Sunday 17A: Parables of Treasure - Saints in Coming Days (July 20-23)

 

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year "A") - July 24, 2011 - FINDING AND SEEKING GOD'S TREASURE, THE KINGDOM - [Texts: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 [Psalm 119]; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52]

Comparing Mark's fourth chapter with Matthew's thirteenth chapter, both of which depict Jesus' parables of the Kingdom, shows how much more complex and extensive Matthew's traditions are.

In Matthew's collection, the mustard seed parable gets matched with one about yeast that a woman used to leaven three measures of flour.  Matthew remarks that Jesus told the crowd nothing without a parable to fulfil prophecy and to reveal mysteries “hidden from the foundation of the world”.

Finally, unique to Matthew's gospel are the parable of the wheat and the weeds with its explanation—explored last Sunday—as well as this Sunday's brief parables of the hidden treasure, the pearl and the dragnet.  Like the parable of the weeds, the “net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind” announces a coming final judgment, of sorting and separating.

Two weeks ago, Jesus explained the purpose for His parables: “the reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand ... so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn—and I would heal them’” (Matthew 13.14-15).

This statement by Jesus, quoting Isaiah 6.9-10, remains puzzling.  It suggests that parables have a double purpose.  On the one hand, for those who have responded positively to Jesus, the parables communicate further insight and knowledge.  But for those who have rejected Jesus and His message, the parables have the effect of causing them to sink further into the dark.  In other words, commitment leads to knowledge, but unbelief leads to further ignorance.

But what message do the parables communicate to those who believe in Jesus?  Here we note that, like poetry and other works of art, parables contain greater depths of meaning than any single explanation offers.  Still, the parable of the mustard seed seems to say that the Kingdom of God may initially be as humble as the mustard seed is small, but it is destined for impressive growth like the plant the mustard seed becomes.

Likewise, though Jesus' instruction about God's Kingdom is hidden, the transforming power of His gospel is as pervasive as yeast which a woman “took and hid” (the English “took and mixed” misses the Greek original's nuance of furtiveness, even subversiveness), thereby completely leavening the three measures of flour and providing enough bread, not for a family's needs, but for a great banquet.

The parables of the “treasure hidden in a field” and of the “one pearl of great value” are meant to be taken together.  Only a brief vignette of each situation is given, so that the central feature stands out.  Both protagonists go and sell everything for the sake of the one thing worth having.

God's Kingdom is compared neither to the treasure nor to the merchant.  Rather, it is the dynamic movement in each story that is the point of comparison with the Kingdom of God.  Both the man ploughing in the field who unearthed a hidden treasure and the pearl merchant who was actively seeking a precious specimen found something beyond all their expectations.

Like the single-minded “pure of heart” whom Jesus praised in the Beatitudes (cf. Matthew 5.8), those who found both treasure and pearl gave all to possess the one thing that brought them joy.  So it is with God's Kingdom, it is worth sacrificing all to enter it.  The Kingdom becomes the source of ongoing joy for those who find themselves within it.

The importance of truly discerning what makes for happiness in this world appears not only in Jesus' parabolic instruction but undergirds Solomon's prayer for wisdom instead of riches.  God lavishly answered Solomon's prayer (“I give you a wise and discerning mind”).  Later God gave Solomon riches, too.

God-given wisdom helps disciples understand Paul's conviction that “all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”.  God's plan for believers is that they “be conformed to the image of his Son” not only by their death to sin in the waters of baptism, but, as well, by how they live joyfully in this world the life of the Kingdom.

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THE MEMORIAL OF THE FOLLOWING

HOLY MEN AND WOMEN

WILL BE OBSERVED

IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS

July 20: Optional Memorial of Saint Apollinaris, Bishop and Martyr

Direct your faithful, Lord, in the way of eternal salvation which the Bishop Saint Apollinaris showed by his teaching and martyrdom, and grant, through his intercession, that we may so persevere in keeping your commandments as to merit being crowned with him. Through our Lord.

