Homily: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 22 September 2024
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. ROME, ITALY - AUGUST 31, 2021: The fresco Christ Blessing the Children in the church Santa Maria in Monticelli by Cesare Mariani (1859). Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.
GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
Homily: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 22 September 2024
(EPISODE:497 )
Readings for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Wis 2: 12, 17-20
Ps 54: 3-4, 5, 6-8. "The Lord upholds my life. "
SECOND READING: Jas 3: 16—4: 3
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Thess 2: 14). Alleluia, alleluia! God has called us with the Gospel, to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GOSPEL: Mark 9: 30-37
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed.
++++
Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-25th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-497/s-xBy6GlxdJZj (EPISODE:497 )
This weekend Our Lord teaches us a most important lesson. He reminds us that following him is the path of unselfish service. Love and sacrifice…. Our Lord also shows us that God's idea of greatness is very different from the ideas of the world… (FHL)
////
I love the system of continuous readings that the Catholic Church and many other denominations in the Christian churches have developed, the lectionary cycle, as it's called. Its true genius is that it allows the Bible to come alive in our yearly journey. The readings this weekend are challenging, but I love that, too.
It would be easier for us to pick the readings we like every week, to pick the texts that most speak to us and expound on them. But if I were to do that, or anyone was to do that, we would be sorely tempted to pass over all those passages that challenge us, move us out of our comfort zone, or are very difficult to understand. Those really important parts are inviting us to be a disciples in the building up of Christ's kingdom and not our watered-down version of it, which I might think the kingdom of God should be, but is not.
Through our journey, through the continuous cycle of readings, we don't choose the text; it chooses us, and it reads our lives. God transforms our lives, reshaping them in God's image, not in our own. So scenes like this weekend's gospel can be really sobering, giving us the impression that the disciples never fully understood what the Lord was trying to teach them. But we have to remember that the gospels essentially are a sneak peek into the formation and training of the disciples they were getting from the moment Jesus started his earthly ministry.
Later, after Jesus' death, resurrection, ascension back to the Father in heaven, and after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples were transformed and enlightened. They finally understood the message and teaching of Jesus. No longer were they wrangling and jockeying for the best place of honour, no longer were they squabbling over who was the greatest or what part of the work Jesus left for us to complete was their part, and other people's part, or what was the most lucrative part of the ministry.
All these things paled as they understood the full import of Christ's message. We're very fortunate the gospels are not merely the end result of all Jesus' teachings, with all the rough bits polished off. We're very blessed that the gospels show us the journey of understanding and learning and change of vision that the disciples had to go through before they fully comprehended the message of Jesus as far as any human can.
If we only got the final results, we would not understand the journey of discovery, conversion, and challenge they went through, which we too must undergo. We must let go of our old ways of thinking and embrace the new ways of Christ's gospel. These old ways included self-advantage, self-focus, what can I get out of this for myself? And the new ways of the gospel are self-sacrificing service, consideration for others, a mindset that puts oneself last, and being the servant of all.
The first reading reminds us of something we must be very wary of. When we become aware of some challenging aspects of our weaknesses and selfishness, it's sorely tempting to want to shoot the messenger. That's what happened in the Old Testament, and it's alive and well today.
The prophets pointed out how people were not living up to God's ways in what they did and said. Sadly, most people didn't start working straight away on their areas of weakness or blind spots; rather, they typically started trying to discredit the prophets, ignore them, and ridicule their message on many occasions. They killed the prophets rather than deal with the actual problem, their wrongful ways, and their bad attitudes.
Do we ever see that tendency in ourselves in one way or another? We become aware of our weaknesses or areas that need growth or change in our personalities, one that needs work and improvement or complete turning around sometimes. But instead of humbly beginning that work of asking God to be with us, to pour his grace into our hearts and minds, to change these aspects, and to ask God to remove these barriers and end these wrongdoings, we can just fob off the message and blame the messenger.
This would have to be the most unhelpful and dangerous behaviour, especially for a would-be disciple of Christ. In a way, it's a self-defence mechanism, isn't it? That denial and continuing to do what we always do is designed to protect us, but it keeps us stuck in destructive ways and repeating mistakes. It's not being honest or open with ourselves and not admitting our utter dependence on God's mercy, love, and grace.
That grace slowly but surely changes us to be more and more like the disciples he's calling us to be. God loves us despite our sinfulness, but God does not want us stuck in the mud either. God is offering us the grace to rise above our weaknesses if we let him address our sinfulness and bravely trust in him and honestly face the truth of this.
