Sunday Homily

Better Together “It is not good for man to be alone” (1st Reading) Jesus is one who leads us to salvation. ( 2nd reading) Divorce and Let the Children Come to Me (Gospel) Domestic Church This Gospel is hard to listen to.  It can be uncomfortable. Divorce is hard and hurtful.  The Greatest of all time, Jesus, wants to extend His healing love and mercy to all those who hurt. 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time 3 October 2021

For whoever is not against us is for us. 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time 26 September 2021

Who is the greatest? 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time 19 September 2021

This is the fourth and final week of our message series we call Does this Shock you? The first week of our series Jesus asked us point blank whether or not we are shocked by his revelation that Holy Communion is his Body and Blood and we are to consume it if we are to have eternal life with him. Holy Communion is communion with him. That’s what makes it holy. Then two weeks ago we discussed how loving Jesus creates this interior disposition within us to want to serve and that there are all sorts of opportunities to serve right here at Saint Mary. There are all sorts of opportunities for you to be a true minister to others. As a member of our parish you are called to minister to others. That is a big part of what you should be doing. Does that shock you? Last week we talked about listening to God in prayer. Some people are shocked that God speaks to them in prayer. God does speak to you. That’s part of prayer.

Sunday, September 5, 2021 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time 29 August 2021

Welcome to the first week of our message series we call Does this Shock you. Sometimes the things Jesus says can be very challenging to the point that we have some sort of startled response mentally or even physically. We are shocked. In that scripture passage we just heard, Jesus asks his disciples, and us, point blank, does what I am saying shock you? Does this shock you?!! Some people are so shocked they chose to no longer follow Jesus. Between our first reading and the gospel we hear of two groups of people faced with the choice to follow the world or follow the Lord, and both groups offer us incredible examples to follow. In the first reading, Joshua challenges the people to choose between the idols that so many were worshiping and the one true God, insisting they could not serve both. And the people wholeheartedly assured him, “we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.” Like the Israelites following Joshua into the promised land, we too are God’s chosen people walking toward the true promised land. Through baptism all of you were made members of God’s new chosen people. Through your baptism God has promised you eternal possession of the true promised land — heaven — provided we keep our part of the covenant, that is if we remain faithful to his laws during our days on earth. At our confirmation we renewed this covenant and promised to be loyal to Christ, even if loyalty to Jesus brings us suffering and difficulty. We live in a world today that is ungodly and un-christian. This makes it all the harder for God’s loyal people, you, to live your religious life to the full. In today’s crazy world, can you, as Joshua did, answer by saying: As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord, for HE is our God. Jesus presents a similar challenge to his disciples. He has concluded his Bread of Life Discourse, announcing to the people that he is the Son of God, the Living Bread come down from heaven, insisting that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to have life in him. And, understandably so, many found his claims impossible to accept. Many walked away. How could this man be who he claimed to be — the Son of God — when clearly they could see he was only human, a mere man? How could he insist that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood? Yet, Jesus insisted. He did not back down. Living the life of a Christian disciple required a leap of faith, it required living by faith, so he let those, who chose to walk away, walk away. Then he posed a question to the twelve men he hand selected to follow him. He asked them “Do you also want to leave?'' They had the choice. Jesus wanted them to choose him, to live for him, to bear witness to him and the truth of the gospel, but it was their choice. The same applies to us today. We are called to be true Christian disciples, to live lives of love and service to the Lord, bearing witness to who he is, the Son of God, and the truth he proclaims. Yet, this calling is a difficult one. Living it out requires great faith and commitment to put Jesus before all else, even when it’s not the popular thing to do, even when others around us choose differently. We must make the choice. Sometimes it seems like we must choose every day because we encounter temptations to live outside our Lord's way of life every day. Can we wholeheartedly exclaim as Joshua did, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”?!! Do we recognize, like Peter did in the gospel, that Jesus is the one with the words of eternal life, that Jesus promises so much more than the world does? If so, there is yet another challenge that today’s readings present to us. Do we live out that choice, day in and day out, putting Christ before all else, even in the face of adversity and ridicule? God offers us the gift of faith. Jesus, his Son, offers us THE GIFT OF LIFE. He is the Bread of Life who gives us his body to eat in Holy Communion. Many of his followers were so shocked that he equated himself

We need certain feast days in the church to remind us and make clear the sacredness and the high destiny of every single human person. We celebrate such a feast day today. But sometimes life beats us up and we forget we are sacred in God’s eyes and have a high destiny. Here’s a story about that.

In this gospel selection from John chapter 6 Jesus ask us very pointedly, do you believe?! What specifically is he asking us to believe and how does this profoundly affect our lives? Jesus Christ is the son of the living God, and he wants a very specific belief from us. That’s the message here today.

What does Jesus truly mean when he calls himself the Bread of Life? How does him being the Bread of Life change our lives? In this episode we talk about Jesus, the Living Bread come down from heaven, who is our source and summit and how Jesus is our source and summit.

In the sixth chapter of the gospel of John we hear this incredible story of Jesus multiplying five barley loaves and two fish and feeding well over 5000 people! With this miracle Jesus is setting the stage for what we believe concerning the Eucharist, his body and blood. The Eucharist makes the church!  Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life!

Why is it that the worst of motives are frequently ascribed to those who disagree with us? How can we change that? How can we be the kind of people who bring people together rather than having them fighting and at odds with one another? There is a solution.

God, and his son our Lord Jesus Christ, knows it can be difficult to share the message of our faith even though it is fantastic, good news. He also tells us how to go about sharing our faith, and what to do when we or our message are rejected.

Why was Jesus not able to perform any mighty deed in his hometown of Nazareth?  And what does that have to do with us and with true freedom?  There is much about us that is right and good in life.  And we know there are part of ourselves that need some work.  This reflection on Freedom, the Law, and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, may be helpful to you.

If we feel some resistance to asking Jesus for help, what is holding us back? Is it our pride? Do we think we can do it on our own? Is it our fear? Will God ask something of me that I’m not ready to do? Are we worried about what other people will think? Or, do you believe that Jesus doesn’t care enough about you to work a miracle in your life? Sadly, many times we would rather suffer alone and in silence than reach out to the God who can save us. Are you suffering? Maybe start with this simple prayer: Lord set me free.  He loves you and wants to help you.