Daily HOMILY for July 22, 2016: Friday of the 16th Week of Ordinary Time

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Memorial of St. Mary Magdalene

Marriottsville Retreat

July 22, 2016

SMM: A MODEL OF FAITH ++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  In this gospel passage, Mary Magdalene emerges as a model of faith

Ø  We see w/i these few verses, growth of her faith

MARY’S 4 STEPS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  1^st, Mary arrives at the tomb while it is still dark

Ø  The darkness is literal; sun’s had not yet risen

Ø  And darkness is also symbolic; it stands 4 Mary’s darkness & R darkness when we don’t fully understand Jesus or who Jesus is

Ø  She notices that stone’s been rolled away and is still thinking that Jesus is dead and that someone has stolen his body

Ø  Mary’s first awareness of something special taking place is when she returns to the tomb and sees two angels there

Ø  They ask her, “Why are you weeping?”

Ø  This is the first inkling we have that we are not dealing here simply with Jesus’ death

Ø  The “darkness” of Mary continues as Jesus appears to her, but she does not at first recognize him

Ø  2^nd when as the sun rises and darkness begins to clear she does eventually recognize him

Ø  She initially calls him “Rabbouni” which means “teacher”

Ø  3^rd she listens to Jesus and takes in his message

Ø  Finally, she is ready to go and tell the other disciples, “I have seen the Lord”

SUMMARY OF THE 4 STEPS +++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  So, notice her growth in faith, her growth in her relationship with the Lord

Ø  Mary moves (1) From darkness to increasing light, (2) From not recognizing Jesus to speaking of him as a teacher (3) To talking of him as Lord, and finally, (4) To being moved to testify about him to others

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Her message to us how we too keep growing in our faith

Ø  It asks us where are we in this very same drama today?

Ø  (1) Darkness? (2) Knowing Jesus as a wise teacher? (3) Accepting him as Lord? (4) Ready to speak of what he’s done for us to others?

Daily HOMILY for July 21, 2016: Thursday of the 16th Week of Ordinary Time

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Thursday 16^th Week OT

Marriottsville Retreat

July 21, 2016

KOANS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  All have heard phrases in Buddhism used to startle people into thinking differently

Ø  The more popular ones being, “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” or “If a tree falls in the forest and no in there, does it make a sound?”

Ø  Yesterday readings from Matt’s Gospel began parables of J which form chapter 13 of Gospel

Ø  These parables continue for the next few days

PARABLES: AVOID 2 EXTREMES +++++++++++++++++

Ø  Parables R a bit like these phrases, called “kaons”

Ø  Like them, they’re simple, and yet mysterious

Ø  When hearing them we need to avoid two extreme reactions

Ø  On 1 hand, we may say to ourselves, “Well, that’s pretty simple and clear”

Ø  on the other, “That makes no sense whatsoever”

Ø  Like kaons, parables of J R comparisons meant to open us up to some new facet of understanding

Ø  Comparisons are taken from nature or ordinary life & thus may initially strike us as obvious

PARABLES LEAVE US UNSURE +++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Scripture scholars say that parables are meant to leave us unsure of what they mean so that they will badger our minds into untried ways

Ø  Take for example Jesus’ words: “To you who have, more will be given; to you who have not, even what you have will be taken”

Ø  Is “what I have” my money, my talents, my awareness?

Ø  And if I have $1,000 and you have $2,000 will you get more in the future than I? Why is that so?

Ø  Does that also apply to our talents? Our different levels of awareness? Our faith? (pause)

Ø  We all can afford to let our minds be teased into more thinking, more wide-ranging dimensions

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  If Jesus’ parable gets me thinking, wondering what this parable might mean to me and my life at this moment, it will have achieved its purpose

Ø  “To you who have —and you know what you have — more of that which you have will be given you

Ø  To you who have little of what you have not, even what you have will be taken”

Ø  Let those who have ears, hear Jesus’ words!

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Daily HOMILY for July 20, 2016: Wednesday of the 16th Week of Ordinary Time

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Wednesday 16^th Week OT

Marriottsville Retreat

July 20, 2016

TITLES OF STORIES ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  When we read a novel, there is usually a main character or main focus around whom or around what the plot revolves

Ø  And that focus is usually named or referred to in the title

Ø  In Jesus’ parables, like the one we hear this morning, who or what the main focus might be can shift

THE SOWER +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  For example, we could call this morning’s story “The Parable of the Sower”

Ø  From this perspective, the story presents a picture of God spreading seed on all kinds of soil

Ø  Its purpose is to show God’s absolute inclusiveness

Ø  God wants all people to have the opportunity to hear and receive his word

Ø  God is lovingly reaching out to all of us

THE SEED +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  However, we could also call this “The Parable of the Seed”

Ø  Now, instead of telling us something about God and God’s inclusiveness, the story tells us something about ourselves

Ø  It says we need 2B open, receptive to God’s word.

Ø  We need to be willing to take it in and allow it to take root & grow and fashion us into God’s image

THE HARVEST ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Finally, the story could be called “The Parable of the Harvest”

Ø  With the agricultural methods of Jesus’ day, a lot of seed never produced anything

Ø  For the seed in this story to produce up to a hundred fold was unheard of

Ø  Point this time is that God’s Word can accomplish great things w/i us & in R world, if only we allow it

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  So, this parable, like most of Jesus’ parables, has a real richness to it

Ø  It has several lessons or themes for our nourishment

Ø  How we read it will depend on whether we need to (1) Include others in God’s mercy, (2) Hear God’s word more clearly, (3) Foster growth in my relationship with others

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