Tenth Sunday Ordinary Time - - Sunday, 9 June 2024 (EPISODE: 482)
Readings for Tenth Sunday Ordinary Time-
FIRST READING: Gen 3:9-15
Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. "With the Lord, there is mercy and fullness of redemption."
SECOND READING: 2 Cor 4:13—5:1
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 12:31b-32). Alleluia, alleluia! The prince of this world will now be cast out, and when I am lifted up from the earth. I will draw all to myself, says the Lord.
GOSPEL: Mark 3:20-35
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Illustration ID: 2209882663 -Jesus and the crowds. Illustration Contributor. Mulina Vesile
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Tenth Sunday Ordinary Time - Sunday, 9 June 2024 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-10th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-482/s-9Egv8OdNDfd
(EPISODE: 482)
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In a world where those who are trapped by actions of their own doing, and who have only themselves to blame for the pickle they find themselves in, these same people are often left unaided because "they've brought this harm on themselves," so the saying goes.
However, the Lord God cares about us, even when we've sinned and made mistakes, even when we've brought the situation on ourselves and now find ourselves horribly stuck. It's such a message of hope and unconditional love to know that our God feels compassion, God feels sorry for us, God feels like a parent when their child has strayed and hurt themselves, and reaches out to help us, even when we know we were the architect of our own downfall.
God lovingly invites us to deepen our compassion and love too, and respond gently, even to those whose predicament is caused by their own willfulness or poor actions, their own fault. We too can be tempted to hide in shame from our God whenever we are aware of our faults, only appearing when we think we've hidden the signs of our failings. But God asks us, why are you hiding? Who told you that there are things that can be hidden from me, the one who created you and loves you? God's mercy and love and grace inspires us to turn back to God time and time again for help, and to give grateful thanks to God always, for the more grace we receive, it's so important for us to give more thanksgiving to God, who gives us out of love.
God doesn't need our thanks, we need to give it, to appreciate the gifts we have. In the Gospel, our Lord reminds his followers that a house divided against itself cannot stand, so an essential element of our membership of God's family is unity and harmony. It's not any part of God's kingdom to have factions, quarrels, jealousy, but instead we're called to be united in one heart and one mind, and kind, compassionate and loving towards all, as the offering prayer says today in this liturgy, may our service, may everything we do and all we offer, lead to a growth in charity, may our actions lead to an increase in our love.
The writer Harold Kushner says his grandfather had virtually an unofficial doctorate in practical theology, because, though he was a down-to-earth labourer, who never attended a university, his actions showed a profound insight. Everything he did shone with the knowledge that the way he treated people, all of this mattered very much to God, who loved him and loved everyone, so his growth in charity and compassion grew daily and reached out to others in his daily life. It is a shocking incident in this Gospel.
Jesus is teaching the good news. He is the loving, visible expression of God's kindness, mercy and love, and yet his enemies reject him. They try to discredit him and disgrace him.
They distort his message of life and turn it into a message of death. It's a sad situation when the world has got its values so turned upside down that good is named as bad, and bad things are called good. But that is what they were saying.
They accused him of working with the evil one, even though Jesus represented everything opposed to evil. What a grave insult. Our Lord warns them, if you do not accept me, that is Jesus, as working for the of God, then there can be no penitence, no repentance, no forgiveness, because they're refusing to believe in the one who came to lead us out of this mess.
It's a very sobering message. We must be very wary of labels that people try to attach to others, to try and neutralise their good works. If we feel threatened and challenged by someone, it can feel easier to blame or label them rather than face the truth.
Calling someone crazy or labelling them as bad or motivated by malice, these are awful techniques to destroy the credibility of people who may be only acting for the good. In this day and age, where accusations and labels flow thick and fast, and often without much or any substance to the claims, we should be more than wary and alert than ever. We ought to be extremely slow to swallow any claims made, just because people labelled Christ a madman, or in league with demons, certainly and obviously didn't make it true.
The fact that some believed these claims also did not make it true, it still was false. In fact, the claims could not have been more false and blasphemous. It reminds me of one of my favourite sayings, "To a friend, no explanation is necessary. To an enemy, no explanation will be sufficient."
When we hear claims that discredit and disgrace others, we can only tell ourselves the truth. I have only heard one side of the story. It does not make what is said true, just in the telling of it.
As we also can admit that we may not be entitled to hear the other side, as it often is not our place to adjudicate anyway. The Lord calls us to be on our guard against applying false labels to others, spreading wrong assertions about others, or accepting as true such claims by others. The gospel warns us that this kind of thing undermines the good of the kingdom.
Christ is the truth, and he calls us to seek the truth always, just as God asked Adam and Eve, who told you these things? Of course, they were told things by the serpent, who was a liar. Our Lord in the gospel is virtually asking his people, who has poisoned your mind with such lies? Have you made room in your hearts to see bad, when there is only good, and good when there is clearly bad? This is still wise counsel for us today. One final insight, I have never realised before we are told that people were saying Christ had gone out of his mind, and his family had come to take charge of him, as it says.
This seems astounding. True, his relatives thought that they were trying to help him. His enemies had labelled Jesus, and they were trying to thoroughly disgrace and discredit him, even before his family members.
The danger was real, that this would lead to him being executed, and eventually he was. The family thought they were doing good, by having him declared mentally unwell, or taking charge of him, as this would be a defence against blasphemy charges. That is, he did not know what he was saying or doing, so he can't be held legally responsible for his actions, if someone accuses him, even wrongly, of blasphemy.
They were trying to save his life. But Christ will have nothing of this, even if they mean well, and think they're trying to help him. He knows the risk of death, and he's willing to accept it.
He will face death, and he will also rise again. He will not save himself by legal claims of unsound mind. He's completely in his right mind, and will not allow anyone to say anything to the contrary.
So, he replies, "who are my family? Anyone who hears my words and does them."
We are indeed Christ's family, when we do as he commands.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of Mark. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press
Link, M. (2000). Mission. Praying Scripture in a Contemporary Way. Year B. Allen, Tex.: Resources for Christian Living.
Marshall, A. (1990). NRSV-NIV parallel New Testament in Greek and English. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.
Pilch, John J . The cultural world of Jesus Sunday by Sunday, cycle B. Collegeville, Minn. Liturgical Press .1996.
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Illustration ID: 2209882663 -Jesus and the crowds. Illustration Contributor. Mulina Vesile
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Tenth Sunday Ordinary Time -(Sunday, 9 June 2024) (EPISODE: 482)
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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{{Peace and Goodness to you all}} welcome everyone, we gather - Reflection upon God's word, and encounter Christ's presence. On this Tenth Sunday Ordinary Time
Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
You were sent to heal the contrite of heart. Lord, have mercy . You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy . You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: 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 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8. "With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 12:31b-32). ). Alleluia, alleluia! The prince of this world will now be cast out, and when I am lifted up from the earth. I will draw all to myself, says the Lord.
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PREFACE: Ordinary 4
Eucharistic Prayer 3
(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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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
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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. 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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