June 25

June 25, 2016:  Saturday, 12th week, Ordinary Time

See 16 connections with today?
Legend below

Listen

• Psalm 74: O God, wherefore art Thou absent

• Fever/ Cooley, Blackwell (gospel-inspired :-)

Pope Francis Armenia homily

What is the Lord asking us to build in our lives, and upon what is he calling us to build?  Stable foundations upon which we can tirelessly build and rebuild the Christian life:

Memory: Recall what the Lord has done in and for us and that he chose, loved, called, and forgave us.  The memory of a people also needs to be preserved.  God remembers your faithfulness to the Gospel even in adversity.

Faith:  There's always a danger that can dim the light of faith:  the temptation to reduce it to something from the past, something important but belonging to another age, to be kept in a museum.  Once locked up in history, faith loses its power, beauty, and openness.  Faith is born/reborn from a lifegiving encounter with Jesus, from experiencing his mercy.  Renew this encounter daily.  Read the word of God and in prayer open your hearts to his love.  Let your encounter with the Lord’s tenderness enkindle joy in your hearts.  This renews us and makes us free, open, ready, available.  When he calls, say yes.  He knows us, loves us, and wants to free us from fear and pride.  By making room for him, we become capable of radiating his love.  Thus you can keep evangelizing.  The Church and world need this in these troubled times.

Merciful love:  Disciples' lives are based on the love we receive from God and offer others.  In our love, the Church is rejuvenated and made beautiful.  Concrete love is the Christian’s visiting card, for it's by our love that everyone will know we're his disciples.  Build and rebuild paths of communion, creating bridges of unity and working to overcome our divisions.

The Spirit of the Lord is with those who carry glad tidings to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, and console the afflicted.  God dwells in those who love him.  God dwells wherever there's love, shown especially by courageous and compassionate care for the weak and the poor.  We need available, open Christians ready to serve, not overcome by weariness or discouraged by adversity.  We need people who help those in need with actions, not merely words.  We need societies of greater justice, where people can lead dignified lives and be fairly remunerated for their work.

How can we become merciful, with all our faults?  St. Gregory of Narek, word and voice of Armenia, plumbed the depths of human misery but balanced human weakness with God’s mercy, trusting in the Lord, “giver of gifts, root of goodness… voice of consolation, news of comfort, joyful impulse… unparalleled compassion, inexhaustible mercy… the kiss of salvation.”  He was certain “the light of God’s mercy is never clouded.”  He's a master of life, teaching us to recognize our need of mercy.  Despite our own failings and injuries done to us, we must open our hearts to the Lord, “the God who is ever near, loving and good,” “filled with love,… a fire consuming sin.”

Read

• Lam 2:2, 10-14, 18-19  The Lord has consumed the dwellings of Jacob and brought her king down.  Old men strew dust on their heads, maidens bow their heads.  I weep.  Children faint and die.  Who can heal you?  Your prophets didn't lay bare your guilt.  Cry out to God; let your tears flow.  Pour out your heart and lift up your hands to the Lord for the lives of your little ones.

• Ps 74:1b-7, 20-21  "Lord, forget not the souls of your poor ones."  Remember your flock, the tribe you redeemed.  Your foes triumph.  Look to your covenant.  May the humble not retire in confusion; may the afflicted and poor praise you.

• Mt 8:5-17  Centurion / Jesus:  “My servant is home paralyzed.” / “I'll come cure him.” / “I'm not worthy to have you enter; only say the word and he'll be healed.  I'm subject to authority with soldiers subject to me...." / “I haven't found such faith.  Many will come and recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the Kingdom, but the children of the Kingdom will be driven out.”  [to centurion:]  “Go; as you've believed, let it be done.”  His servant was healed.

Jesus entered the house of Peter and saw his mother-in-law in bed with a fever.  He touched her, the fever left, and she waited on him.  Later they brought many to him, and he drove out spirits and cured the sick, fulfilling He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.

Reflect

Jesus healing the servant of a Centurion/ Veronese

• One Bread, One Body:  "Fire extinguisher":  Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem; the Lord was pleased and came to dwell in it.  The next 300 years, Jerusalem was spared from attack.  Eventually the people neglected the Lord's commands and fell into sin and injustice.  Many false prophets fueled this attitude with false visions.  They falsely predicted divine protection, not judgment and accountability.  In 587 B.C., Babylon besieged Jerusalem, destroyed the Temple, and the Lord didn't intervene; Jerusalem's inhabitants were killed or exiled.  We want to hear about hope and security, but we also need to hear about our guilt.  We need to keep hearing about our propensity to sin.  "If you think you're standing upright, watch out lest you fall!"

• Passionist:  "Redemption continues":  Centurions held the army together:  disciplined, loyal, steady, reliable.  Today's centurion loved his slave, and Jesus was moved.  This chemistry between centurion and slave gives hope.  “…After winning the Presidency, [Lincoln] made the unprecedented decision to incorporate his rivals into his political family… The powerful competitors who had originally disdained him became colleagues who helped him steer the country through its darkest days” (Goodwin, Team of Rivals).  Such leaders are still among us.  Redemption continues.

• DailyScripture.net:  "Say the word and my servant will be healed":  Jews hated Romans because they represented everything the Jews stood against:  pagan beliefs, idol worship, immoral practices, and suppression of the Israelites' claim to be a nation governed by God's law.  Centurions were the backbone of the Roman army, each in charge of 100 soldiers. "They must be men who can command,... not overanxious to rush into the fight, but ready to hold their ground, and die at their posts" (Polybius).  The centurion was courageous and faith-filled; he risked ridicule and mockery by seeking Jesus' help, but he approached Jesus with confidence and humility.  He was an extraordinary man; he loved his slave, though slaves were treated as property.  He believed Jesus could heal his slave....

• Universalis:  St. Luan (Moluag, Lua, Murlach, or Lugaidh), bishop, founded 100 monastic settlements

Dress legend

• 'Eyeball' pin:  My eyes are worn out from weeping; your prophets had false visions; let there be no repose for your eyes (1st reading)

• 'Grain' pin:  In vain they ask, “Where's the grain?” (1st reading)

• 'Heart' tie bar:  Pour out your heart like water in the Lord's presence (1st reading)

• 'Hands' tie:  Lift up your hands to the Lord (1st reading); Jesus touched Peter's mother-in-law's hand and healed her (gospel)

• 'Sheep' tie bar:  Why are you angry with your sheep? Remember your flock... (psalm)

• 'Tree' pin:  Your foes are like men coming up with axes to trees (psalm)

• 'Hammer' pin:  With chisel and hammer they hack at the sanctuary (psalm)

• Orange suspenders:  They set your sanctuary on fire (psalm); "Technology on fire:  Igniting ministry" DISC 2016 theme

• 'Tech words' "geek tie":  “Say the word and my servant will be healed." (gospel); Technology on Fire (again), Don Crawley's "Compassionate geek" workshop

• 'Silverware' tie bar:  "Many will come and recline at the heavenly banquet..." (gospel)

• 'Car' tie pin:  "...but the children of the Kingdom will be 'driven' out into darkness"; Jesus 'drove' out evil spirits (gospel)

• Green in shirt:  Ordinary Time season

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