Fourth Sunday - 2024

Dr. Brant Pitre Commentary on the Gospel Text . . . LINK . . .

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Third Sunday of the Year - 2024

Sunday of the Word of God By Papal decree, this third Sunday in Ordinary Time, is to be observed as a special day devoted to “the celebration, study and dissemination of the word of God.” Its formal title is “Sunday of the Word of God” and is an invitation to Catholics across the world to deepen their appreciation, love and faithful witness to God and his word.  Pope Francis describes it as a day dedicated to the Bible to help the Church (quoting) “to experience anew how the risen Lord opens up for us the treasury of his word and enables us to proclaim its unfathomable riches before the world,” Many Catholic homes have bibles, often rather large books, beautifully produced. They may have a special place in the home like on the self under the coffee table in the living room. However, it's purpose there is not for prayer, reading and study, rather a place where the family records are kept. Thankfully in recent years the place and importance of the bible in Catholic homes is changing. On Nov. 18th 1965, Pope Paul VI promulgated the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation entitled Dei verbum. Its purpose is to spell out the Church’s understanding of the nature of Divine Revelation, that is, the process whereby God communicates with human beings. Let me highlight a couple of its key teachings. The document touches on key questions, especially about Scripture and tradition, and how the scriptures come under the teaching authority of the Church. We learn that the bible is not a book that stands alone, complete unto itself – rather it is a collection of writings brought together by a living body of believers, the Church, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The document states: “Sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture form one sacred deposit of the word of God, committed to the Church. #10” The document also teaches that to have a correct understanding of the sacred text it is important to take into account the various forms the writers of the scriptures have chosen to communicate God’s Word – such as historical, or poetic, or prophetic, etc. And of course the role of scripture in the Mass is highlighted by the document: “The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since, especially in the sacred liturgy, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the bread of life from the table both of God's word and of Christ's body. #21” Pope John Paul II used the expression of the Table of the Word and the Table of the Eucharist. The document concludes with this exhortation: “The sacred synod also earnestly and especially urges all the Christian faithful, to learn by frequent reading of the divine Scriptures the "excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 3:8). "For ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ." Therefore, they should gladly put themselves in touch with the sacred text itself, whether it be through the liturgy, rich in the divine word, or through devotional reading.  For more information visit the Hamilton Diocese web site < < <  < < LINK > >  > >

Second Sunday of the Year - 2024

Who Are You?

The liturgy now takes us to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry. As we take up these gospel stories we notice that some of the people we see encountering Jesus have heard about him and are curious about meeting him. Others have no idea who he  is until they encounter him - speaking first to them or doing something dramatic like healing someone. These first encounters leave these people asking "Who are You?"  Even though Christianity has now over a 2000 year history there are still countless numbers of people who continue to ask this same question, who are you? noteworthy among these are today 's young generation, known as Generation Z. Might I suggest, no matter what generation you belong to that asking this question is a good way for everyone to take up these 34 Sundays of Ordinary time.  Perhaps worst than not knowing anything about Jesus is to think that I am a long time believer and have nothing more to learn. The great theologian of the Church St. Thomas Aquinas, after having written several volumes of profound theology, one day laid down his pen saying of his great works, “I can do no more. The end of my labors has come. Such things have been revealed to me that all that I have written seems to me as so much straw." Then he was taken up into ever deeper mystical revelations.  We may not necessarily expect mystical experiences but a whole new insight and deeper understanding of the wonderful mysteries of our faith awaits everyone as we begin a new liturgical cycle with its focus on Mark's gospel.  So lay down pen and all your presumptions and like young Samuel in today's gospel text say, "Speak Lord your servant is listening."