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July 21: Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Priest and Doctor of the Church

O God, who for the glory of your Name and the salvation of souls bestowed on the Priest Saint Lawrence of Brindisi a spirit of counsel and fortitude, grant, we pray, that in the same spirit we may know what must be done and, through his intercession, bring it to completion. Through our Lord.


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Luca Signorelli, Saint Mary Magdelene (1504)

July 22: Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene

O God whose Only Begotten Son entrusted Mary Magdalene before all others with announcing the great joy of the Resurrection, grant, we pray, that through her intercession and example we may proclaim the living Christ and come to see him reigning in your glory. Who lives and reigns with you.


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July 23:  Optional Memorial of Saint Bridget, Religious

O God, who guided Saint Bridget of Sweden along different paths of life, and wondrously taught her the wisdom of the Cross as she contemplated the Passion of your Son; grant us, we pray, that walking worthily in our vocation, we may seek you in all things. Through our Lord.

 

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JTTF in St. Raphaels, Ontario

JOURNEY TO THE FATHER

ST. RAPHAELS, ON

On Saturday morning, with Father Randy Hendrix, CC, new pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church, and guided by Joe Healy, my excellent occasional driver, I went over to the JTTF gathering in the tent city set up next to the ruins of St. Raphael's Church in the diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall.

As often happens when there is in the same summer an edition of the World Youth Day, the numbers registered were down slightly, but there was great enthusiasm and the weather was superb, even if a bit on the hot side.

The morning began with Mass, at which special mention was made of the 60th anniversary of priestly ordination of Msgr. Donald B. McDougald, who was present and spoke briefly at the conclusion of the Eucharist.

There were excellent presentations, a delicious lunch and time for sports and interaction. The speakers too were top flight and engaging.

Here are some photos of the first part of the day:

Gathered for Mass

 

Tent for Mass, major assemblies

 

Legionnaries served the Mass

Concelebrants and other ministers of the altar

 

 

Msgr McDougald, 60 years a priest on May 19, 2011 

 

Many volunteers make JTTF hum

 

 

 

 

This and previous photos: time for conversations, games

 

Promoting Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, Barry's Bay

 

Ready to speak about vocations in service of the Church 

A Trio from Kemptville

Lunch outside in the sun...

 

The Mens' Session (simultaneous with the Women's Session)

One of the Confession Stations

 

Command Central: Parishioners Pray for the Participants
before the Blessed Sacrament

"Armed and Ready": Eastern Canada Conference of YOUTH FOR CHRIST - Upcoming Travel

Some of the Ottawa delegation at YFC

On Friday, I drove to Algonquin College for the Opening Mass of YOUTH FOR CHRIST (YFC) where some youth from our diocese were joined by delegates from other Ontario dioceses, Montreal and Eastern Canada.

Taking their theme from Ephesians 6.10-17, which speaks of spiritual warfare, the young men and women seemed ready for a great weekend.

Some other pictures (courtesy of Jess Santos):

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SUMMER CHANGE OF PACE

In coming days I will be travelling a good bit, so the blog entries will be consolidated and less frequent.  The intentions of the blogging family will be with me in visits to Paray-le-monial and Rome. 

Restful summer for those who are able to get away! 

Optional Memorial: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel - Priests' Reflection Time

O most beautiful flower of Mount Carmel,

Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assist me in this necessity.

O Immaculate Virgin and Star of the Sea, help me and

show me that you are my mother and protector.

O Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of heaven

and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of

my heart to help me in my needs for there are none

who can withstand you grace. Pray for me and help

me to obtain assistance in this life. Amen

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Collect for the Memorial of

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

May the venerable intercession of the glorious Virgin Mary come to our aid, we pray, 0 Lord, so that, fortified by her protection, we may reach the mountain which is Christ. Who lives and reigns with you.

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A MID-WEEK REFLECTION

AND LUNCH FOR PRIESTS, SEMINARIANS

Marist Father Yvan Mathieu (above) offered a reading on the Vocation of Peter, James and John (Luke 5.1-11) to a mid-week gathering of priests and seminarians at Sainte Famille/Sagrada Famiglia Parish. 

