July 4
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
4:00 PM – George Myers / Mary Ellen Brown
7:30 AM – Sam Cimilluca / Marian Cimilluca
10:30 AM – Elizabeth Lennon / Family
5:00 PM – Dolores Salanger / Joan Beeler
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
Ezekiel 2:2-5
As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD GOD! And whether they heed or resist—for they are a rebellious house— they shall know that a prophet has been among them.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 123:1-2, 2, 3-4
R. (2cd) Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
To you I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven —
As the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
As the eyes of a maid
are on the hands of her mistress,
So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,
till he have pity on us.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us,
for we are more than sated with contempt;
our souls are more than sated
with the mockery of the arrogant,
with the contempt of the proud.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.
Second Reading
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Brothers and sisters: That I, Paul, might not become too elated, because of the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gospel Acclamation
Cf. Lk 4:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
“Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.”
Reflection
Most of us realize that those who know us best, or who have known us since we were children, may not listen to our voice as much as someone else. Often, people think of us in light of what we have been earlier in our life. This is what Christ is experiencing today. He is preaching to the people of his native place. His disciples are with him, and he is amazing those who are listening to him. Even though his teaching is full of wisdom as stated by those in the synagogue who are listening to him, they ponder who he is. “Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?”
Jesus realizes what they are saying and responds, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” It is true. Often those who are less familiar with us respect and listen to us the most.
Today, let us keep this in mind as we try to minister to those who know us best. Often, people will lament the fact that members of their families have fallen away from the practice of their faith. They ask how they might influence their family members to become more active in their faith. The sad fact is that many times those in our families fail to listen to us, but the media and those who they barely know easily sway them. I believe the best remedy for this is for us to pray for those who have fallen away. God can accomplish what we could never do on our own!
Peace,
Fr. John
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