XVIII Sunday in OT:[A]: Is 55:1-3; Rom 8:35, 37-39; Mat 14: 13-21

XVIII Sunday in OT:[A]: Is 55:1-3; Rom 8:35, 37-39; Mat 14: 13-21

Introduction:  All of today’s Scripture Readings, one way or another, emphasize the provident goodness of God, who feeds all of creation and satisfies the desire of every living creature. From the First Reading we hear the voice of a hospitable God who invites all to a banquet where the hungry, the thirsty and the poor could feast freely and richly. It is an offer of abundant life as well as a call to listen to His word. St. Paul teaches us through his letter to the Romans that nothing in this world will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  In the Gospel Reading from St. Matthew, Jesus miraculously feeds five thousand people in a deserted place with five loaves and two fish. He shows his great concern towards people who had left everything and stayed with him to listen to his word.

Anecdote: A story is told of a farmer whose farms were full of corn. Every morning on waking up, he prayed aloud to God that the needy would also be supplied with corn. But when anyone in need asked for a little of his corn, he would always say that he had none to spare.  One day after hearing his father pray for the poor and the needy, his little son said to him, “Father, I wish I had your corn.”   “What would you do with it?” asked the father.   The child replied, “I would answer your prayer.” The farmer had compassion for the needy. He prayed that their needs be supplied. But his compassion was without corresponding action. It took his son to point out the in-congruence of his situation and thus his prayer.

Exegesis:  Today, we have the account of the event from Ch 14 of St. Matthew, but there is another account of what is essentially the same miracle in Ch 15. In today's version there are five thousand men with five loaves and two fish and in Ch 15 we find four thousand men with seven loaves and a few fish. Considering today's reading in St. Matthew's context we find that Ch 14 begins with his account of the banquet at which John the Baptist was executed. This was an old-style royal banquet of the worst kind. Herod is there with his cronies/buddies enjoying the best food and drink his kingdom has to offer. There is wickedness, arrogance, rivalry and scheming; and the upshot of all this is that the head of John the Baptist is triumphantly brought in on a plate.

St. Matthew sets these two banquets beside each other precisely in order to make this contrast between a banquet offered by a worldly, brutal & selfish king and the banquet of a loving & generous Savior to which the poor are invited. He is deliberately making a direct contrast between the values of this world and the values of the Kingdom of Heaven. Herod's squalid banquet does nothing for anyone, least of all Herod who comes out of it with a guilty conscience. All who participate in that banquet come out the worse for it; except perhaps the one reluctant guest, John the Baptist. For him it meant the crown of martyrdom. It meant the fulfillment of his role. He died knowing that he had completed his task and paved the way for the Savior of the world.

Joke: 1) A nervous young Minister, concluding his first sermon, told the flock,
"For my text next Sunday, I will take the words, “And they fed five
men with five thousand loaves of bread and two thousand fishes." A member of the flock raised his hand and said, "That's not much of a trick. I could do that." The priest didn't respond. However, the next Sunday he decided to repeat the text. This time he did it properly, "And they fed five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fishes." Smiling, the priest said to the noisy man, "Could you do that, Mr. Perkins?" The member of the flock said, "I sure could." "How would you do it?" asked the minister.  "With all the food I had left over from last Sunday!"

Banquet of Jesus is always attached with prayer. “.. looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.”  Prayer and actions should correspond for better spiritual life. Compassion to the poor expressing in words should reflect in the action out-reaching to the poor.

Practical Applications: 1) We need to be “Eucharistic ministers”: We too, can perform miracles in our own time and place, by imitating the four "Eucharistic actions” of Jesus:  take humbly and generously what God gives us, bless it by offering it to others in God’s love, break away from our own needs and selfish interests for the sake of others, and give with joy-filled gratitude to God who has blessed us with so much and to others.  2) We need to be generous in sharing God’s blessings: We need to share our blessings with others around us generously and sacrificially in order to alleviate their spiritual and physical hunger. God lavishly blesses the large-hearted who generously and sacrificially share their resources with others.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Introduction

Message: Jesus has pity on the crowd and miraculously feeds them.  In his compassion, the Lord answers all our needs, thus renewing his covenant of love with us.  Nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.

