18th Week: August 2-7:
Matthew 14:13-21:
The context: Today’s Gospel describes Jesus’ miraculous feeding of a great multitude.
The story is told in all four Gospels and serves as Jesus’ way of introducing to those listening a merciful and providing God. This miraculous feeding was meant to remind people of God’s provision of manna in the wilderness and to foreshadow the true Heavenly Bread which Jesus would offer those who listened, believed, and chose to receive. Moses, Elijah, and Elisha had all fed people without the benefit of resources. The present miracle resembles particularly the one performed by Elisha in 2 Kgs 4:42-44.Jesus took pity on the growing physical hunger of his
listeners as they listened and challenged the apostles to feed them. They
brought him what they had — five loaves of bread and two dried fish. Jesus took
these, said a prayer of blessing, broke them and asked the apostles to
distribute them. Since it was mid-April, springtime in Israel, the people could
sit comfortably on green grass in groups of hundreds and fifties as Jesus
asked. After serving a sumptuous meal, which satisfied everyone’s hunger, the
apostles collected twelve wicker baskets filled with leftover bread and fish
pieces, a vivid demonstration of God’s generosity in giving.
Life message: 1) We may not be able to feed
the hungry millions in the world, but today’s Gospel challenges us to do our
humble share in alleviating hunger and poverty in our neighborhood. God will
amplify our little contributions and reward our good will and generosity. Let
us be thankful to Jesus for feeding us spiritually with the word of God and
with the Holy Eucharist. (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/21
Aug 3 Tuesday: Matthew 14:22-36:
The context: The event presented by today’s
Gospel is the scene immediately following Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the five
thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. Sensing the danger of
having the people make him leader of a revolt, Jesus promptly instructed his
apostles to leave the place by boat and, after dispersing the crowd,
went alone to the mountain to pray.
A double miracle on the sea: When the apostles in the
boat were several furlongs away from the shore, they faced an unexpected storm
on the sea caused by the hot wind of the desert rushing into the Sea of Galilee
through the gaps in the Golan Heights. Recognizing the danger, Jesus walked on
the stormy waters toward the boat. Jesus calmed the frightened disciples as He
approached the boat, allowed Peter to do a trial walk on water, then saved the
apostle from drowning when he panicked. As soon as Jesus brought Peter into the
boat the storm ceased miraculously. The apostles recognized the presence of God
in their midst and they all worshipped Jesus.
Life messages: 1) Let us approach Jesus with strong
Faith in his ability and willing availability to calm the storms in our lives
and in the life of the Church. Church History shows us how Jesus saved his
Church from storms of persecution in the first three centuries, storms of
heresies in the fifth and sixth centuries, storms of moral degradation and the
Protestant reformation movement in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and
storms of sex abuse scandals of the clergy in the twentieth and twenty-first
centuries. 2) Let us ask Jesus to protect us when we face storms of strong
temptations, storms of doubts about our religious beliefs, and storms of fear,
anxiety and worries about the future, as in the present Covid-19 pandemic, in
our personal lives. 3) Experiencing Jesus’ presence in our lives, let us
confess our Faith in him and call out for his help and protection. (http://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Aug 4 Wednesday (St. John Vianney, Priest)
Jesus withdrew to Tyre and Sidon to escape persecution from
Herod and from the Jewish authorities and to concentrate on training His
Apostles. Tyre and Sidon were Mediterranean coastal cities in Lebanon, outside
the territory of Herod Antipas. Today’s Gospel episode speaks of the
expansive and universal nature of the “Kingdom of God,” in contrast with the
theory that salvation was offered first to the Jews and through them alone to
the rest of the world. In fact, God included all nations in His plan for
salvation and blessed all the families of the earth in Abraham (Gn
17:1-5). In today’s Gospel episode, Jesus demonstrates that salvation was meant
for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews by healing the daughter of a
Gentile woman as a reward for her strong, trusting Faith, unwavering
trust, perseverance, and humility. Thus, Jesus shows that God’s mercy and love
are available to all who call out to Him in Faith.
Life messages: 1) We need to persist in
prayer with trustful confidence. Although the essential parts of
prayer are adoration, thanksgiving, and contrition, the prayer of
petition plays a big part in our daily lives. Christ Himself has told
us to ask him for these needs: “Ask and you shall receive.” Asking
with fervor and perseverance proves that we have the “great Faith” we need to
receive what Christ wants to grant us in response to our requests. We must
realize and remember that we do not always get exactly what we ask for. Rather,
God gives us what He knows we really need, what He wants for us, and
what is really best for us. If our prayer is sincere and
persevering, we will always get an answer — one which is better than what we
asked for.
