14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - 9 July
9th July 2023
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) - 9 July
“God wishes us not to rest upon anything but His infinite Goodness. Do not let us expect anything, hope anything, or desire anything but from Him, and let us put our trust and confidence in Him alone.” - St Charles Borromeo
A reflection on today's Gospel by the Venerable Archbishop Fulton J Sheen:
"To covert a pain into a sacrifice demands the surrender of the intellect and the will to God as a first condition. The intellect must become docile to Divine Truth, less intent on saying: ‘Now, this is my idea of religion.’ The will must see all that happens to it as coming from the hands of an all-loving Father Who could only desire the complete happiness of His children in eternity – although not necessarily in time. For, as He said: ‘In the world you shall have tribulations’ (John 16:33).
"The oblation of the soul becomes the condition of changing an agony into sacrifice, and this is not easy. It costs something to come to God, as it cost God something to come to us. When God asks for sacrifice, some complain; when a trial comes, they rebel; when a temptation assaults, they surrender. Indeed, belief is a yoke, as the Saviour said, but it is a yoke that is sweet and a burden that is light. At the moment when one must decide between the selfish ego and the Divine ‘Thou,’ when the finite within and the Infinite without wrestle as Jacob with the angels, there is an agony of soul; but when it is over, the soul has passed from agony to joy, from emotionalism to Faith. The true believer can become a hero by even a single decision, for in cooperation with God’s Grace he can pass from darkness to light.
"The burden of bringing Divine Light to the unhappy egotist is a task for the faithful. A few sacrificial leaders who would spend themselves, and be spent, for the cause of Christ would do more good to the world than thousands of discourses on civil rights. Too many today are substituting action for prayer, are trying to change other people instead of changing themselves. Some are like Peters who are bidden to pray – and then when the enemy comes into the Garden turn, instead, to action; they draw out a sword to hack off an ear, which the Good Lord later has to replace to make up for their stupidity.
"All souls have, in themselves, the purchase price of joy; it is the present agony, misery, boredom, and ennui of their hearts. But like a child before a store window with a copper penny in his hand and the delirious vision of the candy within, they may miss the delirium of the sweets, because they refuse to give up the dirty coin. The coin is self-will, egotism, and selfishness. The candy is peace, and love, and joy."
(Lift Up Your Heart: A Guide to Spiritual Peace)
Tantum Ergo (St Thomas Aquinas)
Down in adoration falling, Lo! the Sacred Host we hail, Lo! o’er ancient forms departing, newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, where the feeble senses fail.
To the everlasting Father, and the Son Who reigns on high, with the Holy Spirit proceeding, forth from each eternally, be salvation, honour, blessing, might, and endless majesty. Amen. 🙏💖💐
Food for thought
Not every desire comes from the Holy Spirit, even though it seems good to you. It is difficult to judge rightly whether a good or evil spirit urges you to desire this or that, or whether you are prompted by your own spirit. Many have been deceived in the end who at first thought they were guided by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is with fear of God and a humble heart that you should desire and ask for whatever comes to your mind as desirable. With entire abandonment of yourself to God, commit all things to Christ, saying: “Lord, You know what is best for me; let it be done according to Your will. Let Your will be mine, and let my will always follow Yours in perfect conformity with it. Let my will and desires always be one with Yours; and let me be unable to will or not to will except as You will or do not will. Do with me what You know to be best, as pleases You best and as will best promote Your glory. Amen.”