Saints and Events in this Week: 4-Fourth-Monday-Saint John Vianney, priest; 5-Fifth-Tuesday-The Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major; 6-Sixth-Wednesday-The Transfiguration of the Lord; 7-Seventh-Thursday-Saint Sixtus II, Pope, and his Companion, martys; and Saint Cajetan, priest; 8-Eighth-Friday-Saint Dominic, priest; 9-Ninth-Saturday-Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, virgin, martyr

XVII Sunday in OT:[A]: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52

XVII Sunday in OT:[A]: 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12; Rom 8:28-30; Mt 13:44-52

Introduction:  In the gospel text of today, Jesus elaborated by means of two parables his own injunction to seek first the Kingdom of God.  The Kingdom of God is like  treasure hidden in a field, you cannot attain it unless you sell all you have in order to take possession of the field, thus you show how much you value that treasure (Mt 13:44).  The Kingdom of God is like a precious pearl, you cannot possess it unless you sell all you have in order to be with it, thus you show how much the pearl is important for you (Mt 13:45).  There is also mention of another parable, the parable of the dragnet thrown into the sea, of the similar to one about the wheat and the darnel that we saw last Sunday, and the separation process at the end of time.

Exegesis:  In the parable of the hidden treasure, Jesus compares entering the Kingdom of Heaven to a person who unexpectedly stumbles upon a hidden treasure buried in a field while tilling the soil. He buries it again for the field where it is hidden does not belong to him. He does not tell the owner of his discovery, but goes and sells everything he has in order to get ownership of the field and hence of its buried treasure. The idea obviously is that when one really discovers Jesus and his vision of life everything else becomes secondary.

In the parable of the pearl, Jesus tells of a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he finds one of great price, he also sells everything he has in order to acquire it. Both these parables are more or less the same but the difference is in the poor laborer and the rich merchant. Kingdom of Heaven is all-inclusive, available to rich and poor alike. Still, the merchant like the laborer must risk everything to succeed. The Reign of Jesus in our hearts is the buried treasure or the pearl of great price. It is for this that Jesus is asking us to search, and once discovered and its value fully appreciated, sacrifice everything to possess it.  Discipleship is open to all but entails sacrifice. And the outcome of the disciple’s quest is a joy that exceeds imagination when he has found the only truly valuable thing in life.

Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a fishing net which when thrown into the sea collects all sorts of fish. The net could not and does not discriminate. It is left to the fishermen to do the dividing and the separating process. While the first and second parables speak of the total commitment and dedication which are the ideal of every follower of Christ, this third parable try to explain the presence of those evil ones who seem unfit for the Kingdom. The invitation of Jesus to be part of God’s reign is open to rich and poor, good and bad; in fact, many of all sorts are collected into the community of disciples. But at the end there will be a sorting out of those who are worthless and those who have been proven valuable, and reward and punishment will be administered accordingly.

Joke:     A child asked his father, "How were people born?" So his father said, "Adam and Eve made babies, then their babies became adults and made babies, and so on." The child then went to his mother, asked her the same question and she told him, "We were monkeys then we evolved to become like we are now." The child ran back to his father and said, "You lied to me!" His father replied, "No, your mom was talking about her side of the family."

Practical Applications: 1) Live every moment in our life aiming at our precious goal. Most of our activities are oriented to false treasures such as money, social status or worldly pleasures.   Thus, the really valuable pearl of sharing in God’s life through Jesus here on earth and later in Heaven, is never found. Let us always remember that Heaven is within the reach of all of us.  And it should be our priority in life than the worldly pleasures.

2) Keep our greatest treasure safe: priority in using time, talents and valuables should be given to the Kingdom of God. How much time we spend for God? How much of our talents we use for God? How much we spend our valuables for God? How much we keep God’s presence in our lives? Think on these questions for reflection and grade our grade of priority towards God.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Introduction

Message:  The person with true wisdom, like Solomon, will seek the reign of God and treasure it above all else.  It is more precious than gold and silver.  Thus one becomes conformed to the image of Christ, the Son.     

