Month: September 2021

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Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

the words faith and works on scenic picture

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Isaiah 50:5-9a
Responsorial: Psalm 116: 1-6, 8-9
Reading 2: James 2:14-18
Gospel: Mark 8:27-35

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091221.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

(recorded during mass)

Do you remember the first time, you held a baby in your arms? Maybe it was your baby. Maybe it was your grandchild or a niece or your nephew or the baby of a close friend. You know, a lot of work came before that baby arrived. I mean there was baby furniture to build, baby clothes to wash and organize. Maybe there was a room to paint to decorate. It can be overwhelming!

When we were expecting our first child, we were in the middle of a move from San Antonio to Birmingham, Alabama. So, I would spend four days in Birmingham, then commute back to San Antonio and spend three days there only start the cycle over again. I’ve got to be honest with you, that got old really fast!

But then on the day that my baby arrived, and I held him in my arms for the first time, all stress and anxiety of the move melted away. It’s not that all of that that came before wasn’t important. But the birth of my son put all of that work into perspective. Being a parent and a husband helps me understand today’s readings.

For example, James talks about faith and works. It’s the very issue that caused Martin Luther to raise his hand and say, “I think I’m going about my salvation all wrong.” You see, Luther described himself as the most monkish of monks. What did does that mean? Luther was busy working as a monk. He was convinced that everything he did would earn his way into heaven.

But then he came to realize that without faith, none of that work matters. The Council of Trent, the Catholic Church’s official response to the Reformation, actually agrees with Luther on this point. The bishops teach us that faith comes first. How can it not? Faith is such a precious, hard-won gift that this crucifix testifies to. That’s what Jesus tells us in the Gospel today. The Son of Man must suffer and die so that he could rise again on the third day and save us from sin and death (Mark 8:31). <1>

Of course, faith comes first. But faith reaches its fullness in love. I understand that as a father and a husband because all the work that I do becomes a response to the gift of my family.

That’s why James will tell us can say faith without works is dead (James 2:17).

Our readings challenge our very understanding of the gift of the Eucharist. If you believe – and I mean if you really believe that what we receive is the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus, then it should change you! It should change me! And that change should manifest in works of love.

Do I see Jesus in the eyes of my wife and my children? Do we see Jesus the suffering servant described in today’s first reading in the eyes of the homeless? Or do I just write them off as a nuisance? Do I see Jesus in the eyes of everyone with whom I don’t agree, especially about politics, the pandemic o anything? Or do we just write them out of my life?

James says to us it’s not enough to say, “I believe,” and not respond with works of love. For example, as a husband and a father, all the chores that I do, the work I do outside the home are works of love. As a Christian, prayer, coming to Mass, participating in the sacraments – the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist – participating in ministries, helping the Church in whatever way I am physically and financially able to carry out its mission to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, and draw people back to Jesus Christ.

As a parent and a husband, all of that makes sense. How can I look into the eyes of my wife and my children and not be changed?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, if someone were to ask you, “why bother being a Christian?” who would you say Jesus is?
Second, does the way I live my life in the privacy of my home, at work, on social media, reflect my faith in Christ Jesus?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Are you going to do it? Good! In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Image: Faith & Works. Artist Unknown. JPG.

Notes:
<1> Robert Barron, “Faith Perfected By Love,” Word on Fire, podcast audio, Sept. 16, 2018, https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/faith-perfected-by-love/21458/.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Barron, Robert. “Faith Perfected By Love.” Word on Fire. Podcast audio. Sept. 16, 2018. https://www.wordonfire.org/resources/homily/faith-perfected-by-love/21458/.
3. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
4. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Faith: 150-65
2. Jesus the Messiah: 436-40
3. Jesus suffered and died for our salvation: 440, 571-72, 601
4. Christ’s knowledge: 471-74
5. The paschal mystery: 571-73
6. Taking up the cross: 618, 1435, 1642, 1816, 2427
7. The path of the Messiah traced out in the “Servant Songs:” 713-16
8. Spiritual progress: 2012-16
9. Good works manifest faith: 2044-46
10. Works of mercy: 2447
11. Almsgiving: 2462

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091221.cfm
Lectionary: 131

Reading 1
Isaiah 50:5-9a
The Lord GOD opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
He is near who upholds my right;
if anyone wishes to oppose me,
let us appear together.
Who disputes my right?
Let that man confront me.
See, the Lord GOD is my help;
who will prove me wrong?

