14th Week: July 4-9:
July 4 Monday:
The context: Today’s Gospel is a beautiful
presentation of two miracles, a healing, and a revival-and-restoration-of-life.
These miracles were worked by Jesus as a reward for the trusting Faith of a
synagogue ruler and of a woman with a haemorrhage. Though the ruler trusted
Jesus out of desperation and the woman’s Faith may have been a bit
superstitious, even their defective faith was amply rewarded.
The ruler and the woman: The ruler of the synagogue
supported Jewish orthodoxy, and he could have despised Jesus who befriended
sinners. But he bravely approached Jesus as a last resort when all the doctors
had failed, and his daughter was dying. Since the Jews believed that one was
not actually dead until three days had passed, when word came that the child
had died, the ruler showed courage and Faith in staying with Jesus, ignoring
the ridicule of fellow Jews. In the same way, the woman with the bleeding
disease was ritually unclean, and she was not supposed to appear in public. She
had the courage and Faith to ignore a social and religious taboo in order to
approach and touch the garment of Jesus from behind. Both the ruler’s daughter
and the sick woman were brought back to life and to the community.
Life messages: 1) Jesus accepts us as we are.
Hence, we need not wait until we have the correct motive and strong Faith to
bring our problems before Jesus. Let us bring our bodily and spiritual wounds
to Jesus asking for the Lord’s healing touch.
2) We do our share in Christ’s healing mission by visiting
the sick, by praying for their healing, by boosting their morale through our
loving presence, words of encouragement, and inspiration. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
July 4: U. S. Independence Day: Synopsis of Independence
Day Homily-2022
1) This is a day to thank God for the political and
religious freedom we enjoy and to pray for God’s special blessings on the
rulers and the people of our country.
2) It is a day to remember with gratitude the founding
fathers of our democratic republic, especially, Thomas Jefferson, the author of
the Declaration of Independence, and James Madison, the architect
of the Constitution, who believed that all power, including political power,
came from God and was given to the people who entrusted this power to their
elected leaders.
3) It is a day to remember and pray for all our brave
soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives to keep this country a
safe and a free country, and for those who are now engaged in the fight against
terrorism in other countries.
4) It is day to remember the basic principle
underlined in the constitution, that “all men are created equal, that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are
Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
5) It is day to remind ourselves that we have a
duty to protect these God-given rights by voting into power leaders who believe
in God and who have character, integrity, experience, and strong belief in
inalienable human rights.
6) It is day to fight for the fundamental right to
life denied to pre-born children to grow and develop in their mothers’ wombs
and to the sick and the elderly to die gracefully without fearing euthanasia.
7) It is day to pray for and work for liberation for all
those who are still slaves in our free country – slaves to evil habits and
addictions to nicotine, alcohol, drugs, pornography, promiscuity and sexual
aberrations.
8) It is a day to take a pledge to become recommitted to
doing something about our own growth in Christ, and to living as Americans who
contribute something to our religion, Church, country, and the lives of others.
9) It is a day to remember where we came from, what we stand
for, and the sacrifices that thousands of our countrymen have made on our
behalf.
10) It is a day to raise our voice of protest against
liberal, agnostic, and atheistic political leaders, media bosses, and activist,
liberal judges who deny religious moral education to our young citizens.
11) It is a day to offer our country and all its
citizens on the altar of God, asking His special providential care, protection
and blessings.
Intercessory prayers
1) For the people of the United States, that we may be
united in building a society in which everyone can have the opportunity to live
with dignity and hope, we pray to the Lord. . . .
2) For the Church, that we may be a witness to Christ’s love
by practicing charity and promoting justice and peace throughout the world, we
pray to the Lord.
3) For Catholics throughout our nation, that the values of
our faith may guide us as we exercise our responsibility as voters, we
pray to the Lord. . . .
4) For the members of this community, that we may find ways
to help build a world of greater respect for human life and human
dignity, we pray to the Lord. . . .
5) For those who serve in elected office, that they may lead
with courage and wisdom, reflecting the Church’s teaching that the moral test
of our society is how the weak, the poor, and the vulnerable are faring, we
pray to the Lord. . . .