Saints and Events in this week: 29-Twenty Ninth-Tuesday-Saint Martha; 30-Thirtieth-Wednesday-Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop, Doctor of the Church; 31-Thirty First-Thursday-Saint Ignatius of Loyola, priest; August 1-First-Friday-Saint Alphonsus Liguori, bishop. Doctor of the church; 2-Second-Saturday-Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop Saint Peter Julian Eymard, priest; 

XVI Sunday in OT:[A]:Wis 12:13,16-19;Rom8:26-27;Mt13:24-43

XVI Sunday in OT:[A]:Wis 12:13,16-19;Rom8:26-27;Mt13:24-43

Introduction: In the Gospel passage for today, the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus presents a wise and patient God who allows the good and the evil to coexist in the world. "Let the seed and the darnel grow together till the harvest time.” God awaits repentant sinners, giving them the strength to acknowledge their weakness. Through the parable of the wheat and the weeds in today’s Gospel, Jesus calls us to be patient with those who fail to meet the high ethical standard expected of a Christian.

Explanation:  Most of those who heard Jesus were farmers and they could readily understand that one cannot easily distinguish weeds from wheat when the plants are very small. It is only when they have grown taller that the difference becomes apparent. By that time, however, the roots are so intertwined that one cannot pull out the weeds without severely damaging the wheat. Only at the harvest can the separation be made safely. 

The spiritual reality being illustrated is the congregation of believers. It is often impossible to know who may be for sure the true and faithful followers of Jesus since we can usually judge only by appearances. In Jesus' day, the Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be the most religious of all, yet he rejected them for lack of interior conversion. In particular, they thought they knew for sure who were the "weeds" and who were the "wheat." And they were sure that those whom they rejected were rejected by God also. The gospels tell us that Jesus thought otherwise. 

Too many Christians today are like over-zealous servants who could not tolerate the evil weeds. In their zeal to serve God they go on a crusade against those they perceive as evil with the intention of cleaning up the church, the nation, or the world. In the end they discover they have made a big mistake.

Anecdote:  A little boy not familiar with an echo thought he had heard in the woods the voice of another boy not far off. He shouted: “Hello, there!” and the voice shouted back, “Hello, there!” He cried again: “Who are you?” and the voice replied, “Who are you?” He cried once more: “You mean boy,” and the cry came back: “You mean boy.” Then this little boy went home and told his mother that there was a bad boy in the woods. His mother understood how it was and said to him, “Well, speak kindly to him and see if he does not speak kindly to you.” The boy went to the woods again and shouted, “You are a good boy.” “Of course, the echoing reply came, “You are a good boy.” “I love you,” he said loudly. “I love you,” replied the faithful echo. The story of the echo is the story of the good and bad in life.

Joke:  An elderly woman called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car had been broken in to.

She is hysterical as she explains her situation to the dispatcher: "They've stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!" she cried.

The dispatcher said, "Stay calm. An officer is on the way."

A few minutes later, the officer radios in. "Disregard." He says. "She got in the back-seat by mistake."

Practical Applications:1) We need to practice patience and show mercy.  Let us patiently and lovingly treat the “weeds” in our society as our brothers and sisters and do all in our power to put them back on the right road to heaven, especially by our good example and our fervent prayer for their conversion.

2) We need to grow up as healthy wheat in God’s field, leaving the weeds for Jesus to take care of.  The Good News is that growth and maturity are probably the most effective forms of weed control.  In the end, it’s enough to know that we are “seeds” who have been planted by God and that we are part of a healthy harvest that will someday be reaped by the angels of God.  Our exemplary Christian lives will be a compelling challenge and a forceful invitation to evildoers to repent of their sinful lives and turn to God.

Introduction:  Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message:  In his patience, the Lord allows both weeds and wheat to grow together, both saints and sinners to respond to salvation in the Kingdom.  This Lord is good and forgiving, lenient to all, desiring repentance for our sins. May the Spirit assist us in our weaknesses!

