READINGS:
- First reading Exodus 19:2-6 You have seen how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my
covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all the other people.” You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.” - Psalm 100 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him singing for joy. “We are his people; the sheep of his flock.
- Second reading Romans 5:6-11 God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. We were reconciled to God through the death of his Son; how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
- Gospel Matthew 9:36-10:8 Jesus is moved with pity for the crowd, who are like sheep without a shepherd. Yet, there are not enough laborers to manage the abundant harvest. Jesus commissions
the 12 apostles to go forth to the Jewish people, not the gentiles, to gather the lost sheep into the fold. Tell them that the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. - THEME: Learning to hear, then follow God’s call to holiness.
THOUGHTS:
- Father’s Day
- The Lord has just rescued the Israelites from the Egyptians, drowning their military in the Red Sea. This is their first stop in the desert (Sinai) where God will give Moses instructions for the people.
At this moment, they are “on board” with following the Lord faithfully, having just witnessed the destruction of the Egyptian army and so won their freedom. It will not be long, however, before they
are griping about desert life and blaming Moses for leading them out of Egypt, only to die in the desert. - God’s plan: that the Israelites would be a kingdom of priests: those who lead others in worship and sacrifice to honor the Lord. Examples of what God expects from all of creation.
- God’s backup plan when Israel fails to follow God’s commandments to love God above all things AND our neighbor as ourselves is to send God’s Son
, Jesus, to show us how to live righteous lives. He does so by accepting rejection and death, that we might have expiation for our sins.
- The second season of Chosen, in Episode 2 Jesus is healing a long line of petitioners. Exhausted, he limps toward a tent and some rest, too tired even to eat. He encounters an argument among the
apostles as to who is/is not worthy to serve with the Lord. A simple look from Jesus silences them…probably out of embarrassment about their behavior and pettiness, their judging one another, in light of Jesus’ ministering to the needy, exhausting himself in the process. - Jeff Cavins: there are no insignificant, or little, roles in God’s plan for salvation. Everyone has a role to carry out in God’s plan! Even the smallest act/gesture moves the plan forward.
- In Give Us This Day, a brief description of the life of Martin Buber, Jewish philosopher (1878-1965). “The true meaning of love one’s neighbor is not that it is a command from God which we are to fulfill, but that through it and in it we meet God.”
Dearest St. Joseph,at the word of an angel, you lovingly took Mary into your home. As God’s humble servant, you guided the Holy Family on the road to Bethlehem, welcomed Jesus as your own son in the shelter of a manger, and fled far from your homeland for the safety of both Mother and Child.
We praise God that as their faithful protector, you never hesitated to sacrifice for those entrusted to you. May your example inspire us also to welcome, cherish, and safeguard. God’s most precious gift of life. Help us to faithfully commit ourselves to the service and defense of human life—especially where it is vulnerable or threatened. Obtain for us the grace to do the will of God in all things.
Amen.
OPENER:
- Anonymous reflection on “The Greatest Ability”. There are great abilities that people acquire, cultivate, and demonstrate. In the service of God, however, there is one ability that is the greatest
ability of all. What is it? Is it sociability? Compatibility? Accountability?Adaptability? Reliability?
The greatest ability is availability. If we are not available to God, no matter what other kinds of ability we have, our ability is no good. Ability without availability is a liability! Availability means that there is a sense of preparedness and readiness. There are people in life who are prepared, but they simply are not available. - Sometimes people assume God cannot use them because they do not have great abilities, special talents or gifted aptitudes. They feel they are just ordinary and do not have anything special for God’s use. But God never asks about our ability, only about our availability.
- It appears that our winter wheat harvest will be lower this year than last, partly because of drought in some areas and partly because fewer fields were sewn with winter wheat.
- “At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
- Jesus in the garden on the Mt. of Olives: Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done…and an angel from heaven appeared to strengthen him.”