Our relationships with the Lord and one another form the foundation for all our interactions and accomplishments. In good times and bad, we build up these connections, recognizing the crucial need to keep them vibrant and strong.
Mass Readings – 17th Sunday of the Year
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What does it mean to live in God’s grace? These two presentations were given at a parish retreat at St. Pius X Catholic Church on April 18, 2019.
Part I – Key Components of Grace (55 Minutes)
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Part II – Our Relationships in a Life of Grace (53 Minutes)
Handouts that were given to participants for both presentations
Living a Life of Grace (I & II)
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Jesus returns home with his disciples, but the people – limited by their thinking – cannot see him by the light of his ministry. The Lord’s rejection reminds us that we, too, have a community of our own…and we can either build it up or tear it down.
Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 4th Week of the Year (St. John Bosco)
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After the praise of Anna in the Temple, Mary and Joseph return home to Nazareth where Jesus will grow in strength and wisdom. It’s a good reminder about the power of a family to foster faith, encourage goodness and build lasting bonds of love. May we dedicate ourselves to building up our own families each and every day.
Mass Readings – The 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas
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Mass Readings – Friday of the 7th Week of the Year
The book of Sirach speaks about the great gift of friendship. As we build up our friendships on earth, may we also foster our life with Jesus Christ – the best friend of all.
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Mass Readings – Wednesday of the 6th Week of the Year
As Jesus heals the blind man in the Gospel today, he shows how healing is often an intimate process that leads back to our relationships at home. May we set before the Lord whatever is wounded in our lives, trust in his process of healing, and renew the relationships within our families and friendships.
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Archive of Fr. Andrew’s Podcasts
Fr. Andrew’s Daily Mass Homily Podcast
Mass Readings – Tuesday of the 16th Week of the Year
God calls us into a relationship of mercy and love, inviting us to follow his example with one another.
Study: Think about a best friend or cherished family member. What qualities do you find particularly precious?
Pray: Is there a relationship in your life in need of healing? Ask the Lord for grace, wisdom, and guidance to make it happen.
Serve: Is there a relationship in your life that needs to be renewed? What can you do to strengthen the connection?
Mass Readings – 17th Sunday of the Year
A thumbnail sketch of the readings this week looks something like this:
In all of these readings we see the power of relationships at work touching hearts and changing lives. We are not meant to walk through this life (or the next) alone; rather, God calls us into communion and invites us to deepen the connections we have with the Lord and one another. Looking at it this way, the readings point out that a relationship with God makes many things possible:
Our relationship with the Lord is made possible through Jesus. For remember, God makes it possible for us to draw near, and God invites us to enter into this very unequal relationship to raise us up as the Lord’s sons & daughters. We’ve been “allowed in” to this intimate and tender connection with Christ.
And thus we are called to strengthen our relationships in two distinct ways – with the Lord and with the people in our lives. That means we are called to consider how we might spend a little quality time building and strengthening our connections. With the Lord that means Prayer, Sacraments, Service, and a Call to Holiness. With other people it means forgiveness, charity, “wasting time” with loved ones in wholesome recreation, and seeking to bring out the best in one another.
And if something is wounded or broken…if a relationship is in need of healing – then ask the Lord for the grace to make it happen! Remember: the Lord calls us into relationships. May we take the gift of today to strengthen these connections in our lives.
Study: Recall a moment when someone really understood you. You felt safe, relaxed, and at peace knowing that you were loved completely and sincerely.
Pray: Take a moment to open your heart to Jesus. You might want to read/pray the readings today (especially the 2nd reading from Hebrews) and gaze at the Cross.
Serve: Is there someone in your life you can reach out to? Is there someone with whom you might be able to be present without judgment or bias – but simply meet them where they are in kindness, respect, and love?
Presentation of the Lord Readings
During my study as a seminarian I served as a chaplain at a hospital. I had the opportunity to work with a rich diversity of people from a variety of skills and backgrounds. Through this time I learned much about my strengths and weaknesses as a minister.
One day I was assigned to visit a man who had a heart attack. He was unhappy, sullen, and angry at me (and everyone else who came in). He kept claiming that he was “as healthy as an ox” and had “never been sick a day,” but we could all see that his life was in a fragile state.
In my visit I tried to speak about some of the topics that the doctors and nurses had been urging: physical exercise, diet, use of alcohol, stress, and other related issues. He refused to speak. He shouted, insulted, complained, and denied the fact that he even needed to be in the hospital!
I (being very inexperienced at the time) thought I could wear him down by simply being more stubborn – sitting there and listening until he just ran out of air. Suddenly, a middle-aged man walked in the room and asked me if he could visit with the patient alone for a few minutes.
I stepped outside, visited a few patients, and after about an hour I saw the man come out of the room with a big smile. He went over to the nurse on duty and informed her that the patient was willing to listen to any medical advice and act on it!
When I asked him what happened, he said, “You see, I was once like him – in the hospital bed, denying everything, angry at everyone, and blaming every person – except the only one who could make a change…ME! I showed him my scars, told him about the procedures, the medications, and the fact that I feel better now then I ever have.”
He then looked at me and continued, “I guess he just needed to hear it from someone who knows what it’s like. Someone who understands because he’s been through it.”
We see a similar connection in the book of Hebrews today. Jesus became like us – he suffered, died, and rose from the dead that sin and death might no longer have power. He knows what it’s like to face the challenges and burdens of life, and because he understands, he is able to help us, guide us, and strengthen us in our moments of need.
Perhaps now is the time to recognize that the Lord knows us. He knows what it’s like to face the challenges of life, and we can rejoice that the Master of the Universe comprehends our hearts – better then we do! Maybe today is our chance to stop and turn to the Lord and allow him to love us. Perhaps all we really have to do is stop “doing” for a moment and “be” present to Jesus.
It’s good to have a friend who knows exactly what we are going through and helps us on the way!