Responsorial
Psalm 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
R. (9) I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I love the LORD because he has heard
my voice in supplication,
Because he has inclined his ear to me
the day I called.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The cords of death encompassed me;
the snares of the netherworld seized upon me;
I fell into distress and sorrow,
And I called upon the name of the LORD,
“O LORD, save my life!”
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gracious is the LORD and just;
yes, our God is merciful.
The LORD keeps the little ones;
I was brought low, and he saved me.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
James 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can that faith save him?
If a brother or sister has nothing to wear
and has no food for the day,
and one of you says to them,
“Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well, ”
but you do not give them the necessities of the body,
what good is it?
So also faith of itself,
if it does not have works, is dead.

Indeed someone might say,
“You have faith and I have works.”
Demonstrate your faith to me without works,
and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works.

Alleluia
Galatians 6:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord
through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 8:27-35
Jesus and his disciples set out
for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do people say that I am?”
They said in reply,
“John the Baptist, others Elijah,
still others one of the prophets.”
And he asked them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said to him in reply,
“You are the Christ.”
Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and rise after three days.
He spoke this openly.
Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples,
rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake
and that of the gospel will save it.”

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Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

cartoon of diverse community

Mass Readings

Reading 1: 1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Responsorial: Psalm 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 11
Gospel: Luke 6:39-42

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091021.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

We were living in Switzerland when the pandemic hit Europe. I got to say, I was a little concerned. Well, I was more than a little concerned. They talked about people with comorbidities being at high risk. I’m an older, overweight Latino male. I’m the poster child for high risk! The pandemic rocked my world.

We experienced a particularly hard shutdown in Switzerland. Even our church that easily could seat 500 people was limited by the government to 50 people. So, every Monday morning around 9:00 am, the parish office would send out an email link to register for mass. By lunchtime, all 50 seats were gone. So, we couldn’t gather. We couldn’t reassure or encourage each other.

We hadn’t yet set up our online group. To this day we have two rosary groups that meet via WhatsApp to pray the rosary. One meets on Mondays and the other on Wednesdays. We socialize a little or of course and collect prayer intentions, but then we pray the rosary. But it took us a little bit to get organized.

The kids had to finish the school year online and Katrina had to work from home. So, all four of us are crammed into our apartment – all of us competing for a quiet space to conduct our work. Only our dog was happy with all four of us home all the time. But frankly, I was going nuts!

And then I remembered! I am connected with family and friends back home on social media. So, I turned to my apps for a word of hope. One of the most painful things I think I ever experienced was watching the way my family and friends went at each other on social media first about the pandemic and then the presidential election. I couldn’t believe comments, posts, and the sniping.

But what really hurt me was the way my parish community turned on each other. I wonder why it was more unsettling for me to see my parish turn on each other than it was to see other family and friends. Well, the first reading provided me with some insight.

In Paul’s letter, he calls Timothy “son.” Now, of course, Timothy was not his biological son. So why is Paul, who’s probably not much older than Timothy at the time, calling him son? It’s a bit odd, isn’t it? Well, there’s an overarching theme in Paul’s letters. He acknowledges tine and again that he was a really bad, dude. In today’s reading, he calls himself a blasphemer! Now that is a powerful language for a guy who was a zealous and devout Jew to say – to describe his life as blasphemous. Radical!

But Jesus saved him. And that experience of being saved was like being born again. And for Paul and the early Christian community, that meant something very specific. It meant being born again into a new family. For Paul, that family was the church – the Christian community. That’s why Paul can look at Timothy, and say, Son, because they were part of the same family.

