15 Sunday A - Sower and the Seeds

Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration

Today our thoughts during this celebration are guided by the Parable of the Sower: seeds fell along the path, on rocks, among thorns, and into rich soil. Only the seeds which fell into the rich soil bore fruit. Christ is the sower, and while we desire to be good soil, we know there are times when we are pretty shallow like the depth of soil along the path. There are areas of rock in our lives where God’s word has not taken root, and there are areas where God’s word finds difficulty in taking root. So as we prepare to celebrate the mystery of Christ’s love, let us acknowledge our failures and ask the Lord for pardon and strength. 

Beautiful World - ppt

14 Sunday A: Come to me all who are laboured:

Starters:
“Do you have any idea who I am?" 

The Los Angeles Times published the story of a commercial airline flight cancellation which resulted in a long line of travelers trying to get bookings on another flight. One man in the line grew increasingly impatient with the slow-moving line.  At last, he pushed his way to the front and angrily demanded a first-class ticket on the next available flight. "I’m sorry," said the ticket agent, “First I’ll have to take care of the people who were ahead of you in the line." The irate man then pounded his fist on the ticket counter, saying, "Do you have any idea who I am?" Whereupon, the ticket agent picked up the public address microphone and said, "Attention, please! There is a gentleman at the ticket counter who does not know who he is. If there is anyone in the airport who can identify him, please come to the counter." Hearing this, the man retreated, and the people waiting in line burst into applause.   We are like this man. We have forgotten how to wait patiently. In today’s gospel, Jesus invites us to learn his meekness and humility. (Tony Kadavil)

Whose Hands .... it is?

Courtesy: ICAN

Whose Hands!   A basketball in my hands is worth about $19.  A basketball in Michael Jordan's hands is worth about $33 million.  It depends on whose hands it's in.

Jesus was a Pastor, not a Moralist - Pope Francis

Quote for June 26th

'A most powerful and efficacious remedy for all evils, a means of correcting all imperfections, of triumphing over temptation, and preserving our hearts in an undisturbed peace, is conformity with the will of God.'

St. Vincent de Paul

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VATICAN DOSSIER

• Pope at Morning Mass: Who Do You Follow?
  Asks Whether You Turn to Jesus Who "Warms Hearts," Or To ''Those Consumed by Money, Power, Moralism"
• Pope Francis' Address to Aid Agencies for the Oriental Churches
  "Your works of relief and assistance in nations most affected by these crises respond to basic needs, particularly of those who are powerless and most vulnerable, as well as the many young people tempted to leave their homeland. "

13 Sunday A - Radicality of Discipleship

Matthew 10:40-42 - "Never Underestimate the Power of a Cold Cup of Water"
Matthew 10:40-42 -  "Second Nature through Spirit Nurture"

From Connections:

THE WORD:

Today’s Gospel is the conclusion of Matthew’s collection of Jesus’ missionary discourses, in which Jesus speaks of the sacrifice demanded of his disciples and the suffering they will endure for their faith.  In today’s pericope, Jesus clearly is not attacking family life; he is warning his disciples of the conflict and misunderstanding they will experience for their proclaiming the word.  To be an authentic disciple of Jesus means embracing the suffering, humility, pain and selflessness of the cross; to be an authentic disciple of Jesus means taking on the often unpopular role of prophet for the sake of the kingdom; to be an authentic disciple of Jesus means welcoming and supporting other disciples who do the work of the Gospel.

God and his faithfulness

Introduction

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word faithfulness as “deserving trust, keeping your promises or doing what you are supposed to do.” We say God is faithful because we can trust him to keep his promises and do what he is supposed to do.
The passage I have selected for my sermon today speaks about a man named Isaac and how his whole life is a retelling of what happened to his father Abraham to whom God had promised to make him into a great nation. The lesson conveyed is of God’s continuing faithfulness.

Text: Genesis 26:1-32

(1) Not changed by our situations

Read Genesis 26:1-6
(I) Isaac occupied the same land that his father Abraham did and famines were common in that land. Both had faced them.
(II) In Abraham’s time when the famine came he fled to Egypt. Isaac wanted to do the same but God stopped him and restated the blessing to his father.
(III) Just like his father Isaac assessed God’s faithfulness based on the severity of the famine. He did not know that God is not challenged by man’s situations.

Deep and Lasting Love

Eucharist

CORPUS CHRISTI: Body and Blood of Christ