We don't have to try hard to see this behaviour in action. When something challenging makes us look deeper into our inner motives and attitudes, the first reaction can be, no, I disagree with that; no, no, that's not correct; oh, no, that doesn't apply to me. Let's see them for what they are as immediate defence mechanisms that aren't helping us move forward and aren't helping us to truly hear and receive Christ's life-giving message, his truth that looks into our hearts and finds the way forward.
Saint James speaks out very well again, and he spells it out clearly in the second reading. Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony and wicked things of every kind, whereas wisdom from above is essentially about working for peace. It shows itself in kindness, consideration of others, and compassion, and it results in good actions. If we're on the right track, partiality, hypocrisy, endless wranglings, fights, and disruptions would not be present.
In God's eyes, Holiness is being a peacemaker, not a stirrer or agitator for one's desires or ambitions. As James points out in his letter in chapter three, he says it really clearly: We wouldn't have jealousy or wrangling if people had a self-sacrificing, serving, considerate approach to others above themselves. Jesus, of course, is the perfect example of this self-sacrificing love and service.
He could have claimed all authority and every privilege, but instead, he emptied himself completely for others. This is stark, shocking, and challenging. Will we follow in the master's footsteps, or will we continue trying to go in circles of our own? Circles that take us around and around without ever moving forward.
+++++
References:
Homily –Fr Paul W. Kelly
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. ROME, ITALY - AUGUST 31, 2021: The fresco Christ Blessing the Children in the church Santa Maria in Monticelli by Cesare Mariani (1859). Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B (Sunday, September 19, 2021) (EPISODE:497)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
{{hello everyone}} welcome everyone; we gather - To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives
Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence, let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
Lord Jesus, you call your people to turn away from sin: Lord, have mercy
You teach us wisdom, and write your truth in our innermost 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.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ps 54: 3-4, 5, 6-8. "The Lord upholds my life. "
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Thess 2: 14). Alleluia, alleluia! God has called us with the Gospel, to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
++++++++++++++++
PREFACE: OWN PREFACE
EP Iv
++++
{heartfelt thanks to you all, for uniting in prayer and for reflection, upon God's overflowing goodness and care.}
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
++++++++
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.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. ROME, ITALY - AUGUST 31, 2021: The fresco Christ Blessing the Children in the church Santa Maria in Monticelli by Cesare Mariani (1859). Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.
GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
Homily: Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 22 September 2024
(EPISODE:497 )
Readings for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Wis 2: 12, 17-20
Ps 54: 3-4, 5, 6-8. "The Lord upholds my life. "
SECOND READING: Jas 3: 16—4: 3
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Thess 2: 14). Alleluia, alleluia! God has called us with the Gospel, to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
GOSPEL: Mark 9: 30-37
Image Credit: Shutterstock Licensed.
++++
Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-25th-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-497/s-xBy6GlxdJZj (EPISODE:497 )
This weekend Our Lord teaches us a most important lesson. He reminds us that following him is the path of unselfish service. Love and sacrifice…. Our Lord also shows us that God's idea of greatness is very different from the ideas of the world… (FHL)
////
I love the system of continuous readings that the Catholic Church and many other denominations in the Christian churches have developed, the lectionary cycle, as it's called. Its true genius is that it allows the Bible to come alive in our yearly journey. The readings this weekend are challenging, but I love that, too.
It would be easier for us to pick the readings we like every week, to pick the texts that most speak to us and expound on them. But if I were to do that, or anyone was to do that, we would be sorely tempted to pass over all those passages that challenge us, move us out of our comfort zone, or are very difficult to understand. Those really important parts are inviting us to be a disciples in the building up of Christ's kingdom and not our watered-down version of it, which I might think the kingdom of God should be, but is not.
Through our journey, through the continuous cycle of readings, we don't choose the text; it chooses us, and it reads our lives. God transforms our lives, reshaping them in God's image, not in our own. So scenes like this weekend's gospel can be really sobering, giving us the impression that the disciples never fully understood what the Lord was trying to teach them. But we have to remember that the gospels essentially are a sneak peek into the formation and training of the disciples they were getting from the moment Jesus started his earthly ministry.
Later, after Jesus' death, resurrection, ascension back to the Father in heaven, and after the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the disciples were transformed and enlightened. They finally understood the message and teaching of Jesus. No longer were they wrangling and jockeying for the best place of honour, no longer were they squabbling over who was the greatest or what part of the work Jesus left for us to complete was their part, and other people's part, or what was the most lucrative part of the ministry.
