Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 31, 2011:

Isaiah 55: 1-3
Psalm: 145: 8-9, 15-19
Romans 8: 35, 37-39
Matthew 14: 13-21

Do you know how it feels to try to dig yourself out of a mess all on your own?  For every shovelful of progress, more dirt trickles back down, the sun beats hotter, the task looms larger. The scripture this weekend seems to address just this situation, reassuring us of God's generous concern and ultimate power to make things right.

These are beautiful Scriptures. I encourage you this week to read through them, to pick a phrase and use it throughout the week as a starter for prayer. Here are a few examples, but find the Word that speaks now to your heart:

• All you who are thirsty, come to the water!
• Listen, that you may have life.
• The hand of the Lord feeds us, he answers all our needs.
• The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
• What will separate us from the love of Christ?
• There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.
• They all ate and were satisfied.

If you'd like to leave a comment with your own chosen phrase, please go right ahead!

Catholic Digest | The Magazine for Catholic Living | You’re more spiritual than you think

Catholic Digest | The Magazine for Catholic Living | You’re more spiritual than you think

Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 24, 2011:

1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12
Psalm: 119: 57, 72, 76-77, 127-130
Romans 8: 28-30
Matthew 13: 44-52

I just read an interesting commentary on these parables in this Gospel. At first glance, it seems fairly straightforward to praise the finder for being willing to 'sell all' to gain the treasure. And yet. In selling all out of joy or desire to possess, the finder risks financial ruin, and is left with the puzzle of what to do once they have it. Great, you own a lovely pearl, but how will you feed your family on that? Okay new farmer, your crops didn't come in, but just how did you get so rich- who'd you steal from or cheat?  From this perspective, the risk involved is one that comes from wanting to hoard the treasure, the kingdom, all for oneself. Huh.

So - how do we find the balance? How do we have the courage, the discipline and trust to deny ourselves for a greater good.... and yet not treat our faith as a trophy to be enclosed, admired even as it gathers dust, and protected and hidden from 'others'? Difficult questions, and ones I fear I am not stating clearly.

Despite the sorting stories at the end of this and last week's Gospels, Jesus was fairly inclusive in who is invited to the Kingdom of God. His stories and actions upset many in the religious establishment because they wanted to hoard salvation.

As Christians, we do believe Jesus' message that God's reign is now among us, and yet not fully so.

• What changes do you need to make in your life in order for others to recognize that you ARE a member of the Kingdom of God? 
• What do you hoard or hide that is better shared or entrusted to others?

The next Mystagogia session is August 7.
The next Inquiry session is July 26, and will include a church tour.

A blog to visit

Here is a link to a blog on Catholic Moral Theology that is sound and well-balanced.

(You do know that not all sites on the Internet that call themselves "Catholic" accurately represent authentic Catholic teaching, right? As with any large organization, those on the fringes ('right' or 'left') shout loudest ... so it helps to find the reasonable, moderate voices.)

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time, July 10, 2011:

Isaiah 55: 10-11
Psalm: 65: 10-14
Romans 8: 18-23
Matthew 13: 1-23

For many, many years, Catholics were discouraged from reading the Bible on their own, out of fear that we would misinterpret the sacred truths and be led astray. How very sad! During the Second Vatican Council- a tremendously important event for Catholicism that began in 1962- the document on Scripture echoed the words of St. Jerome by proclaiming that "Ignorance of the scriptures is ignorance of Christ."

When we gather as a group in RCIA, we begin by reflecting on that Sunday's Scripture, making connections between the timeless truth of that passage and our daily lives. In our catechumenate sessions, most often our topic is derived from the theme of the Sunday Gospel (that's called 'lectionary-based catechesis'- a helpful term to know if you happen to get caught in a church-nerd trivia contest!) ...  we look to the Word of God to form, nurture and guide us.... to help us be the seeds planted in good soil, so that our lives may produce an abundant harvest.

The next Inquiry Session is Tuesday, July 12.
The next Mystagogia Session is Sunday, July 17.