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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Ezekiel 2:2-5 II: 2Cor 12:7-10

Gospel
Mark 6:1-6

¹ He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him.
² And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands!
³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
⁴ And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."
⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.
⁶ And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Interesting Details

This passage concludes Jesus' period of teaching (chapter 4) and healing (chapter 5) in his hometown of Nazareth. Regardless of Jesus' powerful words and deeds, people in his hometown had multiple reasons to dislike Jesus:
- People in this small village worked hard at their trade to survive, and thought that everyone should do likewise. Jesus, a carpenter, should just do his carpentry. Instead, he went about preaching and healing. Thus his townfolks consider him pretentious.
- Even if Jesus did his carpentry, he would not be honored either. Craftsmen in such small towns have to travel to find enough work. Traveling means leaving the women alone, which is not an honorable thing. Jesus must have been such a lowly traveling carpenter.
- Another sign of dishonor and insult was that Jesus was identified as the son of a woman, "son of Mary," instead of a man, like "son of Joseph." This implies a doubt as to who the father was.
Prophets are spokesmen for God, with two main methods: criticizing and energizing. They are also seers, and sometimes act out their message. There were female prophets, such as Miriam (in Exod 15) and Deborah (Judg 4).

One Main Point

Jesus, the teacher and miracle worker, is misunderstood and rejected by his own people.

Reflections

Who have been the prophets to me, speaking the words of God? Did I misunderstand and reject the prophets? What do God say to me through the prophets? How do I respond?
Through the sacrements of baptism and confirmation, we are also annointed to be prophets. What evil do we see and criticize in our own world? What hope do we see and encourage people with? Are we ready to be misunderstood and rejected by our own folks, like Jesus?

'To leave our prayer when we are called to do some act of charity for our neighbour, is not really a quitting of prayer, but leaving Christ for Christ, that is, depriving ourselves of spiritual sweetnesses in order to gain souls.'

St. Philip Neri

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/3611009/posts?page=3

Saint of the Day — Saint Gregory Grassi and his Companions.

Information: St. Raymond of Toulouse

Feast Day: July 8

Born: Toulouse, France

Died: 3 July 1118

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

Blessed Eugene III

Feast Day: July 08
Died: 1153

Peter dei Paganelli di Montemagno was born near Pisa in Italy. When Peter grew up, he became a priest and worked in Pisa for a few years. Later, he felt the need to get closer to God and joined the Cistercian monks in Clairvaux in France.

St. Bernard was the superior at the monastery of Clairvaux. His feast day is August 20. Peter respected Bernard and the two soon became good friends. Peter too chose "Bernard" for his religious name and tried to live like the saint.

St. Bernard sent his namesake, Bernard, to become the superior of a monastery in Rome called Tre Fontaine. Then in 1145, Pope Lucius II died and a most unusual thing happened. When the cardinals met at the funeral of the pope, they decided to elect the new pope as quickly as possible. And together they elected Abbot Bernard to be pope. The abbot, who was not a cardinal, did not attend the meeting.

He was shocked when he was told. St. Bernard of Clairvaux was surprised too. He felt sorry for Bernard. He wrote an open letter to the cardinals: "May God forgive you for what you have done," he said. "You have involved in responsibilities and placed among many people a man who fled them both."

Accepting God's will, Bernard chose to be called Pope Eugene III. His time as pope brought him many difficulties. The Roman senate threatened to oppose him if he did not let them keep stolen property.

A man who was earlier sent away from the country went to Pope Eugene and asked forgiveness. But he soon fell back into his old ways. He even joined a group that was directly against the pope. Pope Eugene had to leave Rome a few times because of the dangers surrounding him. One of his fellow monks wrote to St. Bernard of Clairvaux about Pope Eugene: "There is no arrogance or domineering way in him." St. Antoninus, called Pope Eugene "a great pope with great sufferings." Pope Eugene died on July 8, 1153 at Tivoli in Italy.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, July 8

Liturgical Color: Green

The Council of Chalcedon opened on
this day in 451 A.D. Its primary
purpose was to refute Monophysitism
which taught that Jesus had only one
nature, contrary to the Church's
teaching that he possesses a Divine
and human nature.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: July 8th

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

July 08, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who in the abasement of your Son have raised up a fallen world, fill your faithful with holy joy, for on those you have rescued from slavery to sin you bestow eternal gladness. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Old Calendar: Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house (Mk 6:2-4)."

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 2:2-5 and treats of the Exekiel's appointment as prophet among the exiles in Babylon.

