July 16, 2006
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Am 7:12-15 Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,“Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;the LORD —for he proclaims peace.Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;justice and peace shall kiss.Truth shall spring out of the earth,and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;our land shall yield its increase.Justice shall walk before him,and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption by his blood,the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to usthe mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.In him we were also chosen,destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.
Mk 6:7-13 Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them,“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Annointing with oil is a continued theme throughout the Scriptures for healing and blessings and acknowledgement of God's love. There are sacraments of the Church that include the Chrism oil which is specially blessed in the diocese with the bishop and the priests of the diocese. There is a sending out of the oils to the parishes which strikes me as being similar to the sending out of the Twelve to heal and spread the Good news.
The essentials for the journey to carry the message of God and be an instrument of God's love and healing are only ourselves one tunic, one pair of sandals in other words the clothes on our backs and nothing else. It is an acknowledgement that God will provide. It is a trust and total faith in God. To put God first on the journey to be a sign of God's love to others. God has given all that is needed within each of our beings. The outside things of life are only transitory. God will provide to those who are faithful.
In the first reading, God calls Amos to be a prophet. Amos like the prophets of the Scriptures did not choose to be a prophet but it was God who chose him. At first Amos objects that he is only a simple shepherd and dresser of sycamores. It is a very human thing to respond at first to God with a "Why me?" "Why not someone else?" questioning.
It seems to me that is precisely when God calls me to something more often than not it is a path that I would rather have someone else walk. It is often something that I think I am not very capable of or able to do. It brings me to God in prayer in dialogue. The next steps are amazing because the path, the challenges that I thought I could not do or the weight I thought I could not carry. Slowly the strength and the ways and the gifts and vision to follow all fall into place.
The discernment of God's will is for me taking the Word of God and living it in the here and now. With daily attentiveness to the Word and daily contemplative time with God in prayer, the steps to follow God each day become more clear. The strength to "walk the walk" and actually follow God's will takes a constant turning to God and a steadfast trust in God's love for me in all ways. It is a paradox that the further the journey goes it seems to me to have more sufferings and also more joys. Through the eyes of faith God is love. I suppose that to truly unite in love is to share all of those sorrows and joys. It is a full and rich life but not always an easy one.
I give special thanks today for those special people who have been steadfast and loving companions to me on the journey. Their love and confidence has been so important to me. Without God I am nothing. Those who have been my true brothers and sisters in Christ have been Christ to me and given me strength and bread for the journey. God bless them and protect them for their love in Christ. Thanks be to God for those of gentle and open hearts who give without counting the cost.
Am 7:12-15 Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,“Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah! There earn your bread by prophesying, but never again prophesy in Bethel; for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.” Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
I will hear what God proclaims;the LORD —for he proclaims peace.Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Kindness and truth shall meet;justice and peace shall kiss.Truth shall spring out of the earth,and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;our land shall yield its increase.Justice shall walk before him,and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.
Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption by his blood,the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to usthe mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.In him we were also chosen,destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.
Mk 6:7-13 Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic. He said to them,“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave. Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.” So they went off and preached repentance. The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Annointing with oil is a continued theme throughout the Scriptures for healing and blessings and acknowledgement of God's love. There are sacraments of the Church that include the Chrism oil which is specially blessed in the diocese with the bishop and the priests of the diocese. There is a sending out of the oils to the parishes which strikes me as being similar to the sending out of the Twelve to heal and spread the Good news.
The essentials for the journey to carry the message of God and be an instrument of God's love and healing are only ourselves one tunic, one pair of sandals in other words the clothes on our backs and nothing else. It is an acknowledgement that God will provide. It is a trust and total faith in God. To put God first on the journey to be a sign of God's love to others. God has given all that is needed within each of our beings. The outside things of life are only transitory. God will provide to those who are faithful.
In the first reading, God calls Amos to be a prophet. Amos like the prophets of the Scriptures did not choose to be a prophet but it was God who chose him. At first Amos objects that he is only a simple shepherd and dresser of sycamores. It is a very human thing to respond at first to God with a "Why me?" "Why not someone else?" questioning.
It seems to me that is precisely when God calls me to something more often than not it is a path that I would rather have someone else walk. It is often something that I think I am not very capable of or able to do. It brings me to God in prayer in dialogue. The next steps are amazing because the path, the challenges that I thought I could not do or the weight I thought I could not carry. Slowly the strength and the ways and the gifts and vision to follow all fall into place.
The discernment of God's will is for me taking the Word of God and living it in the here and now. With daily attentiveness to the Word and daily contemplative time with God in prayer, the steps to follow God each day become more clear. The strength to "walk the walk" and actually follow God's will takes a constant turning to God and a steadfast trust in God's love for me in all ways. It is a paradox that the further the journey goes it seems to me to have more sufferings and also more joys. Through the eyes of faith God is love. I suppose that to truly unite in love is to share all of those sorrows and joys. It is a full and rich life but not always an easy one.
I give special thanks today for those special people who have been steadfast and loving companions to me on the journey. Their love and confidence has been so important to me. Without God I am nothing. Those who have been my true brothers and sisters in Christ have been Christ to me and given me strength and bread for the journey. God bless them and protect them for their love in Christ. Thanks be to God for those of gentle and open hearts who give without counting the cost.
posted by Joan Morris at 9:44 AM
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