Twenty-fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Twenty-fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, September 11, 2011:

Sirach 27: 30- 28:7
Psalm 103: 1-4, 9-12
Romans 14: 7-9
Matthew 18: 21-35

The Gospel begins with a simple and familiar question from Peter, and ends with a puzzling and troubling parable. This is one of those weeks when the first reading can really help us shed some light on the Gospel. So please be sure to read Sirach again!

Divine forgiveness  and human forgiveness constitute a tightly linked dynamic. They are connected through the heart, the spiritual center of the person.
The heart is the symbolic place that opens both to God and neighbor. It receives mercy from God and extends that mercy to others. If it fails to extend mercy to others, it loses the mercy it has received from God. - John Shea "On Earth As It Is In Heaven"

• When is it easy to be merciful?
• When does it feel nearly impossible to do so?
• On this 10th anniversary of a day of immeasurable sadness, how are we in the U.S. challenged by today's Scripture readings?

Those in the Catechumenate will attend "Living Faith" for Fr. Joseph's presentation on "Sacrament".
For Mystagogia this week, we will meet at St. Bernadette in Fuquay-Varina at 4:30pm, to help serve the Migrant Ministry Dinner.
Inquiry will be this Tuesday at 7pm.