Saints and Events in this Week:  22-Twenty Second-Tuesday-Saint Mary Magdalene; 23-Wednesday-Saint Bridget of Sweden, religious; 24-Twenty Forth-Thursday-Saint Sharbel Makhluf, priest; 25-Twenty Fifth-Saint James, Apostle; 26-Twenty Sixth-Saturday-Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

XV Sunday in OT:[A]: Is 55:10-11; Rom 8:18-23; Mt 13:1-23

XV Sunday in OT:[A]: Is 55:10-11; Rom 8:18-23; Mt  13:1-23

Introduction: Today is the 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time and the Scripture Readings of today emphasize the constant and powerful action of the 'Word of God' to enlighten and to move our minds and hearts to believe in Him and to act accordingly. In the First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, Isaiah compares the power of the word of God with rain and thereby its effect on us. Just as rain falls and makes the earth fertile and fruitful, so the word of God comes down to us and enriches our lives. If our lives are not enriched then we frustrate God. In the Second Reading from his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul refers to the fact that all humans and all creation suffer because of sin and he assures us that the present sufferings are nothing compared to future glory that awaits at the end of the process. In the Gospel Reading from St. Matthew, Jesus tells us 'The Parable of the Sower.' He emphasizes the variety of responses to the word of God. It is not due to God’s seed (word) that the harvest fails in some people’s lives, but the manner in which it is received. “The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.”

Exegesis:  The parable of the Sower speaks to all of us. If we examine and tell ourselves the truth, each one of us will convincingly find our position within it, the type of soil we are and how far we have handled the seed sown in us. What do we do with the Word of God we hear proclaimed to us every day is one important question. This is because, for many, we have become used to it that it no longer makes meaning to us, and we have developed a very hard and tough skin towards it that it can no longer penetrate the walls of our heart. Do we still heed the call and instruction of the Word of God, and has it brought any ontological or functional change in our lives? If after hearing this Word preached to us every day and we still did not make heaven, who is to blame? Our pastors, priests, parents, brothers and sisters, who else? Of course, the obvious answer is, “I”, because to whom much is given much is expected. The Word of God is meant to transform us and help us live a better and healthier life.

Joke: A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when he noticed an old lady following him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and continued on. Finally he went to the checkout line, but she got in front of him. "Pardon me," she said, "I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you look just like my son, who just died recently." "I'm very sorry," replied the young man, "is there anything I can do for you?" "Yes," she said, "As I'm leaving, can you say 'Good bye, Mother'? It would make me feel so much better." "Sure," answered the young man.
As the old woman was leaving, he called out, "Goodbye, Mother!" As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he saw that his total was $127.50. "How can that be?" He asked, "I only purchased a few things!" "Your mother said that you would pay for her," said the clerk.

Reflection: Finger pointing isn't much of a solution. God spoke to Adam. Adam was in charge. Adam was God's right-hand man, the one to whom He had given dominion, power and authority. Adam was responsible. Adam could have confessed his sin right then and there. The outcome may have likely been the same, but it would have been the mature thing to do. But notice how fear and self-condemnation so quickly twists one's way of thinking. “Then the man said, 'The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.'”(3:12) Adam blamed the woman and blamed God for giving him the woman. “It wasn't me! She made me do it!” Sounds like present-day children blaming a sibling after being caught with their hand in the cookie jar. If we want to be word and light in a culture of blame shifting, then the Christian response is clear: We need to take ownership for our own wrong-doings. We need to accept the blame when we make a mistake, and we need to teach our children to do the same.

Fifteenth Sunday in OT: Introduction

   

Message: “The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest”. May the soil of our hearts be receptive to the Word and carry it out through the presence of the Spirit.

Saints and Events in this Week: 14-Forteenth-Monday-Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, virgin; 15-Fifteenth-Tuesday-Saint Bonaventure, bishop, doctor of the Church; 16-Sixteenth-Wednesday-Our Lady of Mount Carmel; 18-Eighteenth-Friday-Saint Camillus de Lellis, priest

XIV Sunday in OT:[A]: Zec 9: 9-10; Rom 8: 9, 11-13; Mt 11: 25-30

XIV Sunday in OT:[A]: Zec 9: 9-10; Rom 8: 9, 11-13; Mt 11: 25-30

Introduction: Today’s Gospel tells us about the Heart of Jesus. It gives us these words of comfort: “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.” 

