We are called to be a missionary for Christ!

Friday of the 28th Week

Feast Day of St. Luke

II Timothy 4:10-17

Luke 10:1-9

 

Who wants to be a missionary? Who is working on being a missionary? We look at ourselves, and we say, “I have enough to do right now, I can’t be a missionary!” Well, our mission if you will is to be a missionary for Christ, by what we think, say, and do. I guess it is time we get busy! 

 

We celebrate the feast day of St. Luke; we know that he had a missionary spirit as he was gentile convert from Antioch. Luke was a companion of Paul on many of his missionary trips. Luke may have been a physician; this may be the reason he has so many stories of healings in his writings. Luke had a missionary spirit as he traveled about with Paul. 

 

In our first reading from Paul to Timothy, he writes how all the others have deserted the mission, and it is only Luke that has stayed by him. Paul needed Luke to stay with him as he had some hardship as Alexander the coppersmith has done him great harm. Luke with his missionary spirit brings comfort and healing to his friend.

 

The first thing about our Gospel is why were we not given a story about Jesus calling the apostles to follow him? I would have guessed that a story about the apostles would be appropriate. It is interesting that we are given the story of Jesus calling an additional seventy – two disciples to be his missionaries. Jesus gives the seventy-two the same power as he did the apostles as they are to prepare the way for his arrival.

 

These seventy-two remain nameless because Jesus is sending us out to be missionaries to bring peace and healing to all we meet. The Eucharist we share will give us all we need this day to be a good missionary. 

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What are our bad habits?

 

Wednesday of the Twenty- Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14

Luke 11:1-4

 

Do you bite your nails when you are nervous? Do you play with your hair, and curl it with your finger? Do you tap your foot or crack your knuckles? All of these are bad habits, and they are hard to break. In our readings today we have people that are behaving badly as they are repeating bad habits.

 

In our first reading from the Book of Galatians, we hear how Paul and Barnabas have been preaching to the Gentiles. Peter and the others come from Jerusalem to witness what has been going on and when they sit down to dinner Peter and the others including Barnabas refuse to dine with the Gentiles. Paul is furious, and he argues with Peter about continuing in his old ways and not adopting new ways of doing things.

 

In our Gospel, one of the disciples asks Jesus to teach them to pray, and Jesus teaches them the “Our Father.” “Lord, teach us to pray” is a great question for us to ask because our prayer life should always be evolving.

 

All of us know the “Our Father” as it may have been one of the first prayers we learned. The “Our Father” is a traditional prayer that we say a lot, and hopefully, we are becoming what it proclaims. We petition God to rid from us bad habits which are our lack of forgiveness. We ask God to forgive us and to help us forgive those who have hurt us.

 

We should never be seen as saying one thing and doing another. Let us break old habits and create new good habits.

How is our personal relationship with Christ?

 

Tuesday Twenty – Seventh Week Ordinary Time

Galatians 1:13-24

Luke 10:38-42

 

Tomorrow evening at 7:01 pm, after my six o’clock meeting I hope to be in my car and driving up north to meet up with my buddy, Tom that I had been friends with since second grade. It is our annual bird hunting trip that we have been doing since 1973. We know a lot about each other as we have been through the best of times with each other and the worst of times. I always look forward to my times with Tom no matter what we do. In our readings, there are some very personal things going on.

 

In our reading from Galatians St. Paul recalls his past when he would persecute Christians for their belief in Jesus Christ. He acknowledges that it is because of his personal relationship with Jesus Christ that changed his life that he is now Christ’s greatest supporter.

 

In our, Gospel Martha and Mary know each other very well because they are sisters. The two of them have a long history with each and as Jesus comes to visit an argument ensues. I certainly do not believe this is the first time that this has happened. These two sisters have a history of growing up and having squabbles occasionally. What I think the message of this Gospel is reminding us of is how we need to seek this personal relationship with Christ through prayer and service.

 

My friend in Christ, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is more than being nice or good. It is about giving our lives to Christ 110%and dying to ourselves every day.  How is our personal relationship with Christ today? 

“Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.”

Twenty – Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

Genesis 2:18-24

Hebrews 2:9-11

Mark 10:1-12

 

Many of you just responded, “Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ!” In saying those words, you are saying, “Lord, I believe in everything you say in the gospel.” I want to make sure you meant this because I think this is the hardest gospel ever written and certainly to preach on? The reason I say this is because when I read the word, “divorce” you may have checked out because you recalled the pain and suffering of going through a divorce. I included myself in this since I was married for eighteen years, divorced and given an annulment. Many of us who have gone through a divorce knows that it can leave you defeated, broken, and maybe even bring you to question yourself and your faith. So where is the Good News of Jesus Christ in these readings? There is actually a lot, but we need to truly understand and come to believe that God has a plan, and we do not always know that plan but is always better than our plan. I will share with you my homily, and hopefully it will match up with your homily, and in the end, we all will know the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

The very first thing we should know about our Gospel is that it is a test. The Pharisees come to Jesus with a question, “Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?” Everyone present knew that by rabbinic law it was lawful for a husband to divorce his wife. Marriage at the time of Jesus was an exchange of goods between two families as the woman was only a piece of property. Don’t shoot the messenger! I love what Jesus does; he sends them back to the beginning of creation to what God had intended marriage to be. Jesus says, “God created male and female, in his image.” Married couples are to remember that your spouse in created in the image and likeness of God. Jesus continues by saying, “It is for this reason that a man should leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” It takes a lot of work for two people to become one flesh. It takes a lot of forgiveness, a lot of understanding, and a lot of patience. Jesus doesn’t answer the question on divorce; he knows that divorce is painful to be avoided. What he does do is lift what God had intended for marriage and says, “Now be this!”