The second reading is from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians12:7-10. St Paul feels forced to prove that he was a true Apostle — who suffered much for Christ and his Gospel and who also had been given the privilege of special visions and revelations. He goes on to describe some weakness he had which troubled him very much. He concludes that he is content with weakness and sufferings because the power and strength of Christ, working through a weak instrument, will be all the more visible and convincing.

The Gospel is from St. Mark 6:1-6. What happened in Nazareth was a foretaste of the later reaction of the scribes and Pharisees, the leaders of the people, to Christ's claim to be the promised Messiah. What the people of Nazareth tried to do (Lk. 4:29-30), the religious authorities in Jerusalem succeeded in doing, because they were able to threaten the Roman governor with blackmail. Even in their wickedness and unknown to themselves, they were putting into action God's plan for mankind. It was necessary that Christ should die so that all men could live forever with God. Christ's death, followed by his resurrection, was the key that opened the door of eternity for the human race.

Unfortunately for the leaders of the Jews, the good end did not justify the evil intentions and evil means which they used. It is hard to understand the irrational opposition of the Nazarites on this occasion, and of the Pharisees of Jerusalem later. The people of Nazareth had heard nothing but marvelous reports of his wonderful preaching and outstanding miracles. One would therefore expect that if they were at all reasonable, they would rejoice on having one of their fellow-citizens admired by thousands and looked upon by so many as the long-promised Messiah. Instead, they turned against him in bitter hatred and there and then decided to put an end to his career (Lk. 4:29). Why? Because the demon of envy, a daughter of pride, laid hold of their hearts and minds. Why should a neighbor's son, and one of a lower status than many of them—a mere carpenter, be given this privilege while their sons were passed over? This could not be, their envy told them, and so they shut their minds against any proof to the contrary.

It was the same later in the case of the Pharisees. The same vices, pride and envy, darkened their intellects and prevented them from seeing the truth. They were the religious leaders of the people, or so they thought themselves to be. If the Messiah had come they felt that he should have come through them and with their approval. This impostor Jesus could not possibly be the Messiah. Not only was he not keeping the law as strictly as they kept it, but he was friendly with sinners and tax-gatherers. Furthermore, he was talking of some faraway kingdom in heaven and not of the earthly empire which they decided the real Messiah would establish. They had not only heard of his extraordinary miracles but had seen some of those who were cured. In Bethany only a few miles from Jerusalem Lazarus had been raised to life after four days in the grave. They tried very hard to deny these miracles (see Jn. 9: the man born blind), and they even thought of killing Lazarus to make the people forget the miracle! (Jn. 12:11). Thus their pride and envy made them irrational. Nothing but the cruelest possible death of the one hated could satisfy their hatred. But that very death was Christ's road to glory. Lifted up on the cross he drew all men to himself as he had foretold (Jn. 12:32). Those on Calvary beheld the triumph of failure.

Would that all the opposition to Christ and his teaching, caused by human pride and envy, had ended with the Nazarites and Pharisees! Far from it. Pride and envy are still rife among us. All through the twenty centuries of Christianity, there have been proud men, men high in their own esteem. Not only would they not have Christ to reign over them, but they have tried to prevent his reign over even those who are gladly and proudly his subjects. Not content with dethroning Christ in their own hearts and minds, they have devoted all their energies to abolishing him and his Church from the face of our earth. Such enemies of Christ are still among us. They are more numerous than ever today but just as their predecessors failed in the past, so will these fail today. Christ will continue to reign and his Church will continue its mission of leading to heaven all men whose minds are free from sinful pride and therefore open to the truth.

Let us renew our loyalty to Christ today. He humbled himself so that we might be raised to the standing of sons of God. He shared our human nature with us so that we could share his divine nature. He died a cruel death on Calvary so that we could have an eternal life in heaven. We pray for light for those whose foolish pride has left them groping in darkness. Let us also ask the good God to keep us ever on the road of truth, the road of Christian humility which leads to the eternal home which Christ has won for us by his incarnation.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A thorn in the flesh . . . (2 Corinthians 12:7)

Many theologians have guessed as to what Paul was referring to. Some say it was something physical like a chronic eye problem, migraines, or a speech impediment. Some say Paul was talking about temptations from the devil. Still others say Paul was referring to those “false apostles” who do a “great deal of harm” (2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Timothy 4:14). Whatever it was, this “thorn” caused Paul a great deal of distress.

Now, compared to last Sunday’s Gospel, which told us that Jesus heals people who have faith in him, today’s reading tells us that even people who have great faith are not always healed. Paul had great faith, and he begged the Lord to deliver him, but the thorn remained.

