St. Thomas, Apostle, Jul 3rd

 

Ephesians 2:19-22 / John 20:24-29

You are no longer strangers: You are being built into God’s temple.

Halford Luccock makes a striking observation in his book Unfinished Business. A playwright was looking up numbers in a New York City telephone directory. As he thumbed through the giant book, he thought to himself, “Not much of a plot, but, boy, what a cast.” Then Luccock thought what a world directory would be like—billions of names from every race, religion, and occupation. What if you could give that cast a plot? That, observes Luccock, is what Jesus did. He came into the world and gave its giant cast an incredibly beautiful plot. He told them they were to cease being strangers and become God’s own family.

13th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, June 30

 13th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, June 30

Genesis 21:5, 8-20 / Matthew 8:28-34

Isaac is born to Sarah; "Isaac is your true heir.”

 Paul used this analogy in dialoguing with the Jews of his time.

13th Week: June 28 – July 3:

  13^th Week: June 28 – July 3: 

June 28 Monday (St. Irenaeus, Bishop, Martyr)

The context: Today’s Gospel passage explains the cost of Christian discipleship and the total commitment, wholehearted constancy, and sacrificial ministry that the Christian mission requires.

13th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 28

13th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 28

Genesis 18:16-33 / Matthew 8:18-22

Abraham bargains with God; "What if you find ten good people?" 

13th Sunday B: Talitha Koum

  Palmerstone North Evening Standard

When I was in New Zealand in 1973 I read this fascinating comment in a newspaper article by the Director of Radiotherapy and Radiology in that country: 'Cancer makes people start thinking of their lives. Everything they do has a keener edge on it and they get more out of life.

12th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, Jun 25

 12th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, Jun 25

Genesis 17:1, 9-11, 15-22 / Matthew 8:1-4

Your wife will bear a son; Abraham responded with laughter

Occasionally a line in Scripture causes us to do a double take.

June 24: Nativity of John the Baptist

  The Lord called me: You are my servant.

This is the second of the four “servant songs” in Isaiah. (Isaiah 40-50). These songs exalt the perfect Israelite, whose suffering saves many people. (Isaiah 53: ii). In one sense, the songs apply to Israel and to all of its great leaders; but in another sense, they apply ultimately and uniquely to Jesus alone. (Acts 3:13,26)

12th Week: June 21-26:

  12^th Week: June 21-26: 

June 21 Monday (St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious)

The context: In today’s passage, taken from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus condemns our careless, malicious, and rash judgments about others’ feelings, motives, behavior or actions.

12th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 21

 12th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 21

Genesis 12:1-9 / Matthew 7:1-5

God calls Abraham; "Go forth to a new land!" 

Fr. John Catoir, director of the Christophers, describes his call to the ministry in his book That Your Joy May Be Full. He says that as a young man he was attracted to the priesthood, but held back.

Fathers' Day - June 20

 More Materials posted under "Fathers' Day" category - TK

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Dads are different than Moms. They parent differently. They protect differently. They teach differently. Moms buy bumper pads. Dads buy Band-Aids. Moms schedule “play days.” Dads encourage “throw-downs.” Some of you are not going to be happy about this, and of course there are lots of exceptions, but overall there just do seem to be different styles inherent between Moms and Dads. 

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, June 19

 11th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, June  18

2 Cor 12:1-10 / Matthew 6:24-34

God's grace is enough; When I am weak, then I am strong.

 "As children bring their broken toys, with tears for us to mend, I brought my broken dreams to God, because he was my friend.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 18

  11th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 18

2 Cor 11:18, 21-30 / Matthew 6:19-23

My life speaks for itself; I suffer gladly for the gospel. 

Years ago, Alice Marble, the queen of American tennis, woke up on what she hoped would be the most glorious day of her life. She was playing in England's Wimbledon finals.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, June 18

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, June  18

2 Cor 12:1-10 / Matthew 6:24-34

God's grace is enough; When I am weak, then I am strong.

 "As children bring their broken toys, with tears for us to mend, I brought my broken dreams to God, because he was my friend.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 17

  11th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 17

2 Cor 11:18, 21-30 / Matthew 6:19-23

My life speaks for itself; I suffer gladly for the gospel. 

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, June 17

 11th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, June 17

2 Cor 11:1-11 / Matthew 6:7-15

Beware of false prophets; They teach a different gospel. 

