June 9, 2024: Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Catholic Social Teaching: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable and Care for God’s Creation
How can you get involved in gleaning this summer? https://uscatholic.org/articles/202103/resist-todays-throwaway-culture-with-this-ancient-practice/ https://gleanings.org/summer/
Readings
First Reading: Genesis 3:9-15
Psalm: 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Second Reading: 2nd Corinthians 4:13-5:1
Gospel Acclamation: John 12:31b-32
Gospel: Mark 3:20-35
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The harmony in which they had found themselves, thanks to original justice, is now destroyed: the control of the soul’s spiritual faculties over the body is shattered; the union of man and woman becomes subject to tensions, their relations henceforth marked by lust and domination. Harmony with creation is broken: visible creation has become alien and hostile to man. Because of man, creation is now subject “to its bondage to decay”. Finally, the consequence explicitly foretold for this disobedience will come true: man will “return to the ground”, for out of it he was taken. Death makes its entrance into human history. (400) From the Daily Roman Missal, Introduction to the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church:
Genesis: 3:12
At the root of personal and social divisions, which in differing degrees offend the value and dignity of the human person, there is a wound which is present in man’s inmost self. “In the light of faith we call it sin: beginning with original sin, which all of us bear from birth as an inheritance from our first parents, to the sin which each one of us commits when we abuse our own freedom”. The consequences of sin, insofar as it is an act of separation from God, are alienation, that is, the separation of man not only from God but also from himself, from other men and from the world around him. “Man’s rupture with God leads tragically to divisions between brothers. In the description of the ‘first sin’, the rupture with Yahweh simultaneously breaks the bond of friendship that had united the human family. Thus the subsequent pages of Genesis show us the man and the woman as it were pointing an accusing finger at each other (cf. Gen. 3:12). Later we have brother hating brother and finally taking his brother’s life (cf. Gen 4:2-16). According to the Babel story, the result of sin is the shattering of the human family, already begun with the first sin and now reaching its most extreme form on the social level”. Reflecting on the mystery of sin, we cannot fail to take into consideration this tragic connection between cause and effect. (116)
2nd Corinthians 5:1-2
God’s promise and Jesus Christ’s resurrection raise in Christians the well-founded hope that a new and eternal dwelling place is prepared for every human person, a new earth where justice abides (cf. 2 Cor 5:1-2; 2 Pet 3:13). “Then, with death conquered, the children of God will be raised in Christ and what was sown in weakness and corruption will be clothed in incorruptibility: charity and its works will remain and all of creation, which God made for man, will be set free from its bondage to vanity”. This hope, rather than weaken, must instead strengthen concern for the work that is needed in the present reality. (56)
For complete text visit: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html
Reflection
Podcast: https://peaceonjustice.substack.com/p/peace-on-justice-bb6
People might think passing the blame gets them off the hook for culpability. An attempt to personally absolve themselves from guilt, while placing heavy burdens on those they accuse. A trilogy in Genesis, woman, man and serpent, an unholy consortium whose actions leave them further distanced from God. Putting themselves in a state of knowing and nakedly exposing their ruse in an attempt to become like gods. An ancient Near Eastern myth propagated for centuries, clearly articulated in Sacred Scripture. Where the beneficent God comes seeking their whereabouts. A delving into the root disfunction of relationships with the Divine, one another and all creation. Laden with a constant contemporary reminder when tempters propose ruses of contempt, we must go beyond not just following the highjacking of faith, moral principles and calls for justice, but boldly speak out and expose the deficits to alert others and prevent them from following into the proverbial quicksand immobilizing prudent alternatives. For we should not be afraid to hear God’s ways and be open to who we are, what we stand for, while never masquerading behind a false persona. A striving for accountability when replying to the Divine question, “Where are you?” An inquiry beyond physical place, reverberating to the depths of our soul. Do we live and love well into the mystery, to feel comfortable not knowing everything, but live resolutely into the knowledge God imparts. So our soul trusts in His word, soothed in His mercy and fullness of redemption, so we are redeemed from all our iniquities. The place where in our openness to God we find total freedom in hiding nothing, living openly. A nakedness of authenticity defining who we are as a child of God and God’s deepest sentiments for us. Something we grasp with our whole being and synergistically strive for in crafting unity for the whole of humanity. For fragmentation, polarization divides and the cultivating dissent creates a paradigm unable to stand, fraught with crumbling. Subject to accusations embedded with false logic and alliances. A step beyond defining our relations in only a family of origin to see family in the constructs of those striving to layer upon God’s precepts in building bridges of hope, ladders of courage, paths of peace where people don’t hide from fear in impermeable shelters that isolate from the myriad of elements surrounding them. Jesus witnessed to wholeness, unlike evil that eventually implodes from within. We must retreat from nonchalantly coasting on blame and minor the Lord’s forgiveness with gratitude, for we are not possessed by Beelzebub, the lord of flies, dung, but the Lord of peace. His relatives by spiritual adoption who live by doing the will of God through the working of the Holy Spirt. Any disconnect from the Holy Sprit’s promptings, denial of the Holy Sprit’s power blasphemes by lack of discernment, an inquisitiveness to do God’s will. As St Paul said to the Corinthians, ” I believe, so therefore spoke, we too believe and therefore we speak…of the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.” Something to dispel discouragement and renew our inner strength day by day to trust in the unseen of eternity. A reality that helps to reject tempters clothed in despair, fraught with hate, loathing for power. Not reject in silence, but by offering a paradigm etched deeply with God’s transformative love providing safe environs, so with complete openness, we respond definitively. A statement articulated by our words and expression of our lives to tempters attempting to disintegrate God given peace in our soul.
Individual Reflection: Mark 3: 20-35
Make a family tree of your family in faith.
Family Reflection: 2nd Corinthians 4:13-5:1
June 13th is the feast day of St Antony of Padua, a doctor of the Church and contemporary of St Francis of Assisi. Learn about his life and perseverance in following Christ: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/06/13/saint-anthony-of-padua.html
Prayer:
PRAYER FOR SUMMERTIME
Loving God, Creator of all times and places, we thank you for the gift of summertime, the days of light, warmth and leisure.
Thank you for the beauty that surrounds us everywhere we look: the multi-colored flowers, the deep blue of the sky, the tranquil surface of lakes, the laughter of children at play, people strolling in parks, families gathered around picnic tables and the more time to spend with family and friends.
As we open our eyes and ears to the landscape of nature and people, open our hearts to receive all as gift. Give us that insight to see you as the Divine Artist. Help us to realize and appreciate that you are laboring to keep all in existence. Warm our souls with the awareness of your presence.
Let all the gifts we enjoy this summer deepen our awareness of your love so that we may share this with others and enjoy a summertime of re-creation.
AMEN
https://www.marquette.edu/faith/prayer-for-summer.php
Blogs to Visit:
As we reflect upon Mary’s presence in the mysteries of the Rosary, we are blessed to know her. For her journey, a timeless trek, calls us to surrender, continuing conversion, humbleness and justice now.
https://peaceonjustice.wordpress.com/
Weekly lectionary