Let this sink in for a moment: Paul the miracle worker, a man through whom people were healed just by touching his clothes, was himself not healed (Acts 19:12). Clearly, healing is a mystery that we cannot fully understand.

But here is what we can understand: God, our heavenly Father, knows us intimately (Jeremiah 1:5). He knows why Paul was not healed of this thorn. He knows why Francis of Assisi was not healed of his eye disease. He knows why some of our loved ones continue to suffer as well.

God knows all of the thorns in our lives—spiritual, emotional, and physical—and he knows the plans he has for our lives. In many cases, we won’t find the answers to these mysteries until we are united with the Lord in heaven. But that doesn’t mean we should lose our faith. If anything, these mysteries should deepen it! Sometimes, the only answer is to pray for courage, resiliency, and steadfastness. Sometimes, the only answer we have is to trust God and have faith in “what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).

This is exactly what Paul did. He trusted that God’s grace would be sufficient for him. And it was sufficient—just as it can be for all of us.

“Lord, help me to deal with the thorns in my life. Jesus, I surrender them to you.”

Ezekiel 2:2-5
Psalm 123:1-4
Mark 6:1-6

A Christian Pilgrim

JESUS EXPERIENCED WHAT IT IS TO BE HURT AND REJECTED

(A biblical refection on THE 14th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME [YEAR B] – 8 July 2018)

Gospel Reading: Mark 6:1-6

First Reading: Ezekiel 2:2-5; Psalms: Psalm 123:1-4; Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

The Scripture Text

He went away from there and came to His own country; and His disciples followed Him. And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to Him? What mighty works are wrought by His hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among His own kin, and in his own house.” And He could do not mighty work there, except that He laid His hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And He marvelled because of their unbelief.

And He went about among the villages teaching. (Mark 6:1-6 RSV)

Because people did not have family names in Jesus’ day, there were three different ways one could distinguish two people who had the same name.

First of all, a common designation was where the person lived. Simon of Cyrene, Joseph of Arimathea, and Mary Magdala are good examples. A problem occurred, however, if the two people with the same name came from the same place. In that case, friends and acquaintances may have identified the person by occupation. Simon the fisherman, Joseph the carpenter, and Levi the tax collector are just a few examples. Modern last names such as Baker, Smith, and Cook originated in this way.

Finally, ancient people sometimes distinguished a person by who his father was. One of the apostles was James, the son of Zebedee, and another was James, the son of Alphaeus. This custom also found its way into different foreign languages and led to modern last names such Janowicz, which is Polish for “son of John”, and Fitzgerald, which is Irish for “son of Gerald”. Thus, those who knew Jesus called Him Jesus of Nazareth (where He grew up), Jesus of Capernaum (where He lived during His public ministry), Jesus the carpenter, Jesus the rabbi, or Jesus the son of Joseph. Any one of these names would have been appropriate.

Jesus left Nazareth as a simple carpenter but He returned as a famous rabbi with His own disciples. People throughout Palestine heard of His reputation and respected Him but the people in His home town gave Him a lukewarm reception.

In today’s Gospel, the people of Nazareth marvel at Jesus’ ability to preach and they ask one another if He isn’t the carpenter and the son of Mary. Notice that they do not call Jesus the son of Joseph. Either Joseph was already dead or they meant this as an insult. By not recognizing Joseph as the father of Jesus, they may have been implying He was an illegitimate child. In modern slang, they were calling Jesus a bastard. Therefore, Jesus homecoming was less than a big success.

It’s easy for us to remember that Jesus is God but difficult to think of Him as also human. Jesus did not walk around with a neon sign on His chest flashing the words “Worship Me, I’m God!” Jesus was just as human as we are, and He sometimes experienced what it is to be hurt and rejected.

The next time we feel down, let’s go to Jesus with our problems. He knows what we are going through because He went through the same thing Himself.

Adapted from Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 184-185.

Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, come and be with me. Help me to listen to You more closely. Show me the ways I have boxed You in with My own ideas. Heal me with Your love so that I might serve You more fully. Amen.

The Gospel in pictures and captions

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for July 8, 2018:

“He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mk 6:6) Are there areas in your life in which you are lacking faith? Are you lacking faith in areas of your marriage? Entrust them to Christ so that He may work in your life.

“My Grace is Enough for You”

Pastor’s Column

14^th Sunday Ordinary Time

July 8, 2018

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Have you ever had the experience of asking God over and over for something that you considered to be really important, only to have God seemingly turn a deaf ear to your request? St. Paul certainly did. Paul doesn’t tell us exactly what he was praying to be rid of, only that it was what he described as being “a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from becoming too proud.”