Charles Colson was a top aide to President Nixon in the 1970s. He was convicted of involvement in the Watergate scandal and imprisoned. While in prison, he had a religious conversion. Today he is a free man, going about the nation preaching a kind of grassroots Christianity.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, June 16

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, June 16

2 Cor 11:1-11 / Matthew 6:7-15

Beware of false prophets; They teach a different gospel. 

12 Sunday: Jesus Calms the Storms of Life

 

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, June 16

  11th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, June 16

2 Cor 9:6-11 / Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

God loves a cheerful giver; As you sow, you reap. 

Years ago, Judd Gray was convicted of murder. An insignificant incident played an important role in his conviction. On the night of the crime, near the crime site, Gray had flagged down a taxi.

11th Week: June 14-19:

 11^th Week: June 14-19: 

June 14 Monday: Mt 5:38-42: 

The context: During their captivity in Egypt, the Jews became familiar with the crude tribal law of retaliation called Lex Talionis (=Tit-for-Tat) given by the ancient lawmaker Hammurabi during the period 2285-2242 BC. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus rejects even the concession of milder retaliation allowed by Moses. In its place, Jesus gives a new law of love and grace — and no retaliation.

11th Sunday: Mustard Seed - Liturgy

 1. Patience: These Are Only Seeds

2. While the Farmer Sleeps…

 Greeting (Eph 3:20-21)

Glory to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus. May the Lord Jesus be with you.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, June 15

 11th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, June 15

2 Cor 8:1-9 / Matthew 5:43-48 

Jesus gives generously to us; Macedonia 's poor gave as Jesus did.

A government agent was traveling through the Tennessee mountains during the depression era. He was making allotments to poor farmers for seed, stock, and needed improvements.

11th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 14

  11th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 14

2 Cor 6:1-10 / Matthew 5:38-42  

We are God's ministers; We seem to have nothing, but have all.

The following excerpt is from a prayer found in the pocket of a dead Confederate soldier: "I asked for health, that I might do greater things; I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saturday, Jun 12th

 

The Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saturday, Jun 12^th

Isaiah 61:9-11 / Luke 2:41-51

The celebration in honour of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is closely linked to the solemnity of the Sacred Heart, which it follows by one day. This is not by accident. When we honour the Sacred Heart of Jesus we simply celebrate our Lord’s great love which he showed by dying for us and which he continues to give us day after day. Mary was close to her Son, not only because she was his Mother but because she loves everyone for whom her Son lived, died, and rose from the dead. Her heart is large enough to include us all in her love. She is with us in our sorrows and joys.

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, June 10

 10th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, June 10

2 Cor 3:15 - 4:1, 3-6 / Matthew 5:20-26

God's light shines in us; We must radiate God's light to others. 

St. Elizabeth of Hungary lived in the 13th century.

Sacred Heart of Jesus - June 11

 “My son died in 1994 but his heart only stopped beating this year”. Yes, the American little boy Nicholas’s heart was beating in someone else' body in Italy for more than 25 years after his death.

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, June 9

 10th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, June 9

2 Cor 3:4-11 / Matthew 5:17-19

God deserves the credit; He made us his ministers. 

Some students of history say that Harriet Beecher Stowe's book Uncle Tom 's Cabin did more to end slavery in America than any other single force.

11th Sunday - B - The Parable of the Mustard Seed

 

10th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 7

  10th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, June 7

2 Cor 1:1-7 / Matthew 5:1-12

God comforts for a reason; God helps us so that we may help others. 

A minister lost both legs as a result of war injuries. Consequently, he was unable to continue his work as pastor of his flock. The loss of his ministry proved to be as painful as the loss of his legs.

9th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, May 5

 9th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, May 5

Tobit 12:1, 5-13, 20 / Mark 12:38-44 

Tobit learns who Raphael is: He exhorted Tobit and Tobiah to praise God.

A young lady was making a retreat at St. Edward's College in Texas. During the retreat she wrote this poem. It does what Raphael urged Tobit and Tobiah to do: it praises God.

9th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 4

  9th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, June 4

Tobit 11:5-17 / Mark 12:35-37

Tobit's blindness is cured; Tobit gave thanks to God.

Byron Dell grew up on a farm in Nebraska. When he was eight years old, he had a pony named Frisky, who sometimes lived up to its name.