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GETTING READY FOR MASS JULY 18-19

Updated: Jul 26, 2020

Mass times for Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19, 2020

  • Saturday at 5:00 pm (inside)

  • Sunday at 9:00 am (inside)

  • Sunday at 11:00 am (inside)

What to listen for in the first reading The first reading is from the Book of Wisdom. Chapter 12 reminds us that God is just, but also merciful and forgiving. Today’s first reading reads almost like a hymn to the mercy and the justice of God. Now, remember, they only call it mercy when you don’t deserve it. Ask yourself: Where in your life do you need God’s mercy? Even if you don’t deserve it, where in your life do you most need His mercy? What to listen for in the second reading The second reading is from Saint Paul as he writes to the Christians in Rome. Today’s second reading contains verses 26&27 of chapter 8, which speaks to the role of the Holy Spirit in the prayer and interior life of a Christian. Pay attention to the second reading as Saint Paul writes: “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness”. Ask yourself: How do you feel about weakness? How do you feel about your weakness?

What to listen for in the Gospel Jesus tells yet another parable. Today’s parable includes an enemy who “came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.” Jesus’ parable about the weeds and wheat reminds us that the “kingdom of heaven” includes both “the weeds and the wheat”. The Church includes both “the weeds and the wheat”. Life includes both “the weeds and the wheat”. Your heart both includes both “the weeds and the wheat”. Again, as you did with the second reading, ask yourself: How do you feel about the “weeds”? How do you feel about your “weeds”?

This weekend's homily in one sentence Three “Ws” ... Weeds ... Weakness ... With



HOMILY NOTES This weekend's homily in one sentence:

Three “Ws” ... Weeds ... Weakness ... With

Weeds

  • “Where have the weeds come from?” (Today’s Gospel, Matthew 13:27)

  • Where does the question come from? Most of us don’t like the weeds.

  • “Do you want us to go and pull them up?” (Today’s Gospel, Matthew 13:28)

  • Where does the question come from? Most of us want to get rid of the weeds.

Weakness

  • Our weeds often “grow” in our weakness

  • Most of us hate our weakness

  • “Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me” (1st Corinthians 12:8)

  • Most of us want to get rid of our weakness


We look at life through our own particular lens

  • Most of us see our weeds, weakness through our lens

“God doesn’t wear your glasses”

  • “Love of neighbor is thus shown to be possible in the way proclaimed by the Bible, by Jesus. It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love even the person whom I do not like or even know. This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings. Then I learn to look on this other person not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. ... Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, God is Love, no. 18)

  • “Love of (my weakness) is thus shown to be possible in the way proclaimed by the Bible, by Jesus. It consists in the very fact that, in God and with God, I love (parts of my life that) I do not like or even know. This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings. Then I learn to look on (myself) not simply with my eyes and my feelings, but from the perspective of Jesus Christ. ... Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give (myself) much more than (what I think I deserve); I can give (myself) the look of love which (I) crave.” (Creative liberty with Deus Caritas Est, God is Love, no. 18)


With

  • “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness” (Today’s second reading, Romans 8:27)

  • “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness” (1st Corinthians 12:9)

  • “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (1st Corinthians 12:10)


God wants to be with us in our weakness, not despite our weakness

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