I love the way this gospel ends with Jesus telling the disciple to let the children come to him. I believe this is more than at the time of married couples are told, Be fruitful and multiply.”  Jesus ends this gospel in this way as a reminder to all of us what we are to be, as children, innocent, pure and good.

 

The good news for married couples is for you to once again see your spouse in the image and likeness of God. The good news for those struggling in their marriage is to get the help you may need and commit yourselves to becoming one again. The good news for those who are divorced there is hope; the annulment process is designed to bring healing. If you need help in this, please contact Fr. Mike or I.

 

Our community is made of broken people, in need of God’s healing. It is in this place we come and are healed. When the promises we have made our broken we need to know that the promises of our God that he makes with us are never broken.

 

Peace be with you!

Thursday Twenty-Sixth Week Ordinary Time

Job 19:21-27

Luke 10:1-12 

St. Francis of Assisi

 

“Peace be with you!” Peace is what we all desire. We want it for ourselves, for our loved one and others. How do we get “peace” through all the things we are concerned about? Our mission today and always is to bring peace to people in our lives.

 

In our first reading from the book of Job, we know that Job is suffering as he has lost his family and his livelihood. The job remains strong and trusts the Lord in his mercy. Job tells his friends that he should write his words down that they too will know peace during their times of trials.

 

In our Gospel, Jesus sends out the seventy-two of his followers, and they are not to bring, money, sandals, bag, food. This is a metaphor to leave behind fears, doubts, grudges and the old ways of doing things. Their only message to bring about the Kingdom of God is, “Peace be with you.” To proclaim this message means that the followers of Jesus know his peace, it is not a message of changing another person. How often do we condition ourselves that peace will come when the other person changes? The message is simply about trusting in God’s peace.

 

Are we willing to pay the price of peace this day?

 

 

To be Christ, we need to know Christ.

Friday of the 25th Week

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11

Luke 9:18-22

 

Turning to Fr. Mike, say, “Who is this?”

“What do you know about Fr. Mike?”

If you wanted to be like Fr. Mike, what would you do?

 

In our Gospel, Jesus asks them, “Who am I?” Peter steps forward and says, “You are the Christ.” Peter gives a good answer, but Jesus wants something more. What is he asking is “What do you know about me? What do I mean to you? Are you willing to serve me in all things?” If you are, then you too must learn to die to yourself and turn to me.

 

Pointing to the crucifix ask, “Who is this?”

“What do you know about Jesus?”

If you wanted to be like Jesus what would you do?

 

We are called to “Be Christ!” It is our theme for this year, which means we need to know about him. We can learn a lot about Christ by being in our Catholic School.

 

The Eucharist is given to us to give us the grace to go forth and to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

 

 

Be great! Be a servant of God!

 

Twenty-Fifth Sunday Ordinary Time

Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

James 3:16-4:3

Mark 9:30-37

 

Have a stack of my new business cards and give them out to people.

 

I have my new business card, and I am so glad that I have them because they tell me who I am. The card reads, “Fr. Mark Peacock, Pastor, of Holy Spirit Parish.” Because I am the pastor, I know that a whole lot of power and possible greatness can come from being a pastor, but I do not want to assume anything at this point. My idea of being a good pastor is knowing you and loving you and trusting that you will do great things in Christ. In return, I would hope that you would learn to love me and to trust me. This kind of leadership takes time, but I am thoroughly committed to it. Our readings today are about knowing who we are in Christ and to use the power that all of us have to the greater glory of God. 

 

In our Gospel, Jesus is walking with his disciples, and he has been telling them that he must suffer, die and rise from the dead. As he is sharing with them, he can hear them arguing and talking about which one of them is the greatest.  When they stop he asks them, “What have you been arguing about?” Notice, none of them speak up, and not even Peter. Jesus sits down; this is significant because he is switching to be a teacher, rabbis would teach while they were sitting down. He tells them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and the servant of all.”

 

Let’s face it, this saying is hard for us even today, because this is not what one would do to get ahead, you do not go to the back of the line; you will be left behind. We need to look at the one who is saying it. Jesus was no pushover he was not milquetoast. Jesus spoke up to the authorities, he spoke about injustice, and he emptied the temple. The attitude of a good leader is one who knows who they are in Christ. The way to discipleship is not about seeking personal greatness, but about seeking to be a servant in the name of Jesus Christ. The way of discipleship is not seeking power over others, but accepting servanthood and giving up power for the sake of others. It is about finding our strength in Jesus Christ. To drive home the point, he brings a small child to himself he says, “Whoever receives one like a child, will become the greatest.”

 

We are still going to have challenges as from the Book of Wisdom, the writer tells us very clearly, there will be people who look at us when we live this way and call us foolish, but we must go on.

 

In our second reading from James, the writer tells us “Where jealousy and self-ambition exist there is disorder.” The writer continues by encouraging us to seek the wisdom of God and never give up.

 

May we learn the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ that has been given to us in this Holy Eucharist and that is to be a good leader by being a good servant to others?