Now the downside of family, of course, is that we all know how to push each other’s buttons. How many family gatherings can get out of hand if we don’t set some rules? What is that all about? Well in today’s Gospel, Jesus suggests we’re all too eager to point out the splinter in someone’s eye. It doesn’t matter if you have a plank in your eye, as long as I can make a snipping comment about the splinter in your eye!

I think Paul would say that the way he lived his life before his salvation, he walked around with a huge plank in his eye. And he was literally pulling the Christian family apart. You see, that’s what happens when we snipe at each other or make passive-aggressive comments at each other about politics or the pandemic or whatever you think the Pope is doing wrong, we tear our family apart. What’s worse is that people around you – innocent bystanders – overhear the snipping and it creates deeper tears.

Of course, we all can’t agree on everything! So rather than tearing each other down, we should agree to disagree – agree that we all have our own planks in our eye that require attention – and then go share a meal or a coffee or beer with each other.

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, ask yourself how you can make amends with people you might have offended over this past year and a half?
Second, rather than tearing the family apart, help the Church meet people where they are and commit to walking with them on their spiritual journey.

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

Image: Diverse Community. Artist Unknown. PNG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Gadenz, Pablo T. The Gospel of Luke. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2018. Kindle.
2. Montague, George T. SM. First and Second Timothy, Titus. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Jesus as Savior God: 594
2. The two ways: 1696, 1970
3. Mercy: 1846-48
4. Ignorance: 1860
5. Fruits of grace: 2005

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/091021.cfm
Lectionary: 441

Reading I
1 Timothy 1:1-2, 12-14
Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by command of God our savior
and of Christ Jesus our hope,
to Timothy, my true child in faith:
grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord,
because he considered me trustworthy
in appointing me to the ministry.
I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,
but I have been mercifully treated
because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief.
Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Responsorial
Psalm 16:1b-2a and 5, 7-8, 11
R. (see 5) You are my inheritance, O Lord.
Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;
I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Alleluia
See John 17:17b, 17a
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your word, O Lord, is truth;
consecrate us in the truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Luke 6:39-42
Jesus told his disciples a parable:
“Can a blind person guide a blind person?
Will not both fall into a pit?
No disciple is superior to the teacher;
but when fully trained,
every disciple will be like his teacher.
Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye,
but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own?
How can you say to your brother,
‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’
when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?
You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first;
then you will see clearly
to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye.”

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Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

different social media drawings

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Mass Readings

Reading 1: Isaiah 35:4-7a
Responsorial: Psalm 146:6-10
Reading 2: James 2: 1-5
Gospel: Mark 7:31-37

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090521.cfm
https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal and this is deacon rudy’s notes where each week we break open the Word!

Can you think back to a time when you were cut off from communicating with people – maybe during snowpocalypse – no power, no internet, no tv, no cell communication and even if you had it, you couldn’t recharge your phone!

If you’ve never experienced that, could you imagine what that would feel like?

Would you be frustrated? How could we experience catastrophic power outages in the United States in the 21st century?

How about scared? What if something happens and no one finds me?

Lonely?

I wonder if any of those emotions were experienced by our deaf-mute in our Gospel reading.

Once power, communication, and the internet are restored, what’s the first thing you would text or post on social media?

“Do you know who I saw not wearing a mask?” Or “Do you know who I saw wearing a mask?”

“Do you know who stopped me in the middle of this storm and went off I’m me about vaccines?”

I wonder what’s the first thing I’d text or post on social media?

Isn’t it interesting in this highly interconnected world we live in with so many communication tools we have at our disposal how quick we are to add fuel to all the political nonsense going on? Instead of telling our elected officials to knock it off and get back to work, so many of our family and friends participate in extremist ideas – doesn’t matter what side of the spectrum you’re on – it’s all a load of nonsense!

What is that about?

They used to say to know where our heart is, just look at where we spend our money and time. I still believe that, but I think a slight revision is in order. I would suggest that to know where our heart is, look at what we post on social media.

It seems to me that a lot of people on social media post more about politics or the opinions of their favorite cable news program than they do about their faith in Jesus Christ.