All these things paled as they understood the full import of Christ's message. We're very fortunate the gospels are not merely the end result of all Jesus' teachings, with all the rough bits polished off. We're very blessed that the gospels show us the journey of understanding and learning and change of vision that the disciples had to go through before they fully comprehended the message of Jesus as far as any human can.
If we only got the final results, we would not understand the journey of discovery, conversion, and challenge they went through, which we too must undergo. We must let go of our old ways of thinking and embrace the new ways of Christ's gospel. These old ways included self-advantage, self-focus, what can I get out of this for myself? And the new ways of the gospel are self-sacrificing service, consideration for others, a mindset that puts oneself last, and being the servant of all.
The first reading reminds us of something we must be very wary of. When we become aware of some challenging aspects of our weaknesses and selfishness, it's sorely tempting to want to shoot the messenger. That's what happened in the Old Testament, and it's alive and well today.
The prophets pointed out how people were not living up to God's ways in what they did and said. Sadly, most people didn't start working straight away on their areas of weakness or blind spots; rather, they typically started trying to discredit the prophets, ignore them, and ridicule their message on many occasions. They killed the prophets rather than deal with the actual problem, their wrongful ways, and their bad attitudes.
Do we ever see that tendency in ourselves in one way or another? We become aware of our weaknesses or areas that need growth or change in our personalities, one that needs work and improvement or complete turning around sometimes. But instead of humbly beginning that work of asking God to be with us, to pour his grace into our hearts and minds, to change these aspects, and to ask God to remove these barriers and end these wrongdoings, we can just fob off the message and blame the messenger.
This would have to be the most unhelpful and dangerous behaviour, especially for a would-be disciple of Christ. In a way, it's a self-defence mechanism, isn't it? That denial and continuing to do what we always do is designed to protect us, but it keeps us stuck in destructive ways and repeating mistakes. It's not being honest or open with ourselves and not admitting our utter dependence on God's mercy, love, and grace.
That grace slowly but surely changes us to be more and more like the disciples he's calling us to be. God loves us despite our sinfulness, but God does not want us stuck in the mud either. God is offering us the grace to rise above our weaknesses if we let him address our sinfulness and bravely trust in him and honestly face the truth of this.
We don't have to try hard to see this behaviour in action. When something challenging makes us look deeper into our inner motives and attitudes, the first reaction can be, no, I disagree with that; no, no, that's not correct; oh, no, that doesn't apply to me. Let's see them for what they are as immediate defence mechanisms that aren't helping us move forward and aren't helping us to truly hear and receive Christ's life-giving message, his truth that looks into our hearts and finds the way forward.
Saint James speaks out very well again, and he spells it out clearly in the second reading. Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find disharmony and wicked things of every kind, whereas wisdom from above is essentially about working for peace. It shows itself in kindness, consideration of others, and compassion, and it results in good actions. If we're on the right track, partiality, hypocrisy, endless wranglings, fights, and disruptions would not be present.
In God's eyes, Holiness is being a peacemaker, not a stirrer or agitator for one's desires or ambitions. As James points out in his letter in chapter three, he says it really clearly: We wouldn't have jealousy or wrangling if people had a self-sacrificing, serving, considerate approach to others above themselves. Jesus, of course, is the perfect example of this self-sacrificing love and service.
He could have claimed all authority and every privilege, but instead, he emptied himself completely for others. This is stark, shocking, and challenging. Will we follow in the master's footsteps, or will we continue trying to go in circles of our own? Circles that take us around and around without ever moving forward.
+++++
References:
Homily –Fr Paul W. Kelly
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. ROME, ITALY - AUGUST 31, 2021: The fresco Christ Blessing the Children in the church Santa Maria in Monticelli by Cesare Mariani (1859). Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova.
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B (Sunday, September 19, 2021) (EPISODE:497)
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
+++++++++++++
{{hello everyone}} welcome everyone; we gather - To take time to reflect upon the meaning of God's word for our everyday lives
Coming together as brothers and sisters, with confidence, let us ask the Fathers forgiveness, for he is full of gentleness and compassion
Lord Jesus, you call your people to turn away from sin: Lord, have mercy
You teach us wisdom, and write your truth in our innermost 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.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Ps 54: 3-4, 5, 6-8. "The Lord upholds my life. "
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. 2 Thess 2: 14). Alleluia, alleluia! God has called us with the Gospel, to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
++++++++++++++++
PREFACE: OWN PREFACE
EP Iv
++++
{heartfelt thanks to you all, for uniting in prayer and for reflection, upon God's overflowing goodness and care.}
Go forth, the Mass is ended.
++++++++
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.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
