By Glenn CJ Byer, MA SLD

There is a marvelous contrast between the second reading and gospel today. The gospel describes the day on which Peter is established as the rock upon which the church is to be built. Peter speaks at the moment of his call, but Jesus knows that the words come from God. Paul's second letter to Timothy on the other hand shows an apostle at the end of his ministry, speaking from the heart about the cost of his ministry and the crown that he is confident awaits him on the other side.

Both are called, but only after the lifetime of service does the call live fully within the apostle. The same can be said of us. As we live out the call we received at our baptism we become more and more aware of what it means to live the life of gratitude for the call of God. This is reflected in the psalm for the day, which calls on us to give thanks to God always and everywhere. The response to the psalm reminds us of the angel that saved Peter from prison in the first reading.

© 2003, OCP. All rights reserved.

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Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (June 22, 2008)
Homily by Fr. Damien Wee (10.6 MB, 11:21 min.)
Gospel Reading Matthew 10:26-33

By Dale J. Sieverding

The first reading from the prophet Jeremiah contains a lament and a declaration of confidence in God who is the source of his strength. As a prophet, Jeremiah experienced pain and suffering for the message that he was charged to deliver to Israel. The first part of today’s reading tells of the struggles he experienced. The last part of the reading expresses his confidant assurance that God “who has rescued the life of the poor from the power of the wicked” is his strength.

The Gospel reading from Matthew follows on this theme of enduring suffering for the sake of the message. It is part of Jesus instruction to the twelve regarding their mission. “Fear no one!” “Do not be afraid!” “Even all the hairs of your head are counted.” These admonitions are to shore up the apostles who in the era when Matthew’s Gospel was written toward the end of the first century were no doubt experiencing opposition and persecution for their persistence in proclaiming the message of Jesus. Those who “acknowledge him” will be acknowledged by God in heaven. This is the promise to the apostles and the promised to us.

The Romans reading immediately follows the selection we heard last week. Paul is reflecting on depth of sin that pervades all humanity, Jew and Gentile alike due to the sin of Adam. Jesus is seen as the new Adam, unstained by sin and giving salvation to all, whether followers of the Law (Jews), or those subject to natural law (Gentiles—everybody else).

© 2008, OCP. All rights reserved.

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Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (June 15, 2008)
Homily by Fr. Damien Wee  (12.3 MB, 13:09 min.)
Homily Fr. Chuck Lintz (8.4 MB, 8.58 min.)
Gospel Reading Matthew 9:36-10:8

By Dale J. Sieverding

“Carried on eagle’s wings” God has looked out for the best interests of the people of Israel. That is the message of the passage from Exodus. With the negative example of what he “did” to the Egyptians, the voice of the Lord to Moses says that the people will be a “kingdom of priests, a holy nation.” Heady language for a people recently set free from slavery. The people of Israel were designated as a nation of royal priests who participated in the liturgical sacrifices, even though the actual offering of the sacrifice was restricted to the Aaronic priesthood.

The Jesus presented in today’s selection from Matthew’s Gospel is that of a concerned shepherd who comes to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Furthermore, he commissions 12 extensions of himself to go and be about the business of proclaiming the kingdom of heaven. The ministry is not just about preaching but also about the authority to call down the dynamic activity of God in dispelling unclean spirits and curing disease. Those sent are named and they are the ones who we know as the 12 apostles.

In our semi-continuous selection of Paul’s letter to the Romans, we hear Paul admonish the community about the importance of Christ’s death for their salvation. Even before they (the community) were known, Christ died for them, and because they are one with Christ in baptism (he will discuss in chapter 6), they are reconciled to God, Christ and one another. Connected to the other two proclamations of the day, it is emphasized that the Christian community has responsibility for proclaiming in word and deed the kingdom of heaven here on earth.

© 2008, OCP. All rights reserved.

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Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (June 8, 2008)
Homily by  Deacon Bill Hill (8.8 MB, 9:26 min)
Gospel Reading Matthew 9:9-13

The point of the passage from Hosea is that God desires love and recognition of him as Lord of creation in first place over burnt offerings or sacrifice of any kind. The people of Israel at various times preoccupied themselves with offering the perfect sacrifice and forgot the point—to love the Lord God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.

The selection from the letter to the Romans points to the strong faith of Abraham that believes the word of the Lord. As such, it was credited to him as righteousness. The Christians who believe in Jesus, follow his word and have faith will be justified and receive salvation.

The calling of the tax collector, Matthew, in today’s Gospel tells the community that Jesus really did come with salvation for the sinner over those who were already righteously following the law. The Pharisees who thought themselves righteous because of their slavish following of the law could not understand why Jesus defiled himself by eating with sinners and tax collectors. With strong words in the mouth of Jesus, the evangelist, Matthew emphasizes that Jesus came to save sinners.

The Judeo-Christian community that made up Matthew’s first century audience needed a reminder that Jesus came as salvation for all. Recalling the Gospel passage from the Ascension, we see that Jesus wants the community to make disciples of all nations and thus we hear that broadening of the message of salvation in today’s gospel.

© 2008, OCP. All rights reserved.

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Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (June 1, 2008)
Homily by Fr. Damian Zuerlein (8.7 MB, 9:14 min)
Homily Fr. Damien Wee  (9.6 MB, 10:12 min)
Gospel Reading Matthew 7:21-27 

By Dale J. Sieverding

The first reading and Gospel cast light on the importance of hearing the word of God, being faithful to it and putting it into practice. In the reading from Deuteronomy, the people are commanded to bind the words of the law on their wrists and forehead. To this day, Jewish people who strictly follow the Torah, wear phylacteries on wrist and forehead during the daily times of prayer. By carrying God’s word always with them, the people would be internalizing the words of God’s law.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he emphasizes that a person is justified by faith, apart from mere works of the law. Paul reflects on the importance of faith in Jesus that will save the person who dies and rises with him in baptism and grows in faith.

In Matthew’s Gospel, crafted for a Christian community of Jewish descent, Jesus further developed the concept of God’s word and law for the people. Everyone who “listens to these words of mine and acts on them” has built a house on solid rock. In the first century, observant followers of Jesus may have been tempted to follow the example of observant Jews without respect for acting on the word of God that they had heard and probably carried on their bodies with phylacteries. The evangelist “ups the ante” and challenges the superficial follower of Jesus. Putting the word of God into action is the key to attaining the prize of the kingdom of heaven.

© 2008, OCP. All rights reserved.

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