Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 115

Reading 1

1 Kings 19:9a, 11-13a

At the mountain of God, Horeb,
Elijah came to a cave where he took shelter. 
Then the LORD said to him,
“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;
the LORD will be passing by.” 
A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains
and crushing rocks before the LORD—
but the LORD was not in the wind. 
After the wind there was an earthquake—
but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 
After the earthquake there was fire—
but the LORD was not in the fire. 
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. 
When he heard this,
Elijah hid his face in his cloak
and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD — for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Reading 2

Romans 9:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
I speak the truth in Christ, I do not lie;
my conscience joins with the Holy Spirit in bearing me witness
that I have great sorrow and constant anguish in my heart. 
For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my own people,
my kindred according to the flesh. 
They are Israelites;
theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Alleluia

Psalm 130:5

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I wait for the Lord;
my soul waits for his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 14:22-33

After he had fed the people, Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side,
while he dismissed the crowds. 
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. 
When it was evening he was there alone. 
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. 
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea. 
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified. 
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear. 
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 
He said, “Come.” 
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. 
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught Peter,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 
After they got into the boat, the wind died down. 
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

In the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, he spoke of what is considered the Three Theological virtues today: faith, hope, and love. He deemed all three vitally important, with love transcending the other two. Without love there is nothing else because we were created out of love to love and be loved; God being the perfect form of love from which every other kind flows. This does not make faith and hope something less than. Instead these two should be approached with love. As Christians, nothing can be done without love, so it should become an encompassing force within our lives. When we love ourselves, other people, and God there is no room for conflict and negative feelings. Taking this love and applying it to our faith, while allowing it to form our expectations, sees us utilizing and implementing all three of these theological virtues. This will lead to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ  and a more joyous life. It is easy to believe when the presence of God is felt and it is easy to expect things from Him when His presence is known.

 

How then can we feel the presence of god’s love in our life? For those who have felt it, it is easy to feel and easier to describe. Yet there are so many who cannot feel His presence or resist fully embracing Him on an intimate level. There are two worlds that we can live in, one that holds God as its primary presence, or we can choose the one that is filled with distraction and temporary self-gratification. If we choose the one with God, then that means our efforts and focus will be on God and building a relationship with Him. The more we focus on the relationship, the deeper it will become; the more gifts we will receive from it.

 

To fully understand about developing a relationship with God, the example of meditative prayer can be used. This type of prayer calls for us to enter into silence to find God. Through certain practices, slowly pushing out outside distractions and emptying one’s mind of any personal thought is learned. It is then in the silence that God can be found. We can then rest in His presence. Meditative prayer takes time and practice. There are those who cannot or will not succeed in this area, lasting only a couple of minutes before being distracted. There is then frustration and an unwillingness to continue doing it. Others will apply themselves, first doing it for a couple of minutes. Over time, these few minutes turn into hours of silence listening to God. The results are directly related to how great the commitment to finding God is. If we do not seek, we will never find.

 

The Prophet Elijah found God in a small whispering sound. God tends to minimize Himself instead of displaying His endless power and glory. He wants us to get to know Him on an intimate level; relating to Him as a friend and lover. Psalm 16 says,

 

“you will show me the path to life,

abounding joy in your presence,

the delights at your right hand forever.”

 

The act of showing indicates a relationship and joy is only experienced through God’s presence. So, it can be asked, do we not put as much in a relationship with God beyond Sunday obligations? If we are true to ourselves, we already have the answer. Living in this world always threatens to minimize God and urge us to turn our back on Him.

 

Deacon Tom

 

 

 

 

 

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 109

Reading 11 KGS 3:5, 7-12

The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.

God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”

Solomon answered:

“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king

to succeed my father David;

but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.

I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,

a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.

Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart

to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.

For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.

So God said to him:

“Because you have asked for this—

not for a long life for yourself,

nor for riches,

nor for the life of your enemies,

but for understanding so that you may know what is right—

I do as you requested.

I give you a heart so wise and understanding

that there has never been anyone like you up to now,

and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

Responsorial PsalmPS 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130

R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands.

I have said, O LORD, that my part

is to keep your words.

The law of your mouth is to me more precious

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

Let your kindness comfort me

according to your promise to your servants.

Let your compassion come to me that I may live,

for your law is my delight.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

For I love your command

more than gold, however fine.

For in all your precepts I go forward;

every false way I hate.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

Wonderful are your decrees;

therefore I observe them.

The revelation of your words sheds light,

giving understanding to the simple.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

Reading 2ROM 8:28-30

Brothers and sisters:

We know that all things work for good for those who love God,

who are called according to his purpose.

For those he foreknew he also predestined

to be conformed to the image of his Son,

so that he might be the firstborn

among many brothers and sisters.

And those he predestined he also called;

and those he called he also justified;

and those he justified he also glorified.