Explanation: What do they mean for us?    They tell us something about God that is very different than the images of God we might have.  Many of our images are of the Almighty Awesome Creator of the Universe.  We think of the great frescos on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel as Michelangelo portrayed God creating the universe with a dazzling display of power.  We think of the image of creation of Adam, and God’s powerful hand touching the limp finger of the first man giving him life.  Or we think of some of the wonders of nature and we remember that God is the Awesome Creator.

We often have images of God as the Judge of the living and dead. Judgment comes accordingly the things we have done. There is reward or punishment waiting, there is mercy and compassion, but there is also justice.  Again, going back to the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo depicts the scene of the Last Judgment showing the joy of the saved and the grief of the condemned.  Jesus is the Just and Merciful Judge.

To be meek is to be patient and gentle.  It is not the surrender of rights or some form of cowardice, but the opposite of sudden anger, of malice and of long harbored vengeance.  Jesus is meek.  He is not waiting for the right time to strike us down for what we have done to Him, how we have attacked His Holiness with our sins, how we have attacked those whom He loves, or how we have put him out of our lives.  He is gentle.  He is patient with us.

In the Gospel, Jesus offers rest to those “who labor and are burdened” if they will accept his “easy yoke and light burden.” By declaring that his “yoke is light,” Jesus means that whatever God sends us is made to fit our needs and our abilities exactly. The second part of Jesus’ claim is: "My burden is light." Jesus does not mean that the burden is easy to carry, but that it is laid on us in love and is meant to be carried in love, and that love makes even the heaviest burden light.

Joke: A woman was walking along the beach when she stumbled upon a Genie's lamp. She picked it up and rubbed it, and lo-and-behold a Genie appeared. The amazed woman asked if she was going to receive the usual three wishes.

The Genie said, "Nope ... due to inflation, constant downsizing, low wages in third-world countries, and fierce global competition, I can only grant you one wish. So ... what'll it be?"

The woman didn't hesitate. She said, "I want peace in the Middle East. See this map? I want these countries to stop fighting with each other."

The Genie looked at the map and exclaimed, "Gadzooks, lady! These countries have been at war for thousands of years. I'm good, but not THAT good! I don't think it can be done. Make another wish."

The woman thought for a minute and said, "Well, I've never been able to find the right man. You know, one that's considerate and fun, likes to cook and helps with the housecleaning, is good with me and gets along with my family, doesn't watch sports all the time, and is faithful. That's what I wish for ... a good mate."

The Genie let out a long sigh and said, "Oh… Let me see that map! And think what I can do with those countries! "

Practical Applications:  1) Unload our burdens on the Lord through prayers. During the Holy Mass, we have to place our stress-filled lives on the altar and allow Jesus to cool down our overheated hectic lives.  We also unload the burdens of our sins and worries on the altar and offer them and ourselves to God with Jesus’ life during the Holy Mass.  During our personal and family prayers in the evening we ask God’s forgiveness for the sins and failures of day and receive the consoling assurance that we are reconciled with God and our fellow human beings. 

2) We take up too many unnecessary burdens or worries in our life: Jesus lays the light burden of his commandment of love on us and yokes us with himself, giving us his strength through the Holy Spirit. Our life is full of love and based on the love of Jesus, then there is no room for worries. 

3) The peace we share during holy mass should be real peace to everyone. We are called, not only to find peace, refreshment and rest for ourselves, but also to live the kind of life through which others, too, may find God's peace, God's refreshing grace, and the joy of placing their lives in God's hands. 

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time : Introduction

Message:  Jesus gentle and humble of heart, came to bring peace to all people.  We are called to live in his Spirit, to be gracious, merciful, and compassionate to all.

