July 2017

XVI Sunday in Ordinary Time (“A”) – July 23, 2017

Frackville, From the Pastor /

Jesus makes it clear that the world is not an innocent place. There will be always evil at work that will frustrate the growth of the kingdom. And even In church communities there will be a mixture of good and bad. Christians should be scandalized but not surprised that sin can exist in the Church. How should is be dealt with? Sometimes immediate action needs to be taken to root out a poisonous cancer; there is no room for compromising with scandal. But there are other occasion when God’s forbearance must be recognized and in sense we are called to imitate it. Sometimes it may be wiser to wait and not judge too quickly. There are zealous people in every community who want to act now and root out what they see as sinners or their influence. But, as Jesus shows, both on an individual and community level we may do more harm than good by rushing in with hasty judgments. Better to wait, allowing for change and repentance. This is not a false tolerance of sin, but rather a situation that occur in families and in parish communities, and which needs patience. Jesus teaches us to have a deep faith that God is in control, and that God can bring good out of the most unpromising situations. In the end there will be a judgment and God will bring about justice.

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XIV Sunday in Ordinary Time (“A”) – July 9, 2017

From the Pastor /

Jesus reveals to us the heart of the Father, and knowledge of this is something that comes to us as pure gift. Those to whom the Father reveals His truth and who respond to it are rightly called “children” because they become members of God’s family. Jesus’ invitation for all those who are struggling to come to Him is an active one. Jesus holds out His hand, drawing us to himself, so that we may follow in His footsteps. Putting on Christ is not burdensome. However, following Jesus and growing in discipleship require that we know that we are yoked to Him. Then, learning from Jesus, and revelling in His gentle and humble heart, we can start to appreciate how the vision of the kingdom in today’s first reading is now only a real responsibility, but something already in our midst and something worth working for.

We have perhaps all heard stories about people being down and out and then meeting Jesus. They encountered the tender mercy and kind compassion of God. It is one thing to talk about how Jesus has been so generous with us, offering us shelter in the midst of our cries. It is another thing to become that which we have received. Are we prepared to become like Christ by seeking to be a safe haven ourselves? Being a place of refuge for those who need comfort need to be as risky as it sounds. It does not necessarily call for us to open up our homes – though some may be called to do that. But it asks us to open our hearts. Even though our hearts may feel inadequate and conflicted, we can trust that Christ, dwelling deep within, can communicate His tenderness through us. All we have to do is to trust Him and allow some of our natural gifts of hospitality to be built upon by grace. For many of us who live busy lives, we meet people every day who need a listening ear, or a shoulder to cry on, or some gentle encouragement. Let us not be afraid to reflect the love of the Father by reaching out to them. The Holy Spirit will guide us and Jesus will touch their hearts. Then we will show we are truly His disciples as we embrace others in the way that He did.

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