Ordinary Time - 2024

Some Thoughts On Ordinary Time and the Liturgical Year First, the word ordinary as it is used here, does not mean plain, unimportant. The name comes from the Latin word, “ordinalis” meaning "showing order, denoting an order of succession.” It is used in this sense to refer to the order of the counted weeks. That is to say, it is a season of counted weeks in the Liturgical Year; Week One, Week Two ….etc. Ordinary Time is divided into two main parts. The first begins on the Monday after the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord and continues through to Shrove Tuesday, the eve of Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent. This first part focuses on the early life and childhood of Christ, and then on His public ministry.  The liturgical color of Ordinary Time is green; however, as in all seasons, other appropriate colors are worn on particular feast days. (For example, white is typically worn for Marian feast days, except in some Spanish countries where blue is an approved liturgical color.) The second period of Ordinary Time is the longest liturgical season. It resumes after Pentecost and runs until the final Saturday before Advent. This period of Ordinary Time focuses on Christ’s reign as King of kings, and on the age of the Church. This is the age we live in now, which is the time between the age of the Apostles and the age of Christ’s second and final coming for which we are ever preparing. The final Sunday in Ordinary Time is the Feast of Christ the King; the Saturday after this feast is the final day of Ordinary time. Again, the liturgical color of Ordinary Time is green; however, as in all seasons, other appropriate colors are worn on particular feast days. So why this ordering of the seasons of the liturgy in this way? It is done this way so that as we worship in the liturgy, we also are taught our Faith. The method of teaching here is by experience. As we progress through each liturgy, a new lesson is taught to us in person. The gospel readings tell the story chapter by chapter; and as the Church's document on the liturgy tells us: when the gospels are read in the liturgy, it is Christ himself who is speaking to us. Now, having been taught by Jesus in the liturgy of the Word, we are ready to encounter him in a deep, personal communion in the Eucharist. Remember how Luke begins his gospel account:   Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. This is the reasons why the church wants us to come weekly to the Sunday Liturgy. It is so that the bond that ties us to Jesus deepens and grows ever stronger, week after week. Our religious life is not a hobby or something to do to feel good on special occasions. It is a person-to-person relationship that requires loving attention if it is to mature and bloom into a fruitful and bountiful communion of love. It is visibly evident that the number of empty pews in our churches each week is growing. Many will say that they do not need to go to church to be a good person; that they still believe in God. But, remember the words of St. James, in chapter 2 of his letter: "You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror." (New Living translation)  Perhaps the best way to grasp the importance of maintaining this communion with Jesus is to recall Jesus' word to us in chapter 15, of John's gospel. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

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Feast of the Epiphany - 2024

When we speak of the coming of Christ we think of Christmas. However, in a wider sense we can say there are Three Comings of Christ. The 1st being His Incarnation, His 2nd is the Day of Judgement and His 3rd is present, each time a person is baptised into the life of Christ. As it was for Christmas, we commonly think of the Epiphany as that one event in Christ's life where the Magi, led by a star, make their way to see him and offer him gifts fitting a new king. However, the Catholic liturgy considers the Epiphany to be threefold also, the visit by the Magi, the Baptism of Jesus by John, and the Miracle of the Wine at the Wedding in Cana.  The Greek word, "epiphaneia", was used to signify the coming of a king or emperor. It was also used for the self-manifestation of a god or for his miraculous intervention; this latter, likely the original use of the word. A popular use of the word “epiphany” today means a sudden discovery, something finally seen and recognized, the beginning of understanding; we say, “ah, now I see, now I understand!” "I just had an epiphany". (The word "insight" comes to mind here.) Many people these days have abandoned the practice of belonging to a church. They say they are spiritual but not religious and do not need the structures of church membership to be a good person. It is true that everyone is spiritual for that is how God created us, a physical being with a spiritual soul. However to simply claim to be spiritual is to leave out one important thing - it is religious practice that connects our spirit to the heavenly where God is revealing himself to the people of this world; it's the Spirit who empowers the believer to see rightly so that he can bear fruit in the world by the true practice of the faith. The people at the time of the first Epiphany were religious people seeking a true spiritual life. But they were having difficulties with which religious practice was the correct way? Who best to sort out these complicated question than God Himself. The Epiphany is God becoming visible and personally present to this world. Jesus is God making himself present and demonstrating that imitating him is the way of true religion. ( ... now I see, now I get it. ) Do you get it? Do you understand? How is your "epiphany experience" unfolding? Here is where true spirituality enters the discussion - true spirituality happens when we become seekers, searching for Him the One who  tells us in person who he is. We are today's Magi-seekers and our gifts to offer are our open hearts and minds in search of "insight" and understanding. We are people with a dynamic spiritual/religious practice seeking a personal encounter with Jesus. Just as true spirituality does not make up who God is, rather it discovers who God really is, likewise true religion does not make up how God is to be served, God himself has come to show us how he wants us to worship and serve him. So we need to belong to the Church that Jesus established as his way of gathering us around himself for instruction.

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