Some other photos:

St. Bonaventure, Franciscan bishop & doctor of the Church - CL Vacation 2011

Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

 

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, just as we celebrate the heavenly birthday of the Bishop Saint Bonaventure, we may benefit from his great learning and constantly imitate the ardor of his charity. Through our Lord.

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Saint Bonaventure, né en Toscane, reçut au baptême le nom de Jean. À l’âge de quatre ans, il fut attaqué d’une maladie si dangereuse, que les médecins désespérèrent de sa vie. Sa mère alla se jeter aux pieds de saint François d’Assise, le conjurant d’intercéder auprès de Dieu pour un enfant qui lui était si cher. Le Saint, touché de compassion, se mit en prière, et le malade se trouva parfaitement guéri. Par reconnaissance, Jean entra dans l’Ordre fondé par saint François, et en devint l’ornement et la gloire.

Le saint patriarche, près de finir sa course mortelle, lui prédit toutes les grâces dont la miséricorde divine le comblerait, et s’écria tout à coup, dans un ravissement prophétique : "O buona ventura ! O la bonne aventure !" De là vint le nom de Bonaventure qui fut donné à notre Saint.

Bonaventure fut envoyé à l’Université de Paris, où il devait lier avec saint Thomas une amitié qui sembla faire revivre celle de saint Grégoire de Nazianze et de saint Basile. Tous deux couraient plus qu’ils ne marchaient dans la carrière des sciences et de la vertu, et, d’étudiants de génie, ils parvinrent en peu de temps à la gloire des plus savants professeurs et des docteurs les plus illustres. Les études de Bonaventure n’étaient que la prolongation de sa fervente oraison.

Saint Thomas d’Aquin vint un jour le visiter et lui demanda dans quels livres il puisait cette profonde doctrine qu’on admirait en lui. Bonaventure lui montra quelques volumes : mais, son ami faisant l’incrédule, il finit par montrer un crucifix qui était sur sa table, et lui dit : "Voilà l’unique source de ma doctrine ; c’est dans ces plaies sacrées que je puise mes lumières !"

Élu général de son Ordre malgré ses larmes, il continua ses travaux ; mais, de tous, celui qui lui fut le plus cher fut la Vie de saint François d’Assise, qu’il écrivit avec une plume trempée dans l’amour divin, après avoir visité tous les lieux où avait passé son bienheureux père.

Saint Thomas vint un jour lui rendre visite, et, à travers sa porte entrouverte, l’aperçut ravi, hors de lui-même et élevé de terre, pendant qu’il travaillait à la vie du saint fondateur ; il se retira avec respect, en disant : "Laissons un Saint faire la vie d’un Saint."

Bonaventure n’avait que trente-cinq ans quand il fut élu général des Franciscains, et il avait à peu près cinquante-et-un ans quand le pape Grégoire X le nomma cardinal-évêque d’Albano. Les envoyés du Pape le trouvèrent, lui, général de l’Ordre, occupé, avec plusieurs frères, à laver la vaisselle. Ce grand Saint mourut deux ans après.

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ENJOYING NATURE...

Joining Communion and Liberation for part of their Summer Vacation Weekend (early July) in the Laurentians, I had a wonferful time in an unsurpassed nature locale. 

Most of the photos I took are of the meals, entertainment and outdoor swimming activity.  I celebrated two Masses and took part in the final discussion, but have not yet received photos from those events.

Nor did I take photos of the final evening bonfire, preferring extra sleep to the late night festivities.

Sunday 16A: Kingdom Parables of Mustard Seeds, Yeast & Weeds among Wheat - La Bienheureuse KATERI - Good Shepherd Catechesis

The story of the Mustard Seed

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year "A") - July 17, 2011 - GOD'S PATIENCE AND THAT OF HIS CHURCH - [Texts: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 [Psalm 86]; Romans 8:26-27;  Matthew 13:24-43]

Both Jesus and the early Church used parables of wheat growing—and other transformations taking place in nature—to explain the way in which God's Kingdom has broken into the world of sinners and outcasts. 

