JULY 8 Mon Weekday

Gn 28:10-22a/Mt 9:18-26 (383)

9 Tue Weekday

[Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs]

Gn 32:23-33/Mt 9:32-38 (384)

10 Wed Weekday

Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a/Mt 10:1-7 (385)

11 Thu Saint Benedict, Abbot Memorial

Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5/Mt 10:7-15 (386)

12 Fri Weekday

Gn 46:1-7, 28-30/Mt 10:16-23 (387)

13 Sat Weekday [Saint Henry; BVM]

Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a/Mt 10:24-33 (388)

14 SUN FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Dt 30:10-14/Col 1:15-20/Lk 10:25-37 (105)

The Jewish Scriptures this week are about Jacob and his sons, seeking the land God wishes to give them. It’s an eventful search, involving marriages, children born, famine, treachery. The final readings find Jacob and his sons in Egypt, where Joseph, one of his sons, was sold into slavery, only to become an important leader in Egypt.

Our lectionary omits much of this story, probably because it would be too shocking to be read in church. But we should see this story for what it is: God moves humanity, sinful as it can be, towards the Promised Land.

Tuesday is the feast of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, and Companions,  are martyrs from the church in China.

Thursday is the feast of Saint Benedict, who made monastic life an everyday school of spirituality and means for advancing humanity on its journey to God.

July 1  Mon Weekday

[USA: Saint Junípero Serra, Priest]

Gn 18:16-33/Mt 8:18-22 

2 Tue Weekday

Gn 19:15-29/Mt 8:23-27 

3 Wed Saint Thomas, Apostle Feast

Eph 2:19-22/Jn 20:24-29 

4 Thu Weekday

[USA: Independence Day]

Gn 22:1b-19/Mt 9:1-8, or “For Peace and Justice,” nos. 887-891

5 Fri Weekday

[Saint Anthony Zaccaria, Priest; USA: Saint Elizabeth of Portugal]

Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67/Mt 9:9-13 (381)

6 Sat Weekday

[Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr; 

Gn 27:1-5, 15-29/Mt 9:14-17 (382)

7 SUN FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Is 66:10-14c/Gal 6:14-18/Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9 (102)

The calendar brings three “hot-button” issues before us this week.

 Monday: What do we think of our missionary work among the native peoples? (St. Junipero Serra)

Thursday: What do we mean by “All men are created equal?” (Independence Day}

 Saturday: Is purity still possible in today’s world? (St. Maria Gorretti)

Our calendar is not just a bland recital of nice things that should comfort us. Celebrations bring questions.

I’m celebrating 60 years of priesthood today, among my own community, the Passionists, gathered here in Jamaica, NY,  for an assembly. There are three of us left. Fr. Theodore Walsh, Fr. Paul Cusack, and myself. 

The first reading today is from Genesis 15, 1-12,17-18; Abraham complains to God he is childless, without an heir, and God takes him out into the night and shows him the stars: 

“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.

Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”

Abram put his faith in the LORD,

who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.” 

The responsorial psalm goes on:

“You descendants of Abraham, his servants,

sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

He, the LORD, is our God;

throughout the earth his judgments prevail. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

He remembers forever his covenant

which he made binding for a thousand generations—

Which he entered into with Abraham

and by his oath to Isaac.

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;

whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.”

And so may it be. Amen.

For this week’s homily, please play the video below:

JUNE 24 Mon THE NATIVITY OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST

Solemnity

 Is 49:1-6/Acts 13:22-26/Lk 1:57-66, 80 

25 Tue Weekday (Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time)

Gn 13:2, 5-18/Mt 7:6, 12-14 (372) 

26 Wed Weekday

Gn 15:1-12, 17-18/Mt 7:15-20 

27 Thu Weekday

[Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor of the Church]

Gn 16:1-12, 15-16 or 16:6b-12, 15-16/Mt 7:21-29 

28 Fri THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS

Solemnity

Ez 34:11-16/Rom 5:5b-11/Lk 15:3-7 

29 Sat SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES

Solemnity

Day: Acts 12:1-11/2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18/Mt 16:13-19 

30 SUN THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21/Gal 5:1, 13-18/Lk 9:51-62 (99) Pss I

This week we’re reading some stories from Genesis, chapters 12-50, about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph who represent “a forward step in the divine plan to bring about recognition of the divine blessing promised to the world, if only humanity would obey and honor God.”   BG 66. Catholic Study Bible,   

The stories are puzzling (the sacrifice of Isaac), sometimes unjust by our standards (Sarah and Hagar). Hard for us to see “a forward step”,  but as we read them we’re to realize that “the overall purpose of Genesis 12-50 is to carry forward God’s promise “despite all obstacles.”” (BG 70)

That’s how we should look at our times too, isn’t it? Hard to see a forward step going on now too.

At the recent meeting of US Bishops in Baltimore, Bishop Robert Barron offered some alarming statistics about the US Catholic Church today. For every I person who joins 6 leave, and these are often young people. As early as 13 young people give up believing in the church and what it teaches. Barron urged the  bishops to take action and they agreed we need to take action.

What will the action be and who will take it? Barron advocates a stronger presence in the social media, which makes sense. But who will bring the word, who will we send? If we look at the past, God usually sends someone young, like the prophet Jeremiah, who initially say they can’t do it.

Today, June 21, is the Feast of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, who belonged to a powerful Italian aristocratic family. They were shocked when the young man announced, after hearing stories of Jesuit missionaries in China, that he was entering the Jesuits. His family did everything to stop him, but the young man wouldn’t listen. 

He entered the Jesuits and when, in 1591, a fierce plague broke out in Rome where he was studying, Aloysius took care of the victims, despite his own bad health. He died from the plague, convinced that God called him to this dangerous ministry. Today he’s celebrated as a patron of those who care for victims of AIDS.

Whom shall we send? Look around for the young. That’s what God does.

June 17 Mon Weekday 

2 Cor 6:1-10/Mt 5:38-42 

18 Tue Weekday

2 Cor 8:1-9/Mt 5:43-48 

19 Wed Weekday [Saint Romuald, Abbot]

2 Cor 9:6-11/Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 

20 Thu Weekday

2 Cor 11:1-11/Mt 6:7-15

21 Fri Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious Memorial

2 Cor 11:18, 21-30/Mt 6:19-23 

22 Sat Weekday[Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop; Saints John Fisher, Bishop, and Thomas More, Martyrs;] 2 Cor 12:1-10/Mt 6:24-34 

23 SUN THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST (Corpus Christi) Solemnity

Gn 14:18-20/1 Cor 11:23-26/Lk 9:11b-17 

Our gospel readings, from Matthew’s gospel, the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 5, 1-7,29) are meant for all of us, ordinary or extraordinary saints. They also indicate how Jesus lived his life and ministry. He lives what he teaches.

The readings from the letters to the Corinthians offer a picture of church life then and now.

The saints this week come from different times, Romuald, 11th century Italy, Paulinus of Nola, 5th century Italy, Aloysius Gonzaga, 16th century Italy, Thomas More and John Fisher, 16th century England. Holiness is found in every age and social condition.

The Church of England also honors Thomas More and John Fisher for their holiness.