6) For all citizens of the United States, that our
participation in the upcoming election may lead to a world of greater respect
for life and commitment to justice and peace, we pray to the Lord. .
. .
7) For those who are suffering from poverty and injustice,
that our decisions this election year may lead to policies and programs that
help them live in dignity, we pray to the Lord. . . .
July 5 Tuesday: St. Anthony Zaccaria, Priest
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the healing of
a mute man by an exorcism Jesus performed during one preaching and healing
journey. It also mentions the false accusation by Pharisees about Jesus’
exorcism and expresses Jesus’ sympathy for the leaderless people.
Jesus had a double mission, of preaching the Good News of
God’s love and salvation and of liberating people from the power of sin,
illnesses and evil spirits. The first part of today’s Gospel describes the
misinterpretation of Jesus’ liberating mission by the Pharisees when Jesus
healed a mute man by exorcism. In the second part, Jesus expresses true
compassion for the shepherdless sheep of Israel because their shepherds were
more interested in the external observance of the Law and its sacrifices than
in giving people God’s words and promoting the practice of love, mercy and
justice. That is why Jesus reminds the listeners to pray for genuine shepherds
to feed them and lead them.
Life messages: We need to share Christ’s
preaching and liberating mission. Let us remember the words of St. Teresa of
Avila: “Now Jesus has no other mouths, eyes, ears, hands and feet than ours.”
Jesus places a preaching and healing mission in our care and helps us to
continue it. The most effective way of preaching Christ is by leading a
transparent Christian life, radiating Jesus’ love, mercy and forgiveness. But
we cannot liberate others as long as we are in chains. Hence, let us first
receive Jesus’ liberation of us from the chains which bind us. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
July 6 Wednesday (St. Maria Goretti, Virgin,
Martyr):
The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives a
short account of the call and mission of the apostles The first missionary was
sent to this world when God the Father dispatched His only-begotten Son,
Incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth into Flesh and time with the “Good News” that
God is a loving, merciful, and forgiving Father Who wants to save everyone
through His Son Jesus. Today’s Gospel describes how this first missionary
selects and empowers twelve future missionaries as apostles, sending them to
the Jewish towns and villages as heralds, announcing the Good News that God was
keeping His promises.
Special features: Jesus selected very ordinary people, most
of them hard-working fishermen with no social status, learning, or political
influence, because the Master was sure that they would be very effective
instruments in God’s hands. It was a strange mixture of people. Matthew was a
hated tax collector for a foreign power, while Simon the Cananaean was a Zealot
— a fanatical nationalist determined to destroy Roman rule by any means. The
others were mostly professional fishermen with a lot of good will, patience and
stamina. It was only their admiration and love for Jesus that united them.
Jesus selected them after a night of prayer and gave them a share in Divine
powers of healing and exorcism with the mission of announcing the coming of
preaching the “kingdom of God by “the One Who is to come”
Life messages: 1) As Christians, we have the
same mission that Jesus entrusted to the apostles. 2) We fulfill this mission
by proclaiming the word of God, primarily by our living out of Jesus’
teachings, and by promoting and helping world-wide missionary activities of the
Church with prayer, moral support, and financial aid. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
July 7 Thursday:
The context: Today’s Gospel describes the
commissioning of the twelve apostles for the apostolic work of preparing the
towns and villages for Jesus’ coming visit to them. Sent out in pairs to preach
the coming of the Kingdom of God, repentance, the forgiveness of sins, and
liberation, they were to follow Jesus’ detailed action-plan and
bear witness to Jesus by their simple lifestyle.
Jesus’ instructions and travel tips. By his instructions, it
is clear that Jesus meant his disciples to take no supplies for the road. They
were simply to trust that God, the Provider, would open the hearts of believers
to take care of their needs. Jesus’ instructions also suggest that the apostles
should not be like the acquisitive priests of the day, interested only in
gaining riches. They should be walking examples of God’s love and providence.
The Jews supported their rabbis, and they judged doing so a privilege as well
as an obligation, seeing hospitality as an important religious tradition. The
apostles are told they should choose temporary accommodation in a reputable
household, should bless the residents with God’s peace, and should be satisfied
with the food and accommodation they received, not search for better. They are
to preach “’the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,’ heal the sick, raise the
dead, cleanse lepers, and cast out demons.”