These marginalized persons were the kind of people one might least expect to be open to receiving the Kingdom.  Yet they did.  Yet with their decision, the Church, now composed of sinners on the way to being saints, came into being.

Jesus foresaw in the mustard seed the future tree in which the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.  He taught that the Kingdom's transformation of our world was like the leavening effect yeast had in transforming three measures of flour.

Christians in every walk of life and outlook can experience frustrations with the less-than-perfect world in which we live: 

* Some husbands and wives find married life becoming onerous. 

* Consecrated religious find the ardor of novitiate enthusiasm has faded. 

* Priests and laity regret that the promise of the Second Vatican Council seems to have evanesced. 

* Sometimes good Catholics find themselves discouraged by the ongoing presence of weakness, frailty and sin rooted even within the Church.

Jesus' words in today's parable of the “weeds among the wheat”' addressed the situation of the church to which Matthew belonged at the end of the first century. 

By the time Matthew's gospel was complete, the first generation of Christian disciples had passed.  And with them some of the zeal they had had for the gospel.  They were experiencing the reality Jesus had foretold, when “the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24.12).

Members of the Church found themselves challenged by the parable of the wheat and the weeds.  For the parable counsels patience, even with sinners who choose to remain, seemingly unrepentant, in church life. 

Jesus tells those tempted to pull up the weeds to be patient.  Sometimes wheat and weeds look so similar that there is a real danger of confusing the two and certainly a risk of pulling out the good with the bad.

Patience, however, need not lead to inertia.  There are always people of good will who want to take steps to tackle the problems and do all they can to better a bad situation with a serenity and peace that are the very embodiment of biblical patience. 

Indeed, the patience of Job, which was proverbial, is really outdone by the patience of God and by those in the Church who imitate God's patient disposition.

The patience of Job

The parable offers those who accept the message, that sinners are to be dealt with patiently, assurance that in the end right will triumph.  That in the end God's way will be victorious.  That one day the children of the Kingdom “will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father”.

The interpretation of the parable of the weeds is the first of five parables found in Matthew's gospel that conclude with the phrase “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (13.42, 50; 22.13; 24.51; 25.30). This stock formula derives from an early Christian source referred to as “Q", a scholarly designation for texts of the sayings of Jesus that are shared by Matthew and Luke (cf. Matthew 8.12; Luke 13.28).

The formula underlines the evangelist's emphasis on the parables as anticipations of eschatological judgment.  These are not meant to imply rejoicing over the fate that will befall outsiders or unbelievers. 

Rather, they are to serve as a warning to those inside the church not to presume on their status but to remain vigilant as they await the return of the Son of Man, living their lives in accord with the teaching of Jesus.

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LA BIENHEUREUSE KATERI TEKAKWITHA

 

Kateri est la première bienheureuse indienne du continent nord-américain. Elle est née à Ossernenon, où les saints Isaac Jogues, René Goupil et Jean de la Lande avaient versé leur sang pour la foi. Après bien des péripéties, elle trouve refuge à la mission jésuite Saint-François-Xavier sur le Saint-Laurent. Là elle mènera une vie de prière et de travail exemplaire. Elle y mourra en 1680.

 Le pape Jean-Paul II
 l'a béatifiée en 1980.

 Sa fête est célébrée aux Etats-Unis le 14 juillet,
 au Canada le 17 avril.

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The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd...

is a Christian Ministry for children aged 3-12 years that is based on the Bible and liturgy of the church; it is inspired by the principles of Montessori education.

This Ministry provides:

An opportunity for children to fall in love with Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in a child-friendly space called an atrium – located in a church or school.

Guided play to aid meditation on Bible scripture and the mysteries of the Christian faith once a week - in small groups, facilitated by trained adults (catechists). That each child's unique spiritual needs and abilities are respected and nurtured.

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is recognized as a ministry offering religious formation for children by the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches of Canada.

One weekday last week, I presided at Mass at Annunciation of Our Lord Parish, Gloucester, then met with those men and women taking an intensive program to be certified to direct the children in this catechetical expression.  www.cgsac.ca

Here's a photo of the group: