Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. -Year C - Sunday, 27 July 2025 (EPISODE: 540)
Readings for Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.- Year C
FIRST READING: Genesis 18:20-32
Psalm 138:1-2a, 2b-3, 6-7a, 7b-8. "Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me"
SECOND READING: Colossians 2:12-14
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Rom 8:15bc). Alleluia, alleluia! You have received the Spirit which makes us God's children. And in that Spirit we call God our Father.
GOSPEL: Luke 11:1-13
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/uNLh50S2X5VrsVEYYipQ/jesus-alone-at-prayer-to-his-heavenly-father?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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Please listen to the audio-recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers and homily), for Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C - Sunday, 27 July 2025 - by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-540/s-OEWe0Q6esqO (EPISODE: 540)
Prologue:
Jesus, in his teaching, wants to make it quite clear to us that God the Heavenly Father is a very doting Father. God would give you the world if it were for your good. God has given us the world, not without just limitations, for only that which is good.
God eternally cares for us and gives us what we need. God only desires our good and does not want to do us any harm, and God does not desire any harm for us. {FHL}
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Homily:
The word parable means literally that something is laid alongside another thing. In other words, a story or an example is put forward so the listener or the reader can compare or contrast a matter with something else. In today's gospel, the parable used by our Lord is likely intended to contrast something with another.
Jesus is virtually saying, do you really think that God's answer to your heartfelt prayer will only depend upon how effectively you've worn down God by repetition? Do you think God really acts only begrudgingly and reluctantly, like someone who doesn't really care, but will act only if you pester them so much that they give in just to get rid of your annoying requests? Oh no, that's not what God's like, and Jesus makes that clear. God is a loving and doting father. God would give us the world if it was for our own good.
God has given us the world, not without its just limitations. He's given us the whole world for that which is good. God eternally loves us and cares for us and only wants to give us what we need.
God only desires our good. It's so important for us to always remember that in good times and in bad times. God does not do any harm to us and God does not desire any harm for us.
Our Lord always answers our prayers, but sometimes, as we know all too well, the answer to our prayers is a loving but definite no. But God's heard us and God cares about us, and it's important to keep that very much at the front of our minds. We also know that God only ever answers us in love.
Even if we don't fully comprehend the reply that we're receiving to our prayers, even if God's answer to us does not make sense, even if he gives us what does not appear to be what we asked for, the important message is that to God we are beloved children, cherished, irreplaceable children. A parent knows that a child can always possibly ask for something which even the most doting but responsible parent must lovingly say no to. This reply may very well cause distress for the child, but distress is not desired by the parent.
The desire is to honestly and lovingly speak the truth and, just like a parent wouldn't do this, God would not give us something we ask for if it is harmful, and only God sees the full picture. The gospel goes on to say, ask, seek, knock. What a wonderful concept.
God has truly given us the freedom, true freedom, of the children of God. We take this freedom very seriously. We must take full adult responsibility for our decisions and actions.
God respects that. The true meaning of our Lord's teaching can be highlighted by looking at what he did not say, just as much as what he did say. If we do look at what Jesus did not teach, we can highlight Christ's true teaching and message by bringing it into sharp contrast.
For example, Jesus did not say take, demand, seize, and steal. Instead he says, ask, seek, knock. Neither did our Lord command us to bash down the door and enter and take what you want, and naturally so, because Jesus' message is about non-violence, grace, and gentleness.
So he teaches us, ask, seek, knock. These are indeed doing words, verbs, but they're gentle, gracious, respectful, action words. This captures the true beauty of Jesus' message and his whole gospel.
Ask, seek, knock. Also, Jesus did not say, don't ask and you will receive. Don't look and you will find.
Don't knock and yet still expect people to know you're standing outside wanting to get in. God gave us true freedom to engage with him as his children and to use our Christian freedom and responsibility to ask what needs to be asked and to seek and find what is hidden, as well as knocking at the door of opportunity. This act of seeking and openness allows God's ways to be provided to us.
God doesn't need to give us something which he's already given us the gifts and skills to be able to attain ourselves. The gospel today and the first reading remind us of the constant pattern to authentic Christian prayer. First and foremost, our prayer is always a recognition of the primacy and greatness of God and that we owe everything to God.
Also, our prayer should always give thanks to God for the many gifts and blessings that God has already given to us. Prayer is for the purpose of placing God right back at the centre of our lives where God always belongs. Prayer is intended to allow us to bend our wills to God's will and to shape us to be more and more into the people who follow God's will in the world and not merely our own will.
After all, daily Jesus teaches us to pray, may your kingdom come, not may my kingdom come. Prayer puts God's will and priorities ahead of the fads and trends of this world. When we pray, we become aware of how great God is and how far short of God we often fall.
Our prayer always contains at least an implied spirit of penitence and sorrow for our sins as well as a heartfelt request for forgiveness and renewal. And prayer covers all of the events and people of life. True prayer is a connection to God and covers the needs we have and the needs of our families, our friends, our fellow parishioners, and all people throughout the world, particularly those who struggle or hunger**
Jesus, by wonderfully teaching us what we now call the Lord's Prayer, gives us not only a beautiful but simple prayer, but also gives us his mission statement. Christ shows us the focus of his gospel that puts God front and centre in our lives. May Jesus, our teacher, lead us deeper and deeper into his perfect prayer and into his transforming ways and through this prayer may God's will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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References:
Fr Paul W. Kelly
** (this paragraph adapted from _) THE DAILY STUDY BIBLE. GOSPEL OF LUKE. (REVISED EDITION). BY WILLIAM BARCLAY.
Image Credit- https://creator.nightcafe.studio/creation/uNLh50S2X5VrsVEYYipQ/jesus-alone-at-prayer-to-his-heavenly-father?ru=Paul-Evangelion
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Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year C -(Sunday, 27 July 2025) (EPISODE: 540 )
1. The Lord be with you.
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{{May Our Lord's generosity inspire you.}} welcome everyone, we gather - To Pray, listen and reflect upon God and God's Kingdom. On this Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Coming together as Gods family, let us call to mind our sins.
Lord Jesus, you are the image of the unseen God: Lord, have mercy . You are the firstborn of all creation: Christ, have mercy You are the head of the body, the Church: 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
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Psalm 138:1-2a, 2b-3, 6-7a, 7b-8. "Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me"
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Rom 8:15bc). ). Alleluia, alleluia! You have received the Spirit which makes us God's children. And in that Spirit we call God our Father.
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PREFACE: Ordinary 2
Eucharistic Prayer 4
(theme variation: theme 3 )
(post version: v1-long)
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{1. Thanks for joining us for this time of prayer and reflection}
3. 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 the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks
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Details 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 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. And (2024+) Rode Nt-1 + AI-1 Sound Mixer.
Editing equipment: -- MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software v10.49 (NCH Software).
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 17.63 (NCH Software)
Sound Processing: iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor (Izotope Inc.)
Text transcription as per recorded podcast version is transcribed by TurboScribe.ai
{excellent and accurate transcription from voice to text}
[Production KER 2025]
May God bless and keep you.
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