In this Sunday’s second reading, St. Paul articulates one of the greatest of all spiritual paradoxes: God’s power often shines through us most clearly when we are at our weakest. That is to say, when we are unable to avoid the cross, or suffering, or feel particularly powerless against some foe in our lives, be it physical, mental, spiritual or personal, this is when God’s grace often manifests itself the strongest.

People who don’t understand this spiritual principle often get angry, depressed or discouraged when they don’t receive the answer they want in their prayers. Others, like St. Paul, come to realize that God wishes, not to take the trial away so much as to give us the grace to get through it, to grow stronger because of it, and to glorify God by accepting it. Our “weaknesses” allow God’s strength to be more powerful in us.

Parents understand this very well. Stores often position candy and sweet cereals and other goodies children want where the child can see them and demand them as they roll by, but a good parent knows that to always give into these types of desires is bad for the child in the long run. In the same way, God will often withhold something we are asking for, that we desire, in order to give us something else that, in the end, we would really prefer.

Of course, to see things this way takes trust. It took St. Paul quite a long time to come to understand what Our Lord was saying to him when the Lord said “No” to St. Paul’s repeated requests, and we will not always understand God’s answers to us either. A smart disciple will persevere in asking and practice saying “thanks” to God, no matter what his answer is, knowing that God always has our best interests at heart. It is ironic that it is precisely the times when we may feel we have the least going for us that God often does his greatest work in and through us, because we are more open to God’s action at these times and he can get in!

Father Gary

Reflections from Scott Hahn

Son of Mary: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Readings:

Ezekiel 2:2-5
Psalm 123:1-4
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6

As we've walked with the apostles in the Gospels in recent weeks, we've witnessed Jesus command the wind and sea, and order a little girl to arise from the dead. But He seems to meet His match in His hometown of Nazareth. Today's Gospel is blunt: “He was not able to perform any mighty deed there.”

Why not? Because of the people's lack of faith. They acknowledged the wisdom of His words, the power of His works. But they refused to recognize Him as a prophet come among them, a messenger sent by God.

All they could see was how much “this man” was like them – a carpenter, the son of their neighbor, Mary, with brothers and sisters.

Of course, Mary was ever-virgin, and had no other children. The Gospel refers to Jesus' brothers as Paul refers to all Israelites as his brothers, the children of Abraham (see Romans 9:3,7).

That's the point in today's Gospel, too. Like the prophet Ezekiel in today's First Reading, Jesus was sent by God to the rebellious house of Israel, where He found His own brothers and sisters obstinate of heart and in revolt against God.

The servant is not above the Master (see Matthew 10:24). As His disciples, we too face the mockery and contempt we hear of in today's Psalm. And isn't it often hardest to live our faith among those in our own families, those who think they really know us, who define us by the people we used to be – before we chose to walk with Jesus?

As Paul confides in today's Epistle, insults and hardships are God's way of teaching us to rely solely on His grace.

Jesus will work no mighty deeds in our lives unless we abandon ourselves to Him in faith. Blessed then are those who take no offense in Him (see Luke 7:23). Instead, we must look upon Him with the eyes of servants – knowing that the son of Mary is also the Lord enthroned in the heavens.

14th Sunday: Prophets and the truth

(Tissot: Jesus rejected at Nazareth)

"He was amazed at their lack of faith"

Mark 6: 1-6

The Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/070818.cfm

We often find ourselves quoting famous lines from favorite movies. One of the most often quoted lines takes us back to a military movie entitled “A Few Good men” in which Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise are the main characters. In one very passionate courtroom scene where Cruise is questioning the Colonel, played by Nicholson, Cruise strikes a nerve and challenges Nicholson on his testimony. Nicholson explodes in anger and strikes back at Cruise with force as only he can do: “Truth?” Nicholson screams out, “You can’t handle the truth!” Everyone loves that line and we may have used it a number of times in other situations.

But, the point made is indeed true. Sometimes the truth is uncomfortable, challenging, embarrassing, and certainly not always what we want to hear. Often we would much rather live in our familiar: “same old/same old” world. In fact, when it comes to change itself, it can be hard: “If things are working well, why change them?”

In ancient Israel the life of the prophets found themselves called to the ever unattractive way of speaking the truth to a people who resisted with force. . There is no doubt that the prophets have made their mark on Biblical history. Yet, they were among the most popular characters that inhabited that land.

