21st Sunday in Ordinary Time - August 23, 2009

Lectionary #122



Joshua 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Ephesians 5: 21-32
John 6: 60-69



We see in the first reading and the Gospel reading, people being asked to make a choice; to step over the line; to cross the Rubicon; to fish or cut bait…you get the idea. What we have are groups of people being asked to make a life changing decision.

In the Book of Joshua, we see God giving the people of Israel an opportunity to get out of the covenant they first entered into with God at Mount Sinai. God, who freed the Israelites from the Egyptians; who guided and sustained them through the desert; who protected them from their enemies; is giving them a do over. God does not want to coerce a commitment from Israel; he wants them to accept his way freely. They can be like other people in the land of Canaan, trying to control their lives through worshipping little idols. Or, they can be transformed into God’s unique people, with all the glory and challenges that transformation will bring. The people chose to “serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

In today’s Gospel, we are at the end of the Bread of Life discourse, Jesus has announced that he is the bread of life, that his flesh and his blood is true food and true drink. Anyone who feed on him will receive life eternal. His disciples, his followers hear this and do not know what to make of it. Some must have thought that Jesus was a crazy person. Others heard this teaching, and could not understand its meaning. Others must have heard the words, and understood them, but were afraid to accept them. For to accept the meaning of his words, is to be open to a radical transformation. The disciples could not make that choice, so they left Jesus, all but the Twelve. Peter, speaking for them all, has made the decision to continue to follow Jesus, because he has “the words of eternal life.” In making that choice, the lives of the Apostles are forever changed.

Every Sunday, we hear the Word of Lord, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and receive the Body and Blood of Christ. But are we letting ourselves be transformed, are we saying yes to Christ by entering into his life and letting him enter into us. Every day, we make that decision anew to serve the Lord by serving others, to love the Lord by loving others, by being people of hope.

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - August 16, 2009

Lectionary #119

Proverbs 9: 1-6
Ephesians 5: 15-20
John 6: 51-58

“The Jews quarreled among themselves saying, ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” (Gospel of John)

There have been surveys that asked Catholics whether or not they believed the Church’s teaching on Christ’s Real Presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist. One survey was taken by Gallup in 1992, and the other survey was taken by the New York Times/CBS news. The results of these surveys showed that a growing number of Catholics, especially young Catholics, no longer believe that Jesus Christ is present in the Eucharist. Why this unbelief? Is it a perceived lack of reverence in the Eucharistic liturgy? Is the result of Western skepticism about all things mystical? Or could it be that we have not lived Eucharistic lives?

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, because he loves us so much, is willing to give himself to us in the form of bread and wine; so that the gift of divine life will be renewed within us. And what have we done with this gift? When we eat this bread of life, do we open ourselves completely to the Presence of Christ? Do we allow Jesus in, and allow him to transform us? Have we forsaken foolishness? It is we who will provide living proof of the power of the Eucharist to transform.

I want to close with the words of St. Francis of Assisi, from his writings, The Admonitions, “And we may ask in the words of Scripture, Men of rank, how long will be dull of heart? (Ps. 4: 3). Why do you refuse to recognize the truth and believe in the Son of God? (Jn 9: 34) Every day he humbles himself just as he did when he came from his heavenly throne (Wis. 18: 15) into the Virgin’s womb; every day he comes to us and lets us see him in abjection, when he descends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the priest at the altar. He shows himself to us in this sacred bread just as he once appeared to his apostles in real flesh. With their own eyes they saw only his flesh, but they believed that he was God, because they contemplated him with the eyes of the spirit. We, too, with our own eyes, see only bread and wine, but we must see further and firmly believe that this is his most holy Body and Blood, living and true. In this way our Lord remains continually with his followers, as he promised, Behold, I am with you all days, even unto the consummation of the world (Mt. 28: 20).”*


*The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi, Franciscan Herald Press, 1976

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time - August 9, 2009

Lectionary #116
1 Kings 19: 4-8
Ephesians 4: 30-5:2
John 6:41-51


This Sunday’s Scriptures begins with the story of Elijah, fleeing the anger of Ahab, King of Israel. To escape, he flees into the desert. We have already seen in the previous Sundays’ readings, what the desert meant to the early Israelites. The desert heat drained them of energy; its lack of food and water weakened them; the starkness of the desert frightened them. It has the same affect on Elijah, just one day’s journey into the desert, and he is ready to give up. He complains to God that he has suffered enough, and is ready for death.

