The readings today are all about what proper religious observance looks like: following God's law in caring for the vulnerable people in their afflictions. This is a simple message, but one that often gets overlooked in religious discussions.
In Jesus' parable of the talents, he warns us that if we seek to protect our faith by hiding it away we will loose it. Our faith is meant to be lived, and shared, and questioned and then it will grow.
Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP breaks open the readings for the Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time, centering on different interpretations of Paul's Letter to the Ephesians where he admonishes wives to be submissive to their husbands and husbands to love their wives, as Christ's relationship to the church is analogous to marriage. Which part you emphasize changes the interpretation of the other readings.<br>
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Readings: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32; Jn 6:60-69
In ancient Israel there was a saying, "Fathers have eaten green grapes, thus their children’s teeth are on edge." Children often reap the consequences of their parents actions, but God wants to banish this saying because with repentance and grace, God can always open up new possibilities.
For 16 August 2024, Friday of week 19 in Ordinary Time, based on Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63
For 9 August 2024, Friday of week 18 in Ordinary Time, based on Matthew 16:24-28
On this Feast of the Transfiguration, we remember that great event where Jesus' clothes were transformed dazzlingly white and God spoke through the cloud "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him." Listening to Jesus is the heart of Christianity, and God gives us these spiritual experiences not to rest in them, but to strengthen us as listeners who act on what we hear.
The prophet Hananiah told the people what they wanted to hear. The Prophet Jeremiah told them the truth. Do we search for the truth or listen to those who tell us what we want to hear? The truth is sometimes comforting and sometimes challenging, but our hope can only lie in the truth. So if you want hope, search for the truth.
After God led the people out of Egypt, they complained because they were hungry. So God gave them manna and quail to eat in the desert. Can we trust that God will provide and go forth into the unknown with confidence, or do we drag our feet and long for a past that is gone?
Fr. Scott Steinkerchner, OP and Fr. Michael Fones, OP break open the readings for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Paul challenges us to give up our "futile" way of thinking, where we rely only on our own resources. Jesus challenges us to believe in him rather than some magic formula. Exodus challenges us to trust God to lead us into a better life. <br>
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Readings: Exodus 16:2–4, 12–15; Ephesians 4:17, 20–24; John 6:24–35