Saints and Events in this Week:  9-Nineth- Wednesday-Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, martyr and his Companions, martyrs; 11-Eleventh-Friday-Saint Benedict, abbot; 

Peter & Paul:[A]:Acts 12:1-11; II Tim 4:6-8, 17-18 Mt 16:13-19

Introduction: Today we observe the feast of martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul. The Depositio Martyrum, in the year 258, places the Solemnity of these Apostles on June 29th.  Eventhough they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, and Paul followed. Both are the principal patrons of Rome and are mentioned in the Roman Canon.

Peter was son of Jonah and brother of Andrew. He was a professional fisherman from Bethsaida, a fishing town on the Lake of Galilee.  He might have been a follower of John the Baptist. It was his brother Andrew who introduced him to Jesus, and Jesus who changed his name from Simon to Cephas or Peter. Jesus made him the leader of his apostles and the rock on which he would build his Church. Peter was the first to preach the risen Lord on the day of Pentecost. He also convened the first Church Council in Jerusalem and wrote two epistles to the whole Church. He was crucified by the Emperor Nero in A. D. 64, and over his grave was built St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. Patron of those in the fishing industry.

Paul, the fanatical Pharisee and scholar of Judaism was miraculously converted and chosen by the Holy Spirit to be the “apostle to the Gentiles.” He wrote 14 epistles, made several missionary journeys and spent his final days in prison in Caesarea and Rome.  He was beheaded at Tre Fontane. Over his grave was built St. Paul’s Cathedral in Rome. After Jesus, Paul is the most prominent person in the New Testament. 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament are letters attributed to Paul and more than half of the Acts of the Apostles is devoted to Paul’s conversion and to his apostolic activities in spreading the Good News. Patron of the lay apostolate, the Cursillo Movement, and Catholic Action; also of Malta and Greece.

Mission: Our Lord called Peter and gave him a charge, a charge that we Catholics consider a real blessing. Immediately after St. Peter acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, Jesus declared to him: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.  I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16: 17-20)  St. Peter’s job was that of giving us unity and the rock-like strength that is found in unity. This job is likewise the job of St. Peter’s successors… the popes, the successor Bishops of Rome. “so that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you sent me”. (John 17:21)

St. Paul was tasked by Jesus to bring the diversity of the gentiles into what had begun as an essentially Jewish community of believers. The first believers were, of course, Jews. He became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles, he himself having been a Jewish Pharisee. But Paul was careful to carry out his mission not on his own but as a member of the College of Apostles. Paul’s message and teachings were not his own; they were the message and teachings of the Apostles led by St. Peter.

Joke:  A priest settled into a chair in an office. “Is it true,” said the priest, “that your firm does not charge the members of the clergy?” “I am afraid you are misinformed,” stated the officer. “People in your profession can look forward to a reward in the next world, but we people have to take ours in this one.”

Practical Applications: 1) Accept Jesus as Son of the living God. As Jesus is son of the living God, let us be brothers and sisters for the living. This can be achieved only through accepting Jesus as Messiah, the Savior. 

2) It is not the power of being pope in Authority that leads peter to die for Jesus, but having a feeling of unworthiness of death on the cross like Jesus.  And so Peter asked the executioners to crucify him upside down on the cross. Positions are for servicing Jesus and it is not authority.

3) Let us be dutiful as St. Paul was in commissioning Good News to the Gentiles instead of his own. Taking difficult task for Jesus as a mission is the real mission work. Christian duty is to spend life for Jesus among others who are needy.

Feast of Saints Peter and Paul – Introduction

Message: Peter, rescued from the power of Herod, and Paul, protected from his enemies, proclaim with their lives that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

Saints and Events in this Week: 13-Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time; 30-Thirtieth-Monday- The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church; 1-First – July –Tuesday-Blessed Junipero Serra, priest; 3-Third-Thursday-Saint Thomas, Apostle; 5-Fifth-Saturday-Saint Anthony Mary Zaccaria, priest; Saint Elizabeth of Portugal; 

Corpus Christi:[A]: Deut 8: 2-4,14b-16a; I Cor 10: 16-17 Jn 6: 51-58

Corpus Christi:[A]: Deut 8: 2-4,14b-16a; I Cor 10: 16-17 Jn 6: 51-58

Introduction: During the liturgical year there are at least two feasts that invite us to meditate on the mystery of the Eucharist: the Maundy Thursday and the Feast of the Precious Body and Blood of our Lord (Corpus Christi - that is today!).  On the Maundy Thursday, the reflection on the Eucharist is centered on the memorial of the Passover meal and the institution of the priesthood.  The feast of today gives us yet another opportunity to contemplate the mystery of the Eucharist. 

