Homily: Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 25 August 2024 - (EPISODE:493)
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GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
Homily: Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - Sunday, 25 August 2024 - (EPISODE:493)
Readings for the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B
FIRST READING: Josh 24: 1-2a, 15-17, 18b
Ps 34: 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21. "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."
SECOND READING: Eph 5: 21-32
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. John 6: 63c+68c). Alleluia, alleluia! Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. You have the words of everlasting life.
GOSPEL: John 6: 60-69
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-21st-sunday-ordinary-time-year-b-episode-493/s-0cW09BkKBDT
- (EPISODE:493)
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* (Prologue: Fr Paul Kelly)
Trust in Our Lord, especially in trying times.
This weekend's readings remind us that God is faithful to us and we should not let challenges stop us from trusting in God's care and protection.
In the first reading, the people wisely choose to continue to trust in their God rather than chase after false idols. They REMEMBER the care and protection God gave them in the past, and continue to trust in God.
The psalm also reminds us that we should continue to sing of God's praises and God's gifts. God has made a covenant with us like a husband and wife make a covenant with each other in marriage. It is one of equality and looking out for the needs of the other because they are truly a part of each other.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the people with his revolutionary teaching on the Eucharist. Some of his followers are horrified and turn away - refusing to follow him anymore. The Apostles refuse to stop following him because they rightly say, "Where else could we go? YOU have the words of everlasting life."
It is so important, especially in times of difficulty, challenge and change, that we all continue to remember the graces, give thanks for God's gifts and keep trusting in God's wisdom and guidance. For Jesus does indeed have the answers, even though he leads us through a new and often challenging territory.
Homily -
In the first reading, the people are faced with a decisive question. Will we keep following the Lord, or will we go after other priorities and values and chase after false gods?
The people's response is very good, and it's very telling. We have no intention of deserting the Lord our God because God brought us and our ancestors out of the land of Egypt, the house of slavery, and God worked great wonders before our eyes and preserved us along the way.
This is yet another example of the people remembering. The people are calling to mind very clearly the blessings and graces of the past. If we don't keep remembering the gifts of the past, we will almost certainly fall by the wayside.
We must keep thanking God, and remembering the countless blessings and graces that God has already given us along our life's journey. Then we too can say to the Lord, "we have no intention of deserting you."
And this leads us to the psalm as it says, "Bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips."
The second reading is meant to be understood as acknowledging the equality and dignity of a man and a woman, and encouraging people to put each other first, the way one would treat one's own self and one's own needs. It seems to me that when this is practiced, the needs of both are respected as if they were one's own needs, a recipe for a very respectful and loving marriage.
The gospel affirms Jesus as the source of all inspiration and all grace.
In the midst of very challenging new concepts and ideas that really challenge the would-be disciple, there's this simple reply, Lord, who shall we go to? You have the message of eternal life and we believe, and know that you are the Holy One of God.
This foundational belief in Jesus being our source of eternal life and of truth, allows us to keep trusting, keep believing and keep going deeper into our heart and soul; so that we will truly follow Jesus, even in times of challenge, especially in times of challenge. It's easy to be a disciple and follower of God when things are going right, and everything's good, but it's much more challenging when the path is very, very rough.
In this life, we must constantly be alert to keep our faith alive; and this requires a daily decision to abide deeply in God's word, to let God's word form us and fill us up, and to allow the word to convert everything that's not consistent with the Lord's values. This means daily prayer, daily spiritual reading, reflection on the scriptures and an openness to the formation and challenges of our Lord's eternal, life-giving word, words which challenge and impel us ever more forward, and often take us well out of our comfort zones.
Naturally, there are many good things about the society and the world we live in, but there are some strong values and philosophies that are so dominant and so powerful in our society that if we were to accept them, it could make our lives really miserable.
Some values in our world are clearly not consistent with the gospel, and can send us down a path of futility. For example, the way the secular world assesses the value of the person.
The world is stuck only in the flesh and puts too much importance on appearances. It doesn't understand the differences between "doing" and "being." It only takes a little to see that if you scratch the surface of modern society, some very worrying values in our society are quite inconsistent with Christ's message.
For example, there's a concerning attitude where a person might say, my whole value is in my job. Now our jobs are important, but to say my value is so much caught up in my job that without my job, I am nothing, that's not consistent with Jesus' message or actions. Also, if I were to say my true value is in my abilities to be able to do certain things, so if I can't do those things anymore, I am worthless. That's also misleading.
That's not of Christ. Christ has given each of us intrinsic value within ourselves. We are valuable.
We are precious. We are sacred in and of ourselves, irrespective of what we do or what we're able to do or what job we have or where we stand in society. We are precious and valuable in ourselves – simply and completely because we are beloved children of God.
So when people say my value is in what I own, or I'm valuable because of where I stand on the ladder of society, what happens if I lose my possessions or lose my reputation or social standing? Am I of no value at all? The world may say that. People may say that. Christ definitely does not say that!! – And Christ's view is decisive and always true!
Jesus shows us clearly where our true value lies. Our value is in being eternally beloved sons and daughters of a loving God. That reality NEVER changes, no matter what the changes of time and circumstances brings.
But Jesus' words are too hard for many people and they stop following him, which is really tragic because although Christ's worldview is challenging and new and requires a real change of heart and mind, it is freeing and very helpful, especially when so many other passing things, that we depend upon fail us, or cease to be accesible.
Christ's values never end. Thank goodness, Jesus doesn't water down his teachings or his message when people find it a bit hard to accept.
In fact, he steps up the strength of his message even more, in the face of resistance and rejection.
He will not back down. Jesus even turns to his disciples and says, "are you going to leave too?" And, (inspired by the Holy Spirit), Saint Peter replies, bravely and truthfully, "where else could we go? There's nowhere else to go. You have the words of everlasting life. You have the truth."
Why would we turn away from the truth, no matter how challenging it is?
Lord, help us to keep following your ways, even when they're most challenging, and help us to reject anything that is contrary to your values. May your life transform our hearts, and may your gospel transform our lives.
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References:
Homily –Fr Paul W. Kelly
Barclay, W. (1975). The Gospel of John Part I. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: St. Andrew Press.
Abbot's Homilies - Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert. . [online] Benedictine Abbey of Christ in the Desert. Available at: https://christdesert.org/updates/abbots-homilies/
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year B (Sunday, August 22, 2021) (EPISODE:317 )
The Lord be with you.
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{{Good day, everyone}} Welcome everyone; we gather - Ponder with reverence, God's word and sacrament.
As we prepare to celebrate the tremendous Sacramental feast of God's love, let us pause, recall our sins, and trust God's infinite mercy.
You were sent to heal the contrite of heart. Lord, have mercy.
You came to call sinners: Christ, have mercy.
You are seated at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us: Lord, have mercy.
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
3. Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection, you have set us free.
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Ps 34: 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21 . "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (cf. John 6: 63c+68c). Alleluia, alleluia! Your words, Lord, are spirit and life. You have the words of everlasting life.
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PREFACE: Sundays iii
ep ii
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{I am very grateful for you joining in at this special time of prayer and reflection. }
Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.
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Archive of homilies and reflections: http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email: paulwkelly68@gmail.com
To listen to our weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly
Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)
Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)
"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.
Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney, Australia).
Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" - By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria, Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.
- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of William John (Bill) Kelly (1942-2017) - Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
"Quiet Time." Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.
- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly. Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.
Sound Engineering and editing - P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.
v Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
v NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44
v Sound Processing: iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor
[Production - KER - 2024]
May God bless and keep you.
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