Prophets were the conscience of Israel and that conscience was constantly challenged and called to conversion; to change and penitence; away from the familiar to the new. Those called knew they would be asked to lay their lives on the line and that they would find opposition to God’s voice speaking through them. Yet, God did not abandon his prophets to their own; he remained with them in the power of his Spirit. In this Sunday’s readings we hear of this with both Ezekiel and Jesus himself

Ezekiel is told by God: “I’m sending you to rebels who have rebelled against me.” They are: “. . . hard of face and obstinate of heart.” Ezekiel was called to go and deliver this message and, as God said, “. . . they shall know that a prophet has been among them.” In other words, whether they listen or not, at least they will hear the message and be offered the choice to heed the words or reject them. They will at least hear the truth.

Then the Gospel hears of Jesus returning to his hometown of Nazareth. By now his reputation had preceded him and one would think that many would be proud of his accomplishments. This young man has done well. We hear his eloquent words, his inspiring insights in to the Scriptures and we hear of wonders worked through him. He makes us proud!

Yet, the opposite was clearly true. His very mission, now expanded far beyond his ordinary life in Nazareth, was a threat to his own townsfolk. Those who knew him growing up, who knew Joseph and Mary, now basically ask: Who does he think he is? Where did he get all this knowledge? His presence here upsets the same old/same old existence so let’s drive him out!

Tough words indeed but essentially Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth, a place he sadly most likely never returned to, for their “lack of faith” became an obstacle to their greater good, may be more familiar to us than we would want to admit.

If the life of a prophet and the prophetic mission itself is to call others to conversion, then Jesus was right in line with the prophets long before him. With one exception, he was the Prophet the prophets themselves spoke about – the savior, the voice of God himself living among the people. That voice of challenge, mercy, forgiveness and conversion of life that our Lord indeed has been for all was offered in ancient times and the same continues today.

To go from the familiar to the new and away from an ordinary rut in our life is tough. Moving, leaving family and familiar surroundings is one thing but recognizing something in my life that may be unhealthy or missing is another. Sometimes we have to face the truth about our need for change; a truth that we need to hear not necessarily that we want to hear. Can I handle the truth?

The people of Nazareth may be a good symbol of a skeptical age. We know the facts about things and we order our lives in a particular pattern of behavior. They knew the facts about Jesus early life: who his relatives were, where he lived, what he did (carpenter trade), and so they were saying, you’re no better than us; you’re like the rest of us and how dare you become more than that. You’re not the expert! Of course he was far more than they assumed yet they rejected their own way out. “Don’t upset the apple cart,” as the saying goes. Don’t insert “God talk” in my life or remind me of what I know I should be doing but am not.

Where can we prophecy? Religious polls and studies tell us that among Catholics today for example, approximately 30% of Catholics regularly attend Church. This means that 70% of Catholics simply never show up at Sunday services or only rarely do so. Yet, we were all baptized into Christ Jesus as “priest, prophets, and kings.” The very nature of our Christian mission is to be prophetic. To live by the truth and call it when we see it.

There are multiple reasons given why so many have become lax in their sacramental practice of the faith. Yet, this alone lays out a mission prophetic in nature for that faithful 30%. Who here does not know someone who falls in that 70%? If you raise your hand, I frankly doubt your sincerity. We all do. Often, most often, they are family members: children, spouses, relatives and neighbors, brothers or sisters.

Don’t we then have a mission to somehow be prophetic to our brothers and sisters in the faith? Not in a way that beats people over the head or lays the guilt trip. But to show how attractive and beautiful the Church can be. To uncover some of the false assumptions and to say that we are all “sinners trying to be saints.” To show the importance and benefits of the Eucharist and the shared Word in the community of faith. To call others to a mission which lives out the need to evangelize the world by our lives and to offer ourselves in selfless service to others.

The prophets were called to live by the truth; to share the truth and to call others to see what they’re missing. In this way they hear the invitation of Jesus to embrace something better; more in line with God’s desire that we live full lives.

We have the Holy Spirit with us. We all do and through our personal prayer and personal witness to the truth of the faith, we can provide an example of something better than empty pursuits or limited satisfaction.

The fact that we are not perfect and flawed ourselves helps us to understand the human experience. We hear Paul reflecting on his “thorn in the flesh” as a grace rather than a curse for it leads us all to dependence on God’s grace rather than our own power. This is at the heart of a prophet. He takes God’s voice, not his own, to others.

The celebration of the Eucharist is our key to touch the divine in the midst of the ordinary: bread and wine and word. Here Christ comes as our food, calling us beyond the ordinary to the extraordinary, his will and his way.

