18th Week: Aug 5-10:
Aug 5 Monday: [The Dedication of the Basilica
of Saint Mary Major]:
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. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Aug 6 Tuesday: The Transfiguration of the Lord:
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 his 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 him.
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 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) 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.” (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Aug 7 Wednesday: [Saint Sixtus II, Pope, and
Companions, Martyrs; Saint Cajetan, Priest]:
The Context: Jesus withdrew to Tyre and Sidon
both to escape persecution by Herod and by 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. Jesus and His
disciples traveled about 40 miles on foot to this district. The people there
were said to have been descendants of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve who killed
his brother, Abel, and was banished. He and his descendants settled in the area
of Tyre and Sidon and were not heirs to the Faith given through Abraham, Moses
and the prophets, making them Gentiles. The Event: 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, wit, 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, praise, 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. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Aug 8 Thursday: Dominic, Priest
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 his entire Messianic 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, offering Jesus our lives on the altar, being reconciled with Him every
night, asking His pardon and forgiveness for our sins, receiving the Sacrament
of Reconciliation whenever we are in mortal sin, and by receiving his
strengthening power of grace through the sacraments, especially the Holy
Eucharist. 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. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Aug 9 Friday: [Saint Teresa Benedicta of the
Cross, Virgin and Martyr]:
The context: After Peter made his famous
declaration of Faith in Jesus as God and Messiah, Jesus plainly warned his
disciples about his approaching suffering, death and Resurrection. But the
apostles were unwilling to accept such a fate for their Master. Peter even took
Jesus aside and prayed, “God forbid, Lord! This must never happen to
you!” It was after Peter’s protest (and Jesus abrupt response), that
Jesus declared the three conditions of the discipleship which he expects from
his followers. We hear them in today’s Gospel.
Conditions of Christian discipleship: 1) Deny
yourself 2) Take up your cross. 3) Follow Me.
Denying oneself means cleansing the heart of all
bad habits and evil tendencies and evicting the self, with its selfish thoughts
and desires from one’s heart. It also means enthroning God in one’s cleansed
heart and surrendering one’s life to God’s service by serving others.
Carrying the cross means willingly accepting the
pain involved in serving others sacrificially. It also means spending our time,
talents, wealth, and health for others until it hurts us. Cross-bearing is also
our sacrificial sharing of God’s blessings with others. Further, it includes
our doing penance to make reparation for our sins and to grow in self-control.
Carrying one’s cross becomes easier and more meritorious when we accept life’s
crosses as loving gifts given by a loving Father. The comparison of our light
crosses with the heavy crosses given to others should make us grateful.
Finally, we should carry our crosses, praying for Heavenly strength.
“Follow Me” means the disciple should be ever
ready to obey as Jesus directs him or her through his words in the Bible and
through the teaching authority he instituted in the Church.
Life message: We need to love the cross, wear
the cross, and transform the God-given crosses of our life into the instruments
of our salvation by working with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
Aug 10 Saturday: [Saint Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr]: The
context: Jesus tells us a short parable followed by two amazing paradoxes.
The parable is that of a grain of wheat sown into the muddy field, growing up
and yielding a good crop. The parable followed by the paradoxes teaches us
three lessons for Christian life. The first lesson is that life comes only
through death. Only when the grain of wheat dies in the muddy soil of the field
does it become a seedling. In the same way, the Church would grow up and
flourish in the death of its martyrs: “The blood of the martyrs is the
seed of the Church.” When we die to our personal ambitions and
desires, we are born as useful instruments in the hands of God. The second
lesson is that only by spending life we can retain it. The world owes a lot to
saintly people like St. Don Bosco, St. Vincent De Paul, St. Teresa of Calcutta
(Mother Teresa), St. Jeanne Jugan, and St. Damien of Molokai, among others, who
spent their energy in service of the poor and the down-trodden and gave
themselves to God. The third lesson is that greatness comes through selfless
and committed service. This explains why the world still honors and cherishes
the memory of great souls mentioned above.
Life message: Let us surrender our lives to God in the service of others with agápe love in all humility, seeing the face of Jesus in each of them. (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
