The Lord gives his authority to the Twelve Apostles and sends them out to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven. This is our legacy of faith; like those first apostles we are empowered by the Lord for service in the world. Now get to work!
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 14th Week of the Year (St. Benedict)
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The Gospel of Matthew offers a succinct review of the earthly ministry of Jesus, who in turn invites his disciples to pray that God will send more laborers for the harvest. As the Lord’s disciples we continue Christ’s ministry in our lives today as we reach out to those who are troubled and abandoned.
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 14th Week of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Recall a time in life when you had to completely trust another. How did you react to being dependent?
Pray: Where do you see the need for strength in your life today? Call upon God for the help to face your struggles.
Serve: Is there someone in your life you can help empower? Is there a way that you can assist another to face new challenges?
Mass Readings – 15th Sunday of the Year
One of the themes that surface in the Scriptures this week focuses on the notion that God chooses us and gives us what we need. Take a look:
What does this mean for us today?
First, our lives are guided by God. We find our origin and focus in the one who chooses and calls us to the gift of life. We find ourselves in situations that contain blessings and burdens, at times touched by grace, at other times driven to our knees as we are overwhelmed by trial. Yet through it all we recognize that God is the origin and source of our lives.
Second, we find our strength in God. Amos found power and conviction to preach a difficult message – because he knew that the Lord would give him what he needed. The book of Ephesians reminds us that glory and redemption, wisdom and insight, come from the one who triumphed through the Cross. Jesus sends his disciples on mission – trusting entirely upon providence – so that their ministry is not sustained by their own power but dependent upon God alone.
We live our lives with the conviction that we stay close to the Lord. As we draw near to Jesus Christ, we continue to recognize our need for the Lord to remain the center and focus of all that we say and do. Apart from God our lives lose direction; united with the Almighty we discover purpose and meaning.
What’s more, as we rely on Christ we draw new strength! We understand that everything we have comes from God, and through this awareness we are able to receive the power we need to face situations we would have otherwise considered impossible.
God called the prophets and disciples to do extraordinary things…and gave them the strength to carry them out. As we face our challenges this day, may we respond to the one who calls us to do the task before us – trusting that the Lord will also give us what we need.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
***************
Note: This post was originally published on July 8, 2015.
Both Ezekiel and Jesus are confronted by people who do not want to listen to their message. The spoken word has power, and when the message is tough we can evaluate our effectiveness by four simple tests: Is it true? Is it useful? Is it good? Is it loving?
Mass Readings – 14th Sunday of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
When questioned about fasting, Jesus responds with an insight: there is a time to feast and a time to fast. As the Lord’s disciples we are guided by our faith in Christ to discern the appropriate times when we need to adjust our behaviors for the specific needs of a particular situation.
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 13th Week of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The call of Matthew in the Gospel reminds us that God calls all of us – regardless of our weaknesses, failures or past history – and invites us to offer our lives. In other words, God does not call the perfect; rather, the Lord chooses us (warts and all) and blesses us with what we need to accomplish our task. Like Matthew, may we accept the invitation and follow Christ!
Mass Readings – Friday of the 13th Week of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The Lord’s healing of the paralytic in the Gospel today invites us to consider both what needs to be healed in our lives and how we might bring others to Jesus for the healing they require.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 13th Week of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
The Lord drives out demons from two people in the Gospel, inviting us to discern how we recognize and respond as we focus our lives on Christ.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 13th Week of the Year
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcast
St. Thomas is known for his doubts about the resurrection of Jesus. However, once he saw the Risen Lord he boldly proclaimed “My God and my Lord!” This very real portrait of Thomas inspires us in the midst of our doubts to draw near to Christ and proclaim the Good News in our daily lives.
Mass Readings – St. Thomas, apostle
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Study: Reflect on a time when someone told you a truth that you did not want to hear. What caused you to want to resist?
Pray: Are there any tough decisions or actions facing you right now? Ask the Lord for guidance, courage, and strength.
Serve: Is there someone in your life who needs to hear an important message? How can you help them receive it?
Mass Readings – 14th Sunday of the Year
Have you ever been angry because someone told you what you needed to hear when you didn’t want to hear it? Who wants to be told they’re wrong, that something needs to change, that they have work to do? In our best moments we can accept constructive criticism with a tentative openness, but if we are vulnerable, defensive, doubtful, or in any sort of tough spot – we often will dig our heels in and resist.
Perhaps it’s just plain human nature – our free will comes with a liberty to choose any number of possibilities. Sometimes, however, we simply do not choose what is best…
This is the situation which confronts Ezekiel and Jesus in the Scriptures today. Sent to proclaim a message, they both encounter resistance. Ezekiel is told by God that the people will not want to hear him; Jesus is rejected by the community that knows his extended family. While both will fulfill their mission, the response of those addressed remains one of resistance.
Sound familiar? Consider the times in life when you’ve resisted a message. What was the issue? Ego? A relationship? Personal pride? Control? Sometimes the best thing we can do is discover what are the obstacles that keep us from the goodness of God.
Here’s a simple test: when was the last time you turned away from something important? What held you back? What was the road block that kept you from joy? Remember, the Lord longs to fill us with love; our job is to be open and receptive to what needs to be heard.
Maybe today we haul the obstacle out of the way…so God’s grace can transform and renew our hearts.
***************
Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Note: This blog post was originally published on June 30, 2015.
Catholic Inspiration – Podcast Archives of Homilies & Talks
Three Great Things 