The truth is that God loves us beyond what we can totally comprehend. That he has sent the greatest Prophet of all, his own Son, who shows us a way out and a way forward. That Son reveals the truth of God and the truth of opportunity in our life. Despite our sin he always shows us the open door: his mercy and forgiveness.

Why would anyone fear that truth?

For by your Word you created the world

and you govern all things in harmony.

You gave us the same Word made flesh as Mediator,

and he has spoken your words to us

and called us to follow him.

He is the way that leads us to you,

the truth that sets us free,

the life that fill us with gladness.

(Preface: Eucharistic Prayer for Various Needs III)

Regnum Christi

July 8th, 2018 – Opportunity Missed

07 Jul 2018

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

[Mark 6:1-6]

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So, he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for this Sunday, the day we celebrate your Resurrection. I believe that you walk with us, Lord. I believe that you come into our “synagogue” today and bring your message of salvation. I trust that you will guide me to greater light today. Thank you for coming to look for me.

Petition: Lord, help me to have a heart and will open to your message.

God Can Surprise Us: Jesus was well known in Nazareth — or so they thought. But there was something they had never seen in him: they never saw the power of God in him. He was too ordinary. Our life can seem too ordinary to us sometimes. We may not recognize the voice of God when he calls to us, when he asks for a deeper faith and commitment to him. We may not recognize him speaking through the example and words of others. We may not shake off our routine and truly listen to the Word of God. We can learn from the surprise the people of Nazareth showed at Jesus’ true identity, as it will help us to be more alert to God’s surprises.
“And They Took Offense at Him”: Jesus can offend us. He came to shake up certainties about the closeness of God. God becomes uncomfortably close in Jesus. He knows all about us. He “grew up” with us: he knows our whole history, our weaknesses and our inadequacies. He expects much more of us than what we have given up to now. I need to let God challenge me every day. Only in that way can I really discover Jesus, the miracle-maker. Only in that way can I work with him to change myself and the world around me.
“He was Amazed at Their Lack of Faith”: What is there in my life that I think Jesus cannot touch, cannot change? Am I willing to present it humbly to Jesus each day so that he can slowly transform me? Do I try to use my spiritual commitments to grow in faith? Do I trust in Christ? If not, I need to ask him to increase that trust. He wants to make me into a saint. He wants to change this world. He can. I simply have to put my trust in him.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you have shown me that you can overcome any obstacle. I know that you want to show your power in me. Help me to believe in you more today. Let me show others the confidence and joy that you bring. Your power is present in my soul, Lord. Help me discover the signs of your Resurrection.

Resolution: Today I will make an extra act of charity for my family.

Scripture Speaks: A Prophet in His Own Town

Gayle Somers

Jesus drew large crowds as He preached throughout Galilee, healing many who sought His help. What was the reception when He visited His hometown?

Gospel (Read Mk 6:1-6a)

St. Mark tells us that early in Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, He visited His “native place.” Everywhere He went, He left a trail of “utterly astounded” people (see Mk 5:42). However, when He arrived at the synagogue in Nazareth, the reception was decidedly different. His preaching “astonished” those gathered, but their amazement moved in a surprising direction. “Where did this man get all this?” They were not impressed that one of their own had great wisdom and wrought “mighty deeds.” No, they were skeptical that someone they knew so well, someone whose whole family was well known to them, could suddenly show up and claim to be Somebody. In fact, His remarkable change from being simply “the carpenter” to a miracle-working prophet was just too much for them. They flat out didn’t believe Him. Consequently, He was only able to cure “a few sick people,” because there was no one else who asked for His help. Jesus knew He was taking His place in the long line of prophets in Israel’s history, each one of which was “not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house,” yet the lack of faith in his Nazareth neighbors still “amazed” Him.

What caused those who were best acquainted with Jesus to refuse to believe in Him? This question is well worth pondering, because it gets us to the heart of the mystery of salvation. The people in the Nazareth synagogue could not imagine that an ordinary fellow, one who plied his trade as a carpenter and moved in and about among his kinsmen in town, could be anyone special in God’s plan. Surely a prophet (much less the Messiah) would not seem so much like them. Surely there would have been signs along the way—during His childhood, His adolescence, His hours in His workshop—that He was one to keep an eye on. Nobody expects ordinary flesh and blood to be able to address the extraordinary problems of ordinary flesh and blood. We can just about feel the incredulity in their comments recorded by St. Mark. In effect, they told Jesus: “Sorry, but You are way too human to be of any importance to us.”

