Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings

Reflection on Scripture

At the end of every Mass, we are given the command to go forth. To go forth and proclaim the good news to all people and to share the love given to us with others, so that they, too, can know the love of God and the love of other people.

However, the world delivers a different message. It is a message of self-centeredness and a desire to fulfill every craving and desire. It is a world rooted in self and not in love. It is a world that tells us if it feels good, it must be good.

Yet, in spite of the creature pleasures the world offers, I have met my share of people who, after attaining great success, sing the Peggy Lee song, “Is that all there is?”.

There is an emptiness in the world that can only be filled by God and without God’s love and mercy, the void in a person’s heart will always remain empty.

Jesus, in order to spread the good news of salvation, chose twelve men to follow Him and to evangelize the Jewish people who Jesus looked upon as sheep without a shepherd. He sent the twelve forth to proclaim the good news of salvation, empowering them through grace to go forth in Jesus’ very likeness.

Today, is no different than in Jesus’ time. Our world is in need of love of God and each other. And Jesus still calls His people to go forth as He did with the apostles.

So, if we are called forth, why are churches closing and attendance at Mass declining? As the world has its things to comfort them, Catholics of today have the belief in Jesus to comfort them. And the problem arises in that we accept all the grace that God gives, but we do not take the time and conviction to share. We do not take the next step to be missionary apostles.

We cannot contain grace and keep hidden. We can only grow by emptying ourselves of all God gives us by giving it away. And each time we give it away, our hearts grow bigger to accept a greater portion of His love.

We may not think of ourselves as evangelists or missionaries, and our vision of these is a Bible thumper on a street corner or a holy roller telling the world is ending, and we need to be shaved. But we are called to evangelize, and our mission is to everyone we meet in our shadow and wherever it falls.

We need to be alive in the Spirit, rejoicing always in the great gift of salvation that God has given us and wanting the desire for all people to come to know Him so that their love can be complete.

The most Blessed Sacrament calls us all to community and a brotherhood and sisterhood of all people and everywhere. A community alive in the Spirit is a community that is thriving and attracting people to have what they have as a community.

Jesus has laid the foundation, and He calls each of us by name to come follow Him. How will we answer His call? There is only one answer, Lord, your servant is listening. I have come to do your will.

Deacon Phil