AlleluiaCF. MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;

for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 13:44-52 OR 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,

which a person finds and hides again,

and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant

searching for fine pearls.

When he finds a pearl of great price,

he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,

which collects fish of every kind.

When it is full they haul it ashore

and sit down to put what is good into buckets.

What is bad they throw away.

Thus it will be at the end of the age.

The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous

and throw them into the fiery furnace,

where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

“Do you understand all these things?”

They answered, “Yes.”

And he replied,

“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven

is like the head of a household

who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

 

 

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

 

We should have great joy knowing that Jesus Christ is in our lives. Walking with Him and living our lives by His precepts ensures success in all things that we do. It also ensures a wonderful life full of revelation and boundless love. These successes are not successes in human terms nor are the revelations and love restrained by human definition. Instead it needs to be understood that what we are guaranteed from Jesus Christ are things of a spiritual nature which will free us from the bonds of an earthly experience and instead usher us into a mystical experience which is far beyond anything we can expect from the material world. As Christians we have the understanding that God created the heavens and the earth; all things visible and invisible. When we acknowledge this then the barrier between the physical and the spiritual is removed and these two worlds can be experienced together as it was God’s plan for it to be that way in the first place. Any barrier that has been present between us and our God were ones that have been erected by us and not by Him. There is always the opportunity to have them removed by asking God to remove them and welcoming Him into our hearts and our lives. He is always waiting for us to ask Him to do this. He always wants us to do this. He loves us that much. A relationship and a life with Jesus Christ is the first step towards opening ourselves to God and this new life which is promised.

 

Wisdom is a combination of knowledge, understanding, and experience. All these qualities taken together bring a person to a higher level of awareness of everything that is happening internally and externally. This does not only apply to the physical things but spirituality as well. Everything is deepened by and through wisdom. That is why there are so many books dedicated to wisdom in Sacred Scripture and why it is also mentioned frequently throughout. Jesus Christ being the Word made Flesh is the centerpiece of all wisdom for it flows directly from Him into all of God’s creation. Being in right relationship with Jesus makes us receivers of wisdom and benefactors of all that comes with it. When the Word became flesh and came into the world it became a defining moment for all of God’s creation because Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Holy Spirit were revealed fully in relationship to The Holy Trinity. That event became the culmination of everything that came before in the entire history of creation: Wisdom revealed in all of its glory. Welcoming Christ into our lives welcomes wisdom in its entirety and we then have the capability of expanding it and applying it to everything that we say and do. It also completes us as God’s children. Setting aside what we think we know and receiving these heavenly gifts can only make our lives better as a result. 

 

God appeared to Solomon in a dream and offered Him anything that He wanted. Solomon asked for the gift of wisdom above any earthly desires. He wanted to rule the Jewish People rightly and justly but worried that He was too young and naive to do so. Understanding his limitations in comparison to the limitlessness of God and His greatness enabled Solomon to become a receiver of the Gift of Wisdom. He was known throughout history for his great wisdom and was arguably the greatest king in the history of Israel. When we humble ourselves before God and are open to Him we can also become receivers of the same thing. Spiritual Gifts will flow from God to us as a result.  The Apostle Paul tells us that, “ All things work for good for those who love God.” He explains that when we focus on God and welcome Him into our lives then we become a vehicle of His pure goodness and love. Our actions are not ours anymore. We walk with God and that becomes a great benefit for us and those around us.

 

It is plainly obvious how small we are in comparison to God but God really doesn’t care nor should we. It should be comforting to us that God knows all of us intimately. He knows all of our darkest secrets and our greatest successes. He does not want to judge us but instead wants to heal us and offer a pathway to redemption. God’s greatness might, at times, scare us and cause us to doubt: How can there even be a God? How can God love me and know me? God is here and He is ready to give us the greatest gifts imaginable if only we are open to receive them. Imagine a small child in the arms of its father or mother. There is complete trust and complete joyfulness. The only thing the child wants to do is experience the moment and the comfort that is offered by its parent. In reality it is very easy for a child to relax and enjoy existing in the moment when that moment is complete love. That is how God wants us to approach Him all of the time: relaxed and in the moment to experience pure love.

 

Jesus Christ offers us the vision of what type of relationship we can have with Him and with God. It is perfection. It is something that arguably we have sought for our entire lives but were distracted through our own free will and the temptations of the world. Treating God as our Father and Jesus Christ as His son who is guiding us on this great journey of life opens up a whole new world of experience and wonderment that is beyond anything that we could ever comprehend. It is up to us how we treat it and how we allow the experience to influence our lives. We can easily dismiss what Jesus Christ is telling us or we can embrace it and cherish it like He wants us to do. The results will speak for themselves. With The Word of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ we are guaranteed a fruitful, beautiful life. With them we already know what that will lead to because we have experienced it already.

 

Deacon Tom