Most of us have had a “desert” experience in our lives. The struggles, the challenges of daily life can sometimes drain us of life, of hope. Some of us may experience a life crisis, a burden that we find too hard to bear. Like the desert heat, life can sometimes beat down on us, so much so that sometimes we feel like giving in to the despair, the hopelessness. Or else, like the early Israelites, like Elijah, we want to give up the journey we began when we were baptized. We want to give in to the bitterness, the anger, the hatred.

In the Gospel, we hear Jesus’ response, “Stop murmuring..” As God did for Elijah, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, comes to provide “the bread that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die.” Jesus Christ, “the living bread,” comes to feed us, to strengthen us, to renew the life within us, so that we will get up and begin the gospel journey again. As the bread Elijah ate, gave him the strength to reach Mount Horeb, where he encountered God; so to when we receive the Eucharist, we are united with God. Through the Son, our hope is renewed, the darkness of despair dispelled. Feed by the “living bread,” anger, bitterness, and hatred are removed, and kindness, compassion, and love are reborn.

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time - August 2, 2009

Lectionary #113

Exodus 16: 2-4, 12-15
Ephesians 4: 17, 20-24
John 6: 24-35



Since 9/11, there has been a debate in this country on how much freedom we are willing to give up for security. In Russia, people seem willing to give up many newly gained freedoms to a central authority, so that they will feel secure in their country. As long as the Chinese government provided jobs, the people see no need for individual liberties. In Exodus, God has just delivered the Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians, and is leading them to freedom. The path is taking them through the desert, and soon they are grumbling against Moses. Even though they had witnessed the power of God, when He freed them from slavery; even though He is making them His Chosen People, they are already longing for the supposed security of Egyptian slavery. They were willing to give up their newly won freedom for full stomachs.

God hears their complaints, provides for their needs, not just birds for meat, but he gives them a special food. God gives them bread from heaven.

Now in John’s Gospel, we see the people whom Jesus has just fed, begin searching for him. They had witnessed a miracle; they believe that Jesus is “the Prophet.” They want to make him King, have him use his power to free them from the Romans. Jesus berates them, telling them that they are missing the point of the miracle of the loaves. He has come not to provide for the physical security of Israel, he has come for a higher purpose. And he is calling on the people to join him in that work, which will provide gifts that will never perish, that will truly sustain them, no matter what troubles, what crises life may throw their way, the Father will provide the food that will sustain them and strengthen them. And that food is “the bread of life,” Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is “the true bread from heaven.” The Son of God comes to us in the simple form of bread and wine, transformed into his Body and Blood. He comes to feed us, to renew the life within us, to satisfy our need to experience God’s love, to satisfy our need for hope, to satisfy our thirst for justice and peace. So let us receive him, open ourselves to him, and be transformed by him.

17th Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 26, 2009

Lectionary #110

2 Kings 4: 42-44
Ephesians 4: 1-6
John 6: 1-15


Bread is a staple of life. No matter what type of grain is used, many societies in the world depend on bread to live. The lack of bread has lead to revolutions and the overthrow of governments.

Bread is important in the Scriptures. In Genesis, Mielchizedek, the King-Priest of Salem, brought bread and wine to Abraham, to celebrate his victory against the four Kings. In Exodus, God instructs Moses to tell the people of Israel to prepare and eat only unleavened bread on the night of Passover, the bread of haste. And later in Exodus, in the great desert, God feeds His people with manna, “bread from heaven.”

