2-5
Ps 123: 1-2a, 2bc, 3-4. "Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. "
SECOND READING: 2 Cor 12: 7-10
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Luke 4: 18). Alleluia, alleluia! The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring the Good news to the poor. Alleluia!
GOSPEL: Mark 6: 1-6 

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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B  - Sunday, July 7, 2024, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-14th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-486/s-VifQQhhGRJT

(EPISODE:486)
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* (Prologue:  Fr Paul Kelly)
In Australia, this is also, (Annually on the first Sunday in July),    when Catholics come together across Australia to acknowledge and celebrate the unique and beautiful gifts of Australia's First peoples. On this National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Catholic Sunday, we pray for ever-increasing harmony and respect among all who share in this beautiful land of the Holy Spirit.
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When Jesus visited his hometown, he had a very poor reaction. People could not cope with him. Like all the prophets before him, he spoke the message of the kingdom faithfully, irrespective of popularity, and even in the face of rejection.

Also, the people did not believe that he was the Messiah or anyone special for that matter. In some ways, our Lord was too ordinary for them. He was not enough for them.

Jesus the carpenter? How could he be a prophet, let alone more than a prophet? The Messiah? The long-promised Messiah? It can't be. We know him too well. We've seen him growing up.

We know his family. There isn't anything special enough about him, they would have objected. They couldn't see anything in him, and they wouldn't look for it either.

He seemed too ordinary, too normal, and not special enough. So in one of the most bizarre incidents in the gospel, we hear that our Lord could work no miracles there, and then almost as an afterthought, it says he could only heal a few sick people. Only heal a few people? That's amazing! But considering what he could have done if they'd opened their hearts and minds to him, you sure know you've got a tough crowd in front of you, and even the beautiful things he was achieving were not impressive enough for them.

And that's the beauty of this gospel message today. Even today, we still can fall for the trap of thinking that the divine, the special, and the exciting can only be found in the different, in the unusual, the dramatic, and the new. So we fail to see the wonders right under our noses.

We don't see the blessings and enormous graces that are hiding in plain sight, as the saying goes. And so here comes Jesus, one who was ordinary just like them, who grew up in their hometown and performed the same daily chores as everyone else. He ate with people, he worked, he laughed and cried just like everyone else.

What's so special about that, they ask? How can this ordinary person be so extraordinary? Essentially, they said, how can the promised messiah be quite that human? They failed to understand the mystery and the miracle of the incarnation. But here's the true miracle, the miracle of the incarnation. God was made flesh in Christ.

It's precisely in the exercise of all the virtues of ordinary human life and relations, in trust, acceptance, patience, faithfulness, that we all too experience the building up of the kingdom and the power of the Christ. If we live our lives with faith, hope, and love, then Christ, God at work in our lives, remakes and refashions us in the image of God's kingdom through the ordinariness of our daily virtues and actions. The ordinary are major foundational building blocks for the extraordinary.

Our Lord even said in frustration, it's a wicked generation that asks for a sign, none will be given to it. Jesus didn't want people to believe in him only because he provided them with spectacles and miraculous supplies of bread and fish, or even because he could calm storms, heal sick people, or do exceptional actions that stunned them. Instead, he wanted them to learn about his message, the ways of God, the principles and foundations of the kingdom of God.

He wanted them to live the gospel message in all its beauty, and truly in its inclusiveness, its mercy, justice, practical charity, and compassion. He wanted them to live it in its miraculous ordinariness. The gospel was not about smoke and mirrors, but about the divine that could be found in the everyday of life, in the incarnate moments of life.

His message was not about lightning and earthquakes, but about the gentle breeze of God's presence in and through the ordinary events of people and action in our lives. This gospel reminds us to look for the extraordinary in the ordinary, to seek the wisdom of God wherever it's found, especially in unlikely and unexceptional situations. These two readings challenge us today to perceive the presence of God in one another, to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking in our hearts and in the hearts of others, and to have hearts that are open to one another.

Although our Lord was unique and His divinity derives from His very nature as the Son of God, who is eternally one in being with the Father, our Lord also tells us that God's Spirit dwells within us and allows us to share in this divine life of God. So whilst we do not expect to find divinity in one another precisely the same way divinity was fully present in our Lord, we know that God is truly present in every human being. Too often we can ignore that presence, or even deny it by our actions and attitudes, that God has made truly His home in us.

St. Paul in the second reading has a very different problem. He is so aware of the divine presence within himself that he must concentrate on his weaknesses so that he might keep paying attention to his utter reliance on God's grace and mercy, and the real needs and struggles of others. He realises that his incredible spiritual gifts can tempt him to go astray if he gets too proud or self-absorbed in the graces God has given to him.