What an interesting exercise. I wonder what we’d find if each of us would scroll through all our social media platforms and all our text messages for the past 30 days. What would be the average of all that content?

How many times did we offer an encouraging word because of our hope in Jesus Christ?

In today’s Gospel, this guy’s friends were convinced Jesus could help. So, they brought him to Jesus. You can almost hear them beg Jesus, “Please help our friend.”

And Jesus moved with compassion looked to heaven because everything comes from the Father. Then, he healed the man in a most extraordinary way.

Can you imagine what it must have felt like to hear sounds for the first time in his life? “What is that sound?” “Why, it’s just the birds.” “Birds! I didn’t know they could make such sounds!” “And that noise coming from the water?” “It’s just the sound the stream makes as it trickles its way across the village.” “Wow!” His life is literally changed forever!

But Jesus asked them not to say anything. Why? Well, Scripture doesn’t answer that question directly. Maybe Jesus didn’t want the healing to distract from the hope and salvation God is offering them. You see, to these Greek thinking Gentiles, the body was corrupt. But Jesus used his body – his finger, his spit, his touch – to heal the deaf-mute. Perhaps Jesus’ lesson to the Gentiles was that the flesh is the hinge of salvation. Isn’t that what the Incarnation is all about?

Could they keep silent? Of course not! They told EVERYBODY! This Jesus can save us! And they hadn’t experienced the crucifixion and resurrection yet! Yet they believed Jesus could save them from their earthly impairments.

What curiosity of faith led them to bring their friend to Jesus? And what faith inspired them to share their friend’s good news?

And yet we who know about the crucifixion and the resurrection, we who’ve been baptized, we who call ourselves disciples – what is the average of the content we text or post on social media?

You see, all around us in church, there are people missing. People among our families and friends who long before the pandemic stopped coming to church. Maybe the pandemic gave them a reason to stop showing up. They need to hear the Good News. They need to be encouraged. They need to be invited. They need to feel welcomed because this world breeds such a powerful loneliness you just can’t imagine! The pandemic put a spotlight on it. It’s like our deaf-mute – totally cut off from everyone. Maybe surrounded by people, but no connection – lonely just the same. What is Jesus inviting us to do?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I encourage you to reflect on the following two questions.
First, review your text messages and social media posts for the last 30 days. What’s the average of that content? Does it reflect your hope in Jesus Christ?
Second, commit to share more Good News over the next 30 days. How can you encourage your family and friends?

I think doing our homework will help us be the intentional disciples we are called to be! Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. +Amen!

You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Our theme music was composed by Silent Partner. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!

Image: Social Medica. Artist Unknown. JPG.

Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Anderson, Kelly and Daniel Keating. James, First, Second, and Third John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2017. Kindle.
2. Healy, Mary. The Gospel of Mark. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2008. Kindle.
3. Montague, George T. SM. Mark: A Popular Commentary on the Earliest Gospel. Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 1992.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. Faith: 150-65
2. The mercy of God: 270-1
3. Signs used by Christ, sacramental signs: 1151-52
4. Christ the physician: 1503-5
5. Respect for the human person: 1929-33
6. Love for the poor: 2443-49, 2462-63

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/090521.cfm
Lectionary: 128

Reading 1
Isaiah 35:4-7a
Thus says the LORD:
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
with divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water.

Responsorial
Psalm 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind;
the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.
The LORD loves the just;
the LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2
Jame 2:1-5
My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, “Sit here, please, ”
while you say to the poor one, “Stand there, ” or “Sit at my feet, ”
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?

Alleluia
Cf. Matthew 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mark 7:31-37
Again Jesus left the district of Tyre
and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,
into the district of the Decapolis.
And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment
and begged him to lay his hand on him.
He took him off by himself away from the crowd.
He put his finger into the man’s ears
and, spitting, touched his tongue;
then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —
And immediately the man’s ears were opened,
his speech impediment was removed,
and he spoke plainly.
He ordered them not to tell anyone.
But the more he ordered them not to,
the more they proclaimed it.
They were exceedingly astonished and they said,
“He has done all things well.
He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”