Yet, that is the key. The Incarnation, foretold as early as Gen 3:15 (and that’s early), meant that onlya human could be the One to make a difference for us. Only One like us, living like we do, could take our place in the work of reconciliation between God and man. The hardened human heart, full of pride and ego, resists this idea. Sinful man has bought into the devil’s lie that we are weak, fickle, and not to be trusted. That explains why the devil preyed on man and woman in the Garden. His strike against them would be his strike against God. However, it was God who dreamed man up, created him in His own image and likeness, and destined him for fellowship with the Blessed Trinity. Imagine the devil’s shock when he discovered that God would undo His enemy’s work through a woman and her Son. Through flesh and blood. Through the carpenter of Nazareth.

We need to know about this human tendency to reject human salvation through human beings. We face it in our own day. We see the world’s incredulous reaction to the Gospel’s claim that Jesus is the only way to salvation and to the Church’s claim to be the sacrament of the salvation He won for us. The world, knowing our history so well, can’t imagine that God would be working out His miraculous plan of redemption through us. We see it in ourselves, too. Can God be answering my prayers for my salvation through my very human spouse? My human children? My human co-workers?

Let us take this Gospel warning seriously so that it cannot be said of us that we have amazed Jesus by our lack of faith.

Possible response: Lord Jesus, help me see You in the humanity around me. That’s always the last place I look.

First Reading (Read Eze 2:2-5)

We have to wonder if, when Jesus faced resistance to His prophetic work in Nazareth, He had the prophet, Ezekiel in mind. The Lord sent Ezekiel, hundreds of years before Jesus lived, to “the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against Me.” God warned him that the people to whom he was being sent were “hard of face and obstinate of heart.” Nevertheless, Ezekiel was to faithfully proclaim God’s word to them. He was not to depend on their response to measure his success. “Whether they heed or resist…they shall know that a prophet had been among them.”

Perhaps these words gave Jesus comfort as He encountered Nazareth’s lack of faith. He was not the first to face this kind of resistance; He was also not the last. Recall that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the crowd: “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you…Rejoice and be glad…for so men persecuted the prophets before you” (see Mt 5:11).

“Rejoice and be glad”? Is this possible?

Possible response: Heavenly Father, I know I’m quite capable of being “hard of face and obstinate of heart.” Please grant me Your Spirit’s docility today.

Psalm (Read Ps 123:1-4)

These words give us a simple, concrete prayer for those times when our choice to obey God makes us the object of resistance and scorn (just like Ezekiel and Jesus). The psalmist resolves to keep his eyes onlyon the Lord: “As the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters…so are our eyes on the Lord our God.” We can see that what causes the psalmist to have this single-minded vision is the resistance of those around him: “Our souls are more than sated with the mockery of the arrogant, with the contempt of the proud.” Doing God’s will can bring us into conflict with those who are full of rebellion and ridicule. Our response cannot be to fight back. Instead, we can cry out with the psalmist: “Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for His mercy.”

There is no better place for us than in this kind of humility and dependence. That is why Jesus told us in the Beatitudes to “rejoice and be glad” in our persecutions for His sake. In our next reading, St. Paul explains how we get there.

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read 2 Cor 12:7-10)

In the epistle, St. Paul tells us about his own experience of finding God’s mercy to be adequate to our need, no matter what causes it. Here, he speaks of “a thorn in the flesh,” given to him to prevent him from being “too elated” over the “abundance of revelations” God had given him. We don’t know for sure what this “thorn” was—illness, some kind of personal failure, opposition from others, etc. We do know that God allowed the devil to use it against Paul. Did the devil mean it for good? No, the devil never wills the good, but God, Who is greater than the devil, sometimes allows evil in order to draw good from it (see CCC 268, 273, 1508). Can that really work?

St. Paul answers this question. God allowed him to be beaten by this “thorn” in order to lead him to humility and dependence (remember, the “abundance” of revelations to him could have tempted him to think he was somebody special). It took time for him to understand this, of course. “Three times I begged the Lord…that it might leave me.” However, God wanted St. Paul to understand that His grace “is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” As frustrating and baffling as this idea can seem to us, St. Paul tells us it doeswork: “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ.” Why would anyone be “content” with these awful things? “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

How counter-intuitive is this?? Yet, this is exactly what Jesus proved to be true, beginning in Nazareth, with the scoffing resistance of His neighbors, all the way to the Cross, when His own people had Him crucified. He became completely weak and utterly dependent on God—and He conquered!

It turns out that the truly human way God has of saving the world is for us to live the truly divine way of self-sacrifice. We should never tire of pondering this; perhaps if we take it to heart, we will not take offense to it.

Possible response: Lord Jesus, please teach me to be willing to be weak so that I can be strong in Your grace.

