On this Memorial of the Passion of John the Baptist we hear about the terrible events that lead to his death. As we confront the forces of evil in our lives, we draw strength from the insight of St. Paul, who reminds us that in our weakness we rely on the power of God.
St. Paul shows how God calls the weak, the lowly and those deemed foolish in the eyes of the world to stand with might before the powerful. Where do these humble people find their strength? In Jesus Christ!
Matthew’s Gospel offers the second prediction of the Lord’s Passion, reminding us that all disciples must face the Cross as they journey through this life.
The Lord exhorts his disciples to take up their Crosses and follow him. Crosses come in all sizes; may the Crosses we carry become a worthy offering to the Lord as we put his example into daily practice.
St. Peter gets it right…then he gets it wrong. Yet in the end we know that Peter will not only understand who Jesus is, but he will have the courage to follow the Lord, carrying the Cross from this life to the next. We, too, are works in progress; may we strive to learn from our successes and failures as we journey with the Lord.
Let’s look at some of the main themes in the readings for the 17th Sunday of the Year.
1st Reading – Genesis 18:20-32
The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are filled with grave sin, causing God to consider their destruction.
Abraham “bargains” with God, securing the Lord’s promise that if only 10 innocent people are still living in the city of Sodom it will not be destroyed.
Psalm – 138:1-3,6-8
“Lord, on the day I called for help, you answered me.”
God’s mercy protects the humble who seek God in prayer and daily practice.
2nd Reading – Colossians 2:12-14
Through baptism Christians die and rise with Jesus.
It is the Cross of Christ that frees us from our sins.
Gospel – Luke 11:1-13
Jesus teaches the Lord’s Prayer to the disciples (slightly shorter than the one found in Matthew 6:9-13.)
The Lord’s Prayer is followed by a reflection on petitionary prayer, where the disciple asks and receives good things from God. (Note, this is different from the Gospel of Matthew which follows up with a reflection on forgiveness.)
We recall the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross so that we never take for granted the Lord’s saving gift as we are inspired to grow in faith, hope and love.
Three Great Things 