In the first reading, the people are suffering from famine; Elisha comes in possession of twenty barley loaves, to feed one hundred people. Elisha, trusting in the Lord’s word, has the food distributed and it satisfies everyone. The Lord cares for His people.

In the Gospel of John, we see Jesus performing an even greater miracle, with just five barley loaves and a couple of fish, he is able to feed five thousand people. The people are awed by what they have witnessed; they believe that the Messiah is among them; they want to make Jesus king and have him use his power to drive the occupying Romans out. The people do not understand that this miracle is not meant to reestablish a political kingdom. It was to show them that God still cares for His people.

God still cares for us, His people. In a harsh world, we are hungry for healing, hungry for hope, hungry for peace, hungry for love. The Father feeds us with the Bread of Life, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Through the Eucharist, we are refreshed, through the Eucharist, we are strengthened for the Gospel journey, through the Eucharist, we become one with the God who loves us.

16th Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 19, 2009

Lectionary #107

Jeremiah 23: 1-6
Ephesians 2: 13-18
Mark 6: 30-34


Oh, with today’s reading from the prophet Jeremiah, anyone with a grudge against America’s bishops could have a field day. Especially when one considers how some of them failed to act during the clergy abuse scandal, one could really write a ripping homily.

However, Jeremiah was not speaking about the religious leaders of Israel, but rather its political leaders, the kings that came after David and Solomon. Jeremiah is railing against their failure to remain faithful to the Covenant God made with his people. These kings trusted in their own political machinations, rather than in trusting God’s power. The result being that these kings have leaded the people to disaster. The Davidic kingdom was split in two; and the two kingdoms would eventually be destroyed and the people of Israel scattered.

Jeremiah, after his condemnation of Israel’s past leaders, proclaims that God will send a new shepherd, a true descendant of David. He will gather the scattered people, and will restore the nation to justice, peace and security.

Christians believe that this new shepherd is Jesus Christ, but He is coming not to restore the political nation of Israel, but to reconcile all people with God, to create a new nation of believers. He begins by teaching the people, guiding them with His words, showing them the way back to the Father. Then, like a good shepherd, Jesus gives up His life for His sheep, that through His death and resurrection, all people are united into one flock, one body, the Body of Christ.

15th Sunday of Ordinary Time - July 12, 2009

(Lectionary #104)

Amos 7: 12-15
Ephesians 1: 3-14
Mark 6: 7-13



We see in today’s readings, two examples of the Lord calling ordinary people to mission. In the Old Testament reading, we see the prophet Amos, telling off the priest of the northern kingdom of Israel. Amaziah is assuming that Amos is one of those “professional” prophets, who prophesy for pay. These prophets were probably trained on how to make prophesies more favorable to their clients. Amos declared that he was no professional, but a simple farmhand, a shepherd. A most common man, yet he was called by God to go out and proclaim His word; to go and confront a king and call him to account for his actions. He had no training, but the Lord gave him the words he was to speak.

God always seems to call the most ordinary of people, to do the most extraordinary actions. We see this in the gospel passage from Mark, which details the commissioning of the Twelve Apostles. Here we see Jesus calling the Twelve and sending them out to proclaim the Good News, to drive out demons, and heal the sick. Again these followers of Jesus were just ordinary people, fishermen, a tax collector, and other common men. Yet, because of God’s grace, God’s power, they were able to work wonders.

Many of us today, may assume that because Jesus commissioned the Twelve that the work of proclaiming the Gospel to the world is to be left to the bishops, the clergy and the religious; and we lay folk are off the hook. But we would be wrong. By virtue of our Baptism and Confirmation, all of us, ordained or lay, have been called by the Lord to make the Good News known to the world. We ordinary folk, by our words, but especially by the example of our lives, are to make known to everyone the healing love of God, to call everyone to change their lives and believe the Good News.