Origin: Today is the Solemnity of “The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.”, the Feast of Corpus Christi, owes its existence to Blessed Juliana, an Augustinian Nun, in Liege, France, who had a great veneration for the Blessed Sacrament around 1230 and longed for a special feast in its honor. Largely through her insistence, in 1264 Pope Urban IV commanded its observance by the Universal Church, on Thursday after Trinity Sunday; however, where it is not a day of obligation it is usually celebrated on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday.

Corpus Christi is the celebration of the abiding presence of a loving God as Emmanuel – God with us – in order to give collective thanks to our Lord living with us in the Eucharist. The feast gives us an occasion to learn more about the importance and value of the “Real Presence” so that we may appreciate the Sacrament better and receive maximum benefit from It.  We explain the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist by the word “transubstantiation” which means that the substance of the consecrated bread and wine is changed to the substance of the risen Jesus’ glorified Body and Blood by the action of the Holy Spirit, and its accidents (like color, shape, taste etc.), remain the same.

Readings: The First Reading from the Book of Deuteronomy tells of Moses' advice and warnings to his people not to forget the deeds God had done for them when they travelled through the desert after being freed from the slavery of Egypt. He recalls the way in which God fed the people of Israel in the desert with manna, that miraculous food which Christians were later to see as a prefiguration of the Eucharist. As they relied on manna for life in the desert, so they must also continually depend on the Word of God. St Paul in the second reading says, the Eucharist builds the Church, whose head is Jesus Christ. Participation in the body and blood of Christ is the source of the life and unity of the Church as one body. From this Eucharistic fellowship with Christ follows the real union of all the faithful with one another in one body. In the Gospel passage, Jesus identifies himself as “the living bread that came down from heaven,” thus linking himself with the manna in the wilderness, while assuring his disciples that, unlike those who ate manna, “One who eats this Bread will live for ever.”    

Anecdote: Two soldier friends served together in Iraq. One was a dull fellow. The other was sharp. Yet, there was a chemistry that made them inseparable. The slow one was wounded. His friend gave his blood. When the wounded fellow learned whose blood had saved his life, he said to his companion, "I feel like a new man."

Something similar should take place each time we receive the Eucharist. We drag ourselves into the Liturgy looking for a spiritual transfusion, a pick-me-up, a refueling. We need an adrenaline rocket that will jump start us and get us through the next six days. 

Joke: Seems an elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years.
He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased you can hear again."

To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will five times!"

Practical Applications: 1) Let us appreciate the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, by receiving him with true repentance for our sins, due preparation and reverence.

2) Let us be Christ-bearers and conveyers: By receiving Holy Communion, we become Christ-bearers as Mary was, with the duty of conveying Christ to others at home and in the workplace, through love, mercy, forgiveness and humble and sacrificial service.

3) Let us offer our lives on the altar along with Jesus’ sacrifice, asking pardon for our sins, expressing gratitude for the blessings we have received and presenting our needs and petitions on the altar.

Introduction: Corpus Christi

Message:  The cup we share, is it not the blood of Christ?  And the bread we break, is it not his body? Just as God fed the Israelites with manna from heaven, so too do we feed on the best of wheat, the bread of angels, food for the pilgrim journey.

Saints and Events in this Week: 24-Twenty Forth-Tuesday-The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist; 27-Tweenty Seventh-Friday-The most Sacred heart of Jesus; 28-Twenty Eighth-Saturday-The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary; Saint Irenaeus, bishop, martyr; 29-Twenty Nineth-Sunday-Saints Peter and Paul. Apostles;