Life messages: 1) We, too, have a witnessing
mission:Each Christian is called not only to be a disciple, but also to be an
apostle. As apostles, we have to evangelize the world by sharing with others,
not just words, or ideas, or doctrines, but our experience of God and His Son,
Jesus. It is through our transparent Christian lives that we must show the
love, mercy, and concern of Jesus to the people around us. 2) We also have a
liberating mission: There are many demons which can control the lives of people
around us, making them helpless slaves —the demon of nicotine, the demon of
alcohol, the demon of gambling, the demon of pornography, the demon of
promiscuous sex, the demon of materialism, and the demon of consumerism. We
need the help of Jesus to liberate ourselves and others from these things. (Fr.
Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
July 8 Friday:
The context: Matthew’s Judeo-Christian community
had experienced much persecution. Jesus’ prophetic words, “You will be
dragged before governors and kings” and “brother will
deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise
and have them put to death,” were beginning to be fulfilled. The
Apostle James had been martyred by King Herod, and the lives of other apostles
were also in danger. Hence, by repeating Jesus’ warning to the apostles,
Matthew encouraged his Judeo-Christians to rely on Jesus’ promise of the protective
power of a providing God as they persevered in Faith and its practice.
Persecutions, past and present: Jesus gave his frank warning
to the apostles that their lives and their future followers’ lives were not
going to be beds of roses. Jesus foretold three types of persecution awaiting
Christians: by the Roman government, by the local Jewish synagogues, and by
their Jewish or pagan family members. The main accusations against the
first-century Christians were that they were cannibals, atheists, and incendiaries,
that they practiced immorality during worship services, that they caused their
families to split, and that they considered slaves as equals –in an empire with
60 million slaves!
Life messages: 1) Although we have the freedom to
practice the religion of our choice, the extreme interpretation of the
“separation of Church and state” policy eliminates the religious instruction
and moral training of children in public schools, allowing youngsters who are
not given this training at home to grow up as pagans. 2) The secular media, run
by atheists and agnostics, ridicule all religious beliefs and practices,
inflicting a type of “white martyrdom” on believers and “brain-washing the
unwary and children. Hence, the duty of parents to see that their children receive
religious and moral instruction from their parishes and families becomes more
important daily. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
July 9 Saturday: (St. Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions Martyrs);
The context: Today’s Gospel passage comes from the
end of Jesus’ instruction to the apostles, sending, them forth to carry on the
mission of preaching and healing, and instructing them to live simple lives,
expecting opposition and rejection. Predicting future opposition and persecution,
Jesus encourages the apostles to stand firm., three times urging them, and
us, “Do not fear!” “Do not be afraid!” Thus, we know that we, too,
will be successful despite the opposition we encounter.
Have no fear. Jesus gives three reasons why the apostles,
and we, should not be frightened. The first reason is that their mission will
succeed, and opponents will not be able to prevent Jesus’ followers from
succeeding in their mission because God will expose their evil plans and deeds:
“Nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered.” The Lord “will
bring to light the hidden things of darkness” (1 Cor 4:5) and will
vindicate the faithful. That God will not permit evil to win is the promise of
v. 26. The second reason not to be afraid is the limited power of our
opponents. They can kill the body, which dies all too soon anyway but has no
power over the soul. The third reason we should not be afraid is the
providential care and protection of their Heavenly Father who cares for all His
creatures. We are more important to God than sparrows “sold at two for a
penny.” The God Who cares for a trivial bird like the sparrow also cares about
our smallest problems – even counting the hairs on our heads. While this is an
encouraging assurance, we may find it difficult to believe in the midst of
persecution.
Life message: Be not afraid: We can suffer from many
fears: (A) Fear of Loss: a) Loss of life by illness or accident; b) Loss of
dear ones – spouse, children, parents; c) Loss of belongings and property or
savings; d) Loss of job; e) Loss of good name and reputation by slanderers (B)
Baseless fears due to mental illness. C) Global fears about terrorist attacks,
nuclear holocaust, plagues, like Corvic-19, war etc. When we are afraid let us
remind ourselves that God cares – we are each a dear child of His and He cares
for each of us. “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
(Fr. Tony)
