Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, November 5, 2023 (EPISODE:446)

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, November 5, 2023
(EPISODE:446)

Readings for Sunday, 5 November 2023
FIRST READING: Mal 1:14b—2:2b, 8-10
Ps 131:1, 2, 3. "In you, Lord, I have found my peace."
SECOND READING: 1 Thess 2:7b-9, 13
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 23:9b+10b). Alleluia, alleluia! You have one Father, your Father in Heaven. You have one teacher; the Lord Jesus Christ.
GOSPEL: Matt 23:1-12
 
 Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1334273180- 16 February 2015 St. Petersburg Russia sculpture on St. Isaac's Cathedral. betrayal of Judas, Judas Jesus Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: mrivserg
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, November 5, 2023 by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-thirty-first-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-a-episode-446/s-rz1fRn7S15Y  
(EPISODE:446)
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 [Gospel values included in the readings: brotherly and sisterly love amongst all people, humility, fairness, impartiality, service, support of others, self-sacrifice, and above all - consistency in our outward actions and words with our inner hearts and motives. SO as to become more and more like Christ in compassion and service]

We are all brothers and sisters of one heavenly father...   we are united as one, and so we must be reverent, consistent, fair and even-handed with one other.

We are invited to be more giving than taking; more uplifting to others, than actively burdensome.

Interestingly, Jesus in his teaching makes a very strong distinction.  He criticizes the leadership of his day for not practising what they preach. He attacks their scandalous hypocrisy, but he refuses to deny their teaching authority.  Rather, he is saddened by the fact that they are not living up to what they are teaching; and that means a great deal.
 
it is deeply distressing and tragic when one hears another say: "I gave up Christianity because people who called themselves Christian were not living up to its message." It shows how much people take our actions as speaking louder than our words.  Christians who are not living according to their proclaimed discipleship are an enormous obstacle to the faith of others. But we have to be so careful not to "throw out the baby with the bathwater." 

Our Lord never gave anyone permission to do the wrong thing. He never taught people to misuse their position or to live in a hypocritical way. In fact, he consistently called people to model themselves on his lived values and live exactly as we proclaim; in service, consistency, justice and humility and self-sacrifice.  Our role model and guide is Christ himself. He lived and proclaimed the Kingdom perfectly and consistently.  Christian leaders and in fact every Christian is ultimately judged by the standards of how they followed their role-model, Jesus, and how they were guided by Christ's values and priorities and not their own.  Christ is the absolute model of service, self-forgetting love, compassion, justice and obedience to the Heavenly Father and to the welfare of his beloved children.
 
Jesus teaches us to listen and learn from anyone who has something worthwhile to say….   But to be discerning and wary about any contradictions between their proclaimed values and their actual behaviour and attitudes.
 
In the Second reading is a refreshing contrast to the failures of the other religious leaders. Saint Paul is a different kind of leader.  Although Our Lord criticizes those who make a big show of outward appearances, to the cost of others around them, St Paul is very down-to-earth.  He is so passionate about his fellow Christians. He has come among them as a brother and he has an enormous affection for all of them…  (In this letter, He even goes so far as beautifully describing himself as..)....being like a protective nursemaid…  // a loving and doting mother,// closely watching over her own children with love and care; and great concern…

      St Paul came into the community to assist them, to serve them in Christ, (using Christ as his role-model), and not be any kind of burden on them. He worries about them like a parent and speaks up to encourage them and at times to challenge them, but only for their good and for the good of the gospel, not for his own needs.  This is so different from those whom Our Lord spoke against. They want to make themselves better than others, created double-standards and forgot they are there for the support and encouragement to others and service of others and not for their own self-serving purposes. 
 
Christ's teaching is virtually always framed in positive terms. It is often not about "don't do this and don't do that"  - He leaves those kinds of words to his enemies. He devotes his actions and his teachings to the opposite.   (That is,) to being someone who IS loving, who is a servant, a brother, and caring about those around him. Giving himself completely in service and love for all.
 
Our Lord was most often on the front foot, initiating events, whilst his enemies were on the back foot, reacting negatively to things that happened. Christ was pro-active whilst his opponents were re-active.  Jesus did many good works of healing, inclusion, service and love, while his opponents would argue and complain (after the fact) about his actions.  Our Lord did not spend much time arguing with them about their complaints, as he was too busy moving onto the next good work, the next good project, the next person to be healed, included or forgiven.

Jesus had little time for 'don't do this and don't do that'   - he was too busy (rather) DOING what WAS worthwhile…   and encouraging people to imitate him…   When someone stopped him and told him 'you shouldn't have healed that woman on the Sabbath,"  or "you shouldn't have forgiven that man," or  "you shouldn't have restored that person to the community…"  he had already done so, and was already off onto the next good work…leaving them behind to argue about words, while he was already at work on his next activity.

The wonderful picture of Jesus is this.  His enemies would come up to him and say, "you had no right to do that action."  Jesus would effectively reply, "too late, it is already done."  Then they would ask "Why have you done this? What right have you got to do this"  - to which Our Lord would reply: "I am doing my Father's work, and it is always a good time to do good."  And then Jesus would add: "Anyway, I cannot stay and argue, I am off to do my next work of healing and love.  I suppose you will want to criticise that, but off I go anyway. Talk about it amongst yourselves all you want, but I am busy with much to do."

That, I truly think, is the key to the message of Christ… Action backing up talk. Positive! Not negative.  Doing something instead of endlessly arguing about it or complaining afterwards about what others should or should not be doing. And being pro-active, not merely reactive.
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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

Break Open the Word 2011

My Daily Visitor Sep-October 2011
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1334273180- 16 February 2015 St. Petersburg Russia sculpture on St. Isaac's Cathedral. betrayal of Judas, Judas Jesus Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: mrivserg

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Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A  (Sunday, November 5, 2023)  (EPISODE:446  )
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 courage, uphold you.}} welcome everyone, we gather -  To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives. On this Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A

My brothers and sisters, we have gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, - so let us pause and reflect upon our sins, so as to rejoice in God's loving mercy.
Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy//You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy//You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal 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
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 131:1, 2, 3. "In you, Lord, I have found my peace."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Matt 23:9b+10b). Alleluia, alleluia! You have one Father, your Father in Heaven. You have one teacher; the Lord Jesus Christ.
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PREFACE: Sundays Ordinary II
Eucharistic Prayer II
Communion side.  pwk: 
(theme variation: 2 )

(post version: v2-short)

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{Bless you all and May God's grace guide you each and every day.}

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

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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 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:    -- 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 -  2023]

May God bless and keep you.
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