17th Sunday of the Year (c)
Ordinary Season of the Year. (c)
Weekdays – Year 2
Sunday 24th July: 17th Sunday of the Year. (c)
The first reading is from the Book of Genesis. We hear of the determination of Abraham who appeals to God on behalf of the people of Sodom. He argues and bargains with God on behalf of the innocent members of the community and his persistence is rewarded.
In St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we are reminded that through Baptism we begin to share fully in Christ’s death and Resurrection. We die to the old sinful ways and rise to new life.
In the Gospel we hear of Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer which is shorter that Matthew’s. It is given in response to the request from the apostles to teach them to pray. Jesus also talks to them of the need of persistence, echoing Abraham in the first reading.
Monday 25th July: Feast of St. James.
James was the son of Zebedee and the brother of St. John. He was a Galilean by birth and, by trade, a fisherman, along with his father and brother. With Peter and John, he formed a special grouping within the apostles – witnessing the healing of Peter’s mother, the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration and the agony in the garden. He was the first of the apostles to die for his faith around the year 42/43. He was buried in Jerusalem but according to Spanish tradition, his relics were transferred to Compostella in Spain around 800. This not accepted by all scholars.
Tuesday 26th July: Memorial of St. Joachim and St. Anne.
Details about Joachim and Anne are sketchy and found only in apocryphal literature. In one of these it is claimed that Mary’s birth was miraculous because Joachim and Anne were sterile There were originally two feasts but they were combined in 1969.The feast is celebrated on the day that the basilica in honour of St. Anne was dedicated in Constantinople in the year 550.
Wednesday 27th July: Wednesday in 17th week of the year.
Jeremiah is anxious because he is receiving a lot of opposition from the people. They don’t like his message. Often he feels that even the Lord has abandoned him. He is comforted by God reminding him that he will stand by him and deliver him from those who are his enemies.
We hear more parables today. If we really appreciated and valued the word of God, we would be prepared to pay a big price, make a huge sacrifice to ensure it is being nurtured.
Thursday 28th July: Thursday in 17th week of the year.
Jeremiah loved his people. He really wants them to return to God and he wants to do all he can to help them do this. He uses one of his many life experiences and stories to try and do this comparing the people with clay being moulded God into the kind of people he wants them to be.
The parable we hear today is the parable of the fisherman’s net. All sorts of fish are caught, good and bad alike. Later these will be sorted. It is the same with people. The wicked, those who refuse to accept Jesus will in time be cast out.
Friday 29th July: Memorial of St. Martha.
Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. She is the patroness of innkeepers and hostels. It was to their home that Jesus was frequent visitor. She was generous, hardworking who tended to get irritated when things didn’t work out quite so well. She was a woman of deep faith and unbounded trust in the power of Jesus.
Saturday 30th July: Saturday in 17th week of the year.
Jeremiah has a lucky escape. He continues to preach a message that is very unpopular because he believed he was doing God’s work Rooted in prayer, he believes all things are therefore possible even when the odds seem stacked against him.
We move away from the parables today and hear about the fate of John the Baptist who remained loyal to his mission of preparing the people to welcome the Messiah even though it was unpopular.
