Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection July 14, 2024
Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time
14th July 2024 (Sunday)
Psalter: Week 3
Reading of the Day
Table of Contents
First Reading: Amos 7:12-15
In those days: Amaziah the priest of Bethel said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.” Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Psalm 85:9ab, and 10, 11-12, 13-14 (R. 8)
R/. Let us see, O Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation.
Second Reading: Ephesians 1:3-14
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts that we may know what is the hope to which he has called us.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : Mark 6:7-13
At that time: Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in their belts – but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Sunday – Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Guidelines: We are on a mission. It is God’s own mission. If so, we cannot afford to lose this sense of mission and live without purpose, direction and accountability
1. In the gospel, Jesus sends his disciples on mission. It is not any mission, of one’s will and fancy, but his own mission. This is very well-defined. It is a mission calling for repentance. It is a mission to expel evil spirits and heal sicknesses of various sorts.
2. The same mission is valid now and forever. We need to re-awaken the sense of sin and repentance. This is amidst a pervasive air of indifference, and tepidity .The society is steeped into an outright permissibility where sin is permitted in the name of fun and progress. We need to dispel the evil and demonic forces of aggression and harm, selfishness and arrogance. These are not just out there. They surround us and powerfully cling to us and dictate our lives.
3. Further, We need to heal the sicknesses of hopelessness, distrust, distress and anger, fostering hope, trust, serenity and benevolence. The world is reeling under the reign of evil and the pain of fragility. The task is enormous. Our strength, our capacities and resources alone are not enough to combat the enemy and to continue the entrusted mission effectively. We need special and appropriate equipment.
4. But the problem lies in discerning the right type of equipment. Somehow we go for the wrong equipment. It is what is merely worldly, earthly and secular. This is truly a heavy dose of worldliness, and we are grossly stung by it. . Consequently, we consider worldly securities and resources as our best means and tools for an effective mission.
5. But Today the Lord makes it crystal clear that what is worldly, earthly and merely human, can never be the adequate and effective equipment. That is why, Jesus emphatically orders, “Carry no bag, no purse, no two tunics”. This is the usual equipment. And many place their excessive trust in them. Accordingly, all their time and energies are spent in acquiring and accumulating them.
6. There is nothing wrong with making use of the modern resources, facilities, strategies and human capacities for a better performance and excellence of the mission. We must avail all the possible help that can facilitate and foster our mission. But, at the same time, our mission should not depend too much on worldly securities like money, power, position, etc. Neither should it be too much conditioned by human capacities like intelligence, competence, talents and skills. The danger is always there: to make these worldly and human equipment indispensable. So much so, often to go to a mission or to do the mission depends on these factors. And the success of mission is mostly measured in terms of these.
7. In the process, the greatest blunder is to neglect or underplay or even substitute the most essential equipment and requirements by the secondary equipment. The greatest equipment is God’s own power and authority. The sad thing today is in the name of modern, timely and relevant equipment, the divine and spiritual authority is sidelined. These modern means of powers, instead of consolidating and adding to the efficiency and efficacy, are becoming hindrances. Instead of becoming happy additions, they become deletions. Instead of becoming efficient promoters, they become effective preventers.
8. This is what happens when the strategies and media of presenting the good news prevail over the contents and the deep power of the Word of God. Powerpoint presentations overpower the Word power. Loud shows and displays subvert the conviction and depth of the message and communication. Popularization and mass appeal override the real discovery and the simple touch of True Spirituality and the incomparable value and sanctity of the most holy Eucharist. Capacity and talent dominate the sanctity and authenticity of life. External gigantic structures steal the show ignoring the real touching and building the souls.
9. It is in this context, we must be clear of the core of authority and mission. The real authority is deeply spiritual and sacred because it proceeds from God, sanctioned by God. Authority is always for mission. This mission is to evoke repentance, and to heal from evil and interior sickness and to restore holistic health. In the light of the second reading from Ephesians 1. 3-10, such a sacred authority will always strive to “be holy and blameless” before Him so as to arrive at our destiny of His adopted sons and daughters through His only Son and our Saviour.
Practice: Mission is a constant journey, entrusted and accompanied by the Lord himself. A walking stick and sandals interestingly indicate this aspect of the journey. All authority is for mission. Any authority that fails in this mission of holiness and goodness is a degenerated authority and is accountable to God!
