June 22, 2022

June 22

June 22, 2022:  Wednesday, 12th week, Ordinary Time

See 11 connections with today?
Legend below

Listen to settings of today's psalm
General audience:   The waning of physical strength with age offers a chance to follow Christ a new way.  Peter’s relationship with Jesus was tender, direct, free, and open, but not melancholic.  Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me?," and invites him, “Tend my sheep,” but they still argue.  Can we have tender, direct, free, and open relationships?  We can sugarcoat gospel truth, distancing ourselves from Jesus.  Jesus warns Peter that as he grows old, his testimony will be accompanied by weakness.  Jesus invites him to learn to bear witness in a new way.  Your frailty, helplessness, and dependence on others will have to instruct and mold your discipleship.  In old age we learn to bear witness in a life largely entrusted to others.  Old age is a time of trial and temptation; Peter points to this when he asks Jesus, "What about [John]?"  Jesus responds frankly, "What does it matter to you?  Follow me.’”  The elderly shouldn't envy the young.  The honor of their faithfulness to their love and fidelity to their faith is the title of admiration for generations to come and of recognition from the Lord.  Your forcibly inactive act of listening to, contemplating, and following the Lord will become the best part of your lives.

At World Meeting of Families Festival of Families:  I'm close to all married couples and families in your concrete situations. Start from where you are, then try to journey together.  I want the Church to be a Good Samaritan for you all, to draw near to you and help you move forward. Every family has a mission to carry out, a testimony to give.  Ask the Lord what he wants to speak through your life to those you meet.  What step is he asking of your family?  Stop, listen, and allow the Lord to change you, so you can change the world and make it home for all who need to feel welcomed and accepted, for all who need to encounter Christ and know they're loved.
Read
    • 2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3  High priest / scribe:  “I found the book of the law in the temple.”  When the king heard the contents, he commanded:  “Consult the Lord for me, for the people, for all Judah, about its stipulations; God is angry with us, because our ancestors didn't obey.”  He went to the temple with the people, had the book read out, and made a covenant before the Lord that they'd follow him.
    • Ps 119:33-37, 40  "Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord."  Give me discernment, that I may keep your law with all my heart.  I long for your precepts; give me life.
    • Mt 7:15-20  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but are wolves underneath.  By their fruits you'll know them.  Good trees bear good fruit; rotten trees, bad fruit.  Every tree that doesn't bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
    • Mt 7:15-20  “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but are wolves underneath.  By their fruits you'll know them.  Good trees bear good fruit; rotten trees, bad fruit.  Every tree that doesn't bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
    Reflect
    • Creighton:  Josiah “did what was right in the Lord’s sight.”  He waged a campaign against idolatrous practices.  He ordered the restoration of the temple, leading to the discovery of a book of God’s law.  Hearing it read, he realized how Judah had strayed and decided to lead in a new direction.  He directed the High Priest to seek God’s guidance.  God spoke through Huldah:  Because Josiah’s heart was responsive and he had humbled himself, God postponed his punishment against Judah. The gospel warns against being tempted by false prophets, whose message is inconsistent with the greatest commandments (love of God and neighbor) or Jesus' "new commandment" (to love like Jesus).  Jesus tells us to look at their “fruits.”  Do my priorities distract me from loving God?  Do I care for others, or do I view God's gifts as mine?  Do I love God's children, or show prejudice?  Do I judge?  Do I listen to God, following Jesus' example and the Spirit's prompting?  May we humble ourselves, seek God, and respond like Josiah.
    • One Bread, One Body:  "Fruit inspection":  Many, even Christians, deny Jesus’ commands in the Sermon on the Mount, such as poverty of spirit and love of enemies. Jesus said: “Know them by their deeds.” Look at the fruit.  Not following God leads to broken lives, marriages, and hearts, war, and slavery, not love....
    • Passionist:  Imagine the fear of apostles walking unprotected through deserts, then seeking a receptive audience as enemies sought to trap them.  Beware of false prophets; judge from their fruits.  Lord, help us combat evil and flourish....
    • DailyScripture.net:  "You'll know them by their fruits":  Jesus' audience was familiar with his 'fruit-imagery.'   As berries on a thorn bush can resemble grapes and a flower can resemble a fig, what we "hear" might resemble the truth but actually be false.  Jesus connects good fruit with sound living.  Isaiah warned against falsehood; it produces 'Christianity' without the cross, Jesus' hard sayings, or a sense of sin.  We avoid falsehood by being true to God, his word, and his grace.  Disciples' fruit is marked by faith, hope, and love, justice, prudence, fortitude, and temperance.
        • Thomas More, lawyer, reformer, author of Utopia, depicting a society regulated by natural virtues, impartial judge, martyr, “the king’s good servant, but God’s first.”   “May we in heaven merrily all meet together to everlasting salvation.”
        Prayer for enemies:  Almighty God, have mercy on ...., and on all that bear me evil will, and wish me harm, and their faults and mine by such tender, merciful means as your wisdom can devise; amend and redress and make us saved souls in heaven together, where we may live and love with you and your saints, for the passion of our sweet Savior Christ.  Lord, give me patience in tribulation and grace in everything, to conform my will to yours, that I may truly say, “Your will be done on earth as in heaven.”  Give me the grace to labor for what I pray for.  –St. Thomas More
          • John Fisher, bishop, martyr:  "I condemn no one's conscience: their conscience may save them, and mine must save me.  "We should remember... to treat opponents as if they were acting in good faith, even if they seem to us to be acting out of spite or self-interest."
          Dress legend
          • Metal accessories:  "Your servants have smelted down the metals..." (1st reading)
          • 'Heart' pin:  King made covenant that they'd follow the Lord with all their heart (1st reading); incline my heart to your decrees (psalm)
          • 'Celebrate teaching' pin:  "Teach me the way of your decrees" (psalm)
          • 'Eyeball' pin:  Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain (psalm)
          • 'Sheep' tie bar: “Beware false prophets, wolves in sheep’s clothing" (gospel)
          • 'Chalice with grapes' tie pin: "Do people pick grapes from thornbushes?" (gospel)
          • 'Fruits' tie: "By their fruits you will know them." (gospel)
          • NEW 'Trees' suspenders: "Every good tree bears good fruit" (gospel)
          • 'Blood drop' pin:  SS. Thomas More and John Fisher, martyrs
          • Green shirt:  Ordinary Time season
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