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Our Sunday Reflection - July 23, 2023
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"The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father."
Matthew 13:43a
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Introduction to the Liturgy of the Day
Two years ago, Pope Francis established the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, to be celebrated every year on the fourth Sunday of July. The pope spoke of grandparents providing a younger generation a link to generations who have passed away. We are called to value and heed the wisdom and experience of our elderly. In today’s Gospel, Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a tiny mustard seed that over time grows to be a huge bush. Today’s elderly were all once tiny mustard seeds themselves. With the Lord’s blessings, they have persevered and thrived and continue to help realize the kingdom of heaven in this world.Introduction to the Liturgy of the Word
Today’s first reading reminds us that God is both just and merciful: judging with clemency, governing with lenience. The farmer in Jesus’ parable does the same, allowing weeds to grow alongside the wheat, waiting until harvesttime to separate the two. God’s justice is always tempered by mercy. Indeed, God sent the Son into the world, where he was put to death by unjust authorities, to bring mercy to all who seek forgiveness. Let us feel confident in placing our trust in our just and merciful God as we carry on in this imperfect world.Reflections
- When Pope Francis instituted the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly and called it to be celebrated on the Sunday closest to the feast day of Saints Joachim and Anne, he spoke of the value of the elderly. He said they were the link between the generations, passing on the wisdom of their own formative years to the generation being born now. He would know from experience. His own father’s family fled the fascist regime of Benito Mussolini in 1929 to emigrate to Argentina. No doubt his father, who was twenty-one when the family fled Italy, taught his children about the dangers of fascism, which, like the weeds sown in the field of Jesus’ parable, threatens the wheat that provides food and nutrition.
- Especially back in Jesus’ time, the bane of a wheat farmer’s work was darnel, a toxic weed often called “false wheat,” for darnel and wheat look very much alike until each blossoms. What farmers think is wheat may turn out to be darnel, but what they assume is darnel may turn out to be wheat. Hence the words of caution the parable’s farmer expresses about pulling up the weeds prematurely. Those whom we now identify as evil may grow and transform and eventually blossom as righteous and good. Our neighbors—as well as ourselves—have an entire lifetime to change, to mature, to leaven, before the harvest comes.
- Consequently, Jesus counsels patience for those who tend the wheat fields. Do not judge or condemn prematurely! As we heard in Wisdom, God judges with clemency, governs with leniency, applies justice with kindness, and permits repentance for sins. Paul points out the advantage we have in the Holy Spirit, who comes to our aid in our weaknesses. We are not perfect. We are not strong enough ourselves to always avoid sin, to always do the right thing. But the Holy Spirit is strong enough. If we heed the movement of the Spirit in our lives, we can blossom, nourishing others with the fruit we bear.
Question of the Week
What substantial service can I provide this week to someone who is elderly, whether a member of my family or not? What can I learn from this action?
-from Pastoral Patterns
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readings of the mass
LISTEN HERE to the Audio Recordings of the Readings of Sunday, July 23, 2023
SELECT HERE for the Readings of Sunday, July 23, 2023
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Offerings
The Sunday offerings are a portion of our blessings that we give to God (Church) in gratitude to what God has done for us...ONLINE GIVING OPTIONS -
Reflections on the readings
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News from the Vatican
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yesterdaySeveral of the new cardinal-designates announced by Pope Francis have applauded the increased diversity of those getting a red hat, saying the appointments signal a shift in center of Catholicism... -
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2 days agoParticipants in the ongoing Synod of Bishops on Synodality have said that while questions surrounding the role of women in the Church are important, they can be distracting from other key issues on...
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