So Paul focuses on his weakness and brokenness. St. Paul has learned a very important lesson and wants to share it with all of us. We tend to assume that the way to achieve important things in life is naturally under our own steam, by our own talent and our own strengths and virtues.

But God says to St. Paul and to us, my grace is sufficient for you, my power is revealed in weakness. But what does that mean? When I am weak, I am strong. How can that be? It sounds as contradictory as it seems.

When we rely solely on our talent, strength and competence, as good as that may be, it's easy to reinforce that it's all about me, and it's all about us. It's unclear how this relates to God's way of thinking and God's way of acting. If God's ways, as we're often told in the scriptures, are love and freedom, mercy, choice, inclusion and persuasion, not force or overwhelming strength or control, those things have no place in God's ways.

The opposite of force is what looks like weakness to the world. Compassion, charity, mercy, vulnerability, grace, forbearance. When we experience weakness or realize what we lack, there's the opposite situation.

Our weakness creates an ample space for God to come in and work in us. If we're filled up to capacity with what we can do and what's good about us, it doesn't leave a lot of space for God to come in and do God's work. God can work wonders in the space that's not about us, not about me, but about the other.

Our lack creates space for freedom, which is one of God's great values. People are free to listen or not. People in our Lord's time, even in our time, want God to reveal himself in dramatic, powerful and obvious ways, but that stops us from looking for God's presence in the ordinary, in the people on the margins, and in those who are seen to be weak or judged to be weak.

We might be tempted to think that spreading God's word and proclaiming the gospel of Christ must require the best, the strongest, the most charismatic people and the most perfect people, and yet that's not the way God thinks. A quick look through the Bible indicates that God has called people to serve him, people who were often notably flawed, confused and even downright self-interested and sinful at times. Many, many people who are now official saints of God's church served God despite some astounding barriers.

Many had really serious physical, spiritual or emotional obstacles that would have seemingly made it impossible for them to achieve anything, let alone a holiness and greatness in God's eyes, without relying on and cooperating with God's grace. This can't be a coincidence. We can be so clearly aware of the teachings of our Lord in all of today's readings.

Practically, these teachings invite us to look for the divine in others and be aware of our weaknesses and brokenness. Isn't it true that we so often fall into the trap of doing the things the other way around? We can see the brokenness and sinfulness of others while failing to deal with our own weakness, our own brokenness and sinfulness. There's a danger that we can spend too much time searching for the divine within our own lives and not spend enough time exploring and finding it alive and well in those around us, especially the most unexpected people.

When we learn to see the divine in others and our brokenness, we are ready to form communion with others and that's what the Church is, the Body of Christ. Let's ask our Lord today to send His Holy Spirit on us and strengthen us so that we may never fear to speak the truth and speak this truth always with love, compassion and consistently build up the Body of Christ. And may we continue to ask the Lord for the healing of our sinfulness and brokenness so that we might be wonderful instruments, even if slightly cracked, of God's grace and love pouring in.

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REFERENCES:

 

FR. PAUL W. KELLY

 

O'Flynn, S. (2002). Sunday seeds. Dublin: Columba Press.

 

Gutiérrez, G. and Dees, C. (1997). Sharing the Word through the liturgical year. 1st ed.

Maryknoll: Orbis Books.

 

Sandell, J. (2004). Seasons in the Word. Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press.

 

Abbot's Homilies - Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert. (2012). [online] Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert. Available at: https://christdesert.org/updates/abbots-homilies/

 

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References:

Homily –Fr Paul W. Kelly

Licensed Image. Stock AI-generated image ID: 2462373915 - Jesus in the synagogue --Important information - This image was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system. AI-generated image Contributor: Shutterstock AI Generator.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B   (Sunday, July 7, 2024)  (EPISODE: 486 )
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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{{May Our Lord's gift of dignity and community enliven you. }} welcome everyone, we gather -  Reflect upon the Holy Scriptures and the values of the Lord. 

Coming together as brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pause and reflect upon our sins, in order to celebrate the Holy Eucharist.

Lord Jesus, you are the image of the unseen God: Lord, have mercy.//You are the firstborn of all creation: Christ, have mercy//You are the head of the body, the Church: 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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Ps 123: 1-2a, 2bc, 3-4. "Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy. "

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. Luke 4: 18). Alleluia, alleluia! The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he sent me to bring the Good news to the poor. Alleluia!
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PREFACE: 4
EP II
(theme variation: 2 )

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{Thank you for giving generously of  your time and prayer.}

go and announce the gospel of the lord
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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks


Further information 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 (Bill) 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. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

[ Production -  KER -  2024]

May God bless and keep you.