Jesus’ Homecoming

Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Over the last two Sundays, the gospel of Mark has been making it abundantly clear that Jesus is indeed God Almighty, ruler of the world and lord over life and death. But this week we come to a story that leaves us scratching our heads. Jesus goes to his own native place, and receives less than jubilant reception. “They found him too much for them.” That may not be so surprising to those of us accustomed to family life. But what does come as a shock are these words: “He could work no miracle there . . . so much did their lack of faith distress him.”

Wait a minute. I thought that Jesus was God and therefore omnipotent. Wouldn’t it be admitting that he is not God to say that he was unable to work miracles in a given place?

Hardly. God’s exercises his power only in a way befitting his nature. God is a lover, not a rapist. He seeks to give his love to those who freely accept it and open their hearts to him. He refuses to violate the wishes of those whom he has created in his image and likeness, who possess intellect and free will. He directly controls the wind and the waves through a word of simple command, for wind and waves are inanimate forces. But with regards to human beings, he makes himself available and waits for an invitation. That invitation whereby we ask him to come into our lives and calm our interior storms is called faith.

Faith is not, therefore, an emotion. It is not about an inner assurance, a feeling of confidence that is free of all shadow of doubt or fear. It is rather a decision, sometimes made with knees knocking. It is a yes that gives God permission to work in our lives and rearrange the furniture if he so chooses. That means blessing, healing, salvation and miracles. But it also means yielding to his will, his plan, his timetable. And of course, that is the part we don’t like. What will others think of me? Will I still be able to spend Saturday nights the way I’ve always spent them? I work hard for a living and deserve to be able to blow off some steam! Will I still be able to hang out with Joe, or to live with my girlfriend?

Sometimes we are not really happy with the way things are, but at least they are familiar. We know what to expect. We are in control, or at least we think we are. Faith means handing over control, and that scares us. We are free to say no, and quite frankly we often do. Sometimes we say no in small ways–we only let God take us so far. Sometimes it’s a very firm “no”, that shuts God completely out of our lives.

This is the sort of “no” that Jesus encountered during his visit to Nazareth, and which the prophets before him often encountered from the people of Israel.

So if Jesus was divine and therefore all-knowing, why did he bother to go to Nazareth at all? For the same reason that God sent Ezekiel to the Israelites and told him in advance that they’d resist. The Lord wanted to take away all excuses. God loved his people enough to offer them every opportunity for the healing and deliverance that they prayed for. He called their bluff, so to speak. Jerusalem pleaded for deliverance from the Babylonians and the people of Nazareth probably prayed for healing for Uncle Jacob or food for the town orphans. But in both cases when God showed up, ready to pour out his gifts, they didn’t like the packaging and rejected the terms.

At the last judgment, when our lives flash before our eyes, we’ll be reminded of the times that God made a house call and we slammed the door in his face. I say it’s time to apologize, unbolt the door, and roll out the red carpet.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 4

<< Sunday, July 8, 2018 >>

14th Sunday Ordinary Time

Ezekiel 2:2-5
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
View Readings

Psalm 123:1-4
Mark 6:1-6
Similar Reflections

ENOUGH

"My grace is enough for you." �2 Corinthians 12:9

Alleluia! Every Sunday is Resurrection day, the weekly celebration of that first Easter morning when Jesus rose from the tomb, triumphed over sin and death, and made all things new for us. Today is a day of unity, when believers from all over this earth gather to worship almighty God, listen to His living, all-powerful Word, and receive the Bread of Life, Jesus Himself. Today we learn again that God loves us so much that He can never give us enough of His blessings. Alleluia!

How wonderful is God's plan for this day! Yet occasionally someone in our acquaintance will say "I've had enough of this church," rather than, "God's grace is enough for me." One reason for this difference is revealed in today's psalm response. When our eyes are fixed on Jesus as Lord in a spirit of humility (see Ps 123:2; Heb 12:2), then we are opened to His mercy and grace. When we take our focus off of the Lord, then God is not enough to satisfy us; instead, we turn elsewhere for satisfaction.

Today, as you observe the Lord's day in all its splendor, "examine yourselves" (2 Cor 13:5). "What are you looking for?" (Jn 1:38) "Are the consolations of God not enough for you?" (Jb 15:11)

Prayer: Father, You bless us with more than enough good things (Lv 25:21). Thank You, my Lord, my God, my All.

Promise: "Therefore, I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions, and difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong." —2 Cor 12:10

Praise: Praise Jesus, Who finished the work of our salvation and brought victory to mankind.