2) We need to pull down our walls of separation and share
in the universality of God’s love: Very often we set
up walls which separate us from God and from one another. Today’s
Gospel reminds us that God’s love and mercy are extended to all who call
on Him in Faith and trust, no matter who they are. It is therefore
fitting that we should pray and work sincerely so that the walls which our
pride, intolerance, fear, and prejudice have raised may crumble. . (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/21
Aug 5 Thursday (The dedication of the Basilicas of
St. Mary Major)
The context: Today’s Gospel passage is the first
of the three times when Jesus foretold His passion, death and Resurrection. The
passage consists of two sections, the Messianic confession of Peter and Jesus’
prophecy of a swiftly approaching passion and death.
Jesus as the Christ, our Lord and Savior: Today’s
Gospel explains the basis of our Faith as the acceptance of Jesus as the
Christ, our Lord and Savior. It also tells us that Christ Jesus became our
Savior by His suffering, death and Resurrection. This famous profession of
Faith by Peter took place at Caesarea Philippi, at present called Banias,
twenty-five miles northeast of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus realized that if the
apostles did not know Jesus’ real identity, then the whole of the Messianic
entire ministry, suffering and death would be useless. Hence, the Teacher
decided to ask a question in two parts. 1) “What is the public opinion about
Me?” 2) “What is your personal opinion?” Their answer to the first question
was: “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah
or one of the prophets.” Peter volunteered to answer the second
question saying: “You are the Christ (Messiah), the Son of the living
God.“ Jesus confirmed Peter’s insight as a special revelation from
God. “No mere man has revealed this to you, but my Heavenly Father.”
Life message:1) Let us experience Jesus as our Lord
and Savior and surrender our life to Him. We experience Jesus as personal
Savior by listening to Him through the daily, meditative reading of the Bible,
by talking to Him through daily, personal and family prayers, frequenting Holy
Mass and offering Jesus our lives on the altar, being reconciled with Him every
night, asking His pardon and forgiveness for our sins and receiving the
Sacrament of Reconciliation whenever we are in mortal sin. )The next step
is the surrender of our lives to Jesus by rendering humble and loving service
to others with the strong conviction that Jesus is present in every
person. (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/21
Aug 6 Friday (The Transfiguration of the Lord) : Mk
9:2-10: 2
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the
Transfiguration of Jesus, an event which is celebrated as a Feast on August 6.
The primary purpose of this Transfiguration was to enable Jesus to consult his
Heavenly Father in order to ascertain His plan for His Son’s suffering,
death and Resurrection. The secondary aim was to make Jesus’ chosen
disciples aware of Jesus’ Divine glory, that they might discard their worldly
ambitions about a conquering political Messiah and that they might be
strengthened in their time of trial.
The scene: The Transfiguration took place probably on
Mount Hermon in North Galilee, near Caesarea Philippi. While praying, Jesus was
transfigured into a shining figure, full of Heavenly
glory. Moses and Elijah the representatives of the Law and the Prophets,
appeared conversing with Jesus. Peter, overwhelmed at the scene,
exclaimed how good it was it was for them to be there. Then a Cloud covered them,
and a Voice was heard speaking words from the Cloud: “This is My Son,
the Beloved; with Him I am well pleased; listen to Him,”
Life messages: (1) The transubstantiation in the
Holy Mass is the source of our transformation and strength: In each Holy Mass,
the bread and wine we offer on the altar become, in reality, the Body and Blood
of Jesus. Hence, our Holy Communion with Jesus in the Eucharist should be
the source of our daily “transfiguration,” transforming our minds and hearts to
do more good by humble and selfless service to others.
(2) Each time we receive one of the Sacraments, we are
transformed: For example, Baptism transforms us into sons and daughters of God
and heirs of Heaven. Confirmation transforms us into temples of the Holy Spirit
and warriors of God. By the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God brings back
the sinner to the path of holiness.
(3) in A message of encouragement and hope: In moments of
doubt and during our dark moments of despair and hopelessness, the thought of
our transformation in Heaven will help us to reach out to God and to listen to
His consoling words: “This is My beloved son.” (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
L/21
Aug 7 Saturday (St. Sixtus II, Pope and Companions,
Martyrs): Mt 17: 14-20:
The context: When Jesus came down from the
mountain of the Transfiguration along with Peter, John, and James, the father
of an epileptic son knelt before Jesus and asked Jesus to heal his son. The
father’s complaint was that the other nine disciples of Jesus waiting for their
master to come down from the mountain could not heal the boy.
The healing: After expressing impatience with the crowd for
their lack of Faith, Jesus rebuked the demon and cast him out of the boy. Later
when the apostles asked Jesus why they had been unable to do the same although
they had been given the power of exorcism, Jesus pointed out their lack of
Faith. Jesus said further that even a small amount of Faith would enable them
to do great things. Faith, moving mountains was a Jewish
phrase meaning that God can remove all difficulties for one who places trusting
Faith in Him.
Life message: We will be able to solve our
problems and many of the problems of our fellow-human beings if we place our
trusting Faith in God’s power and goodness and ask for His strengthening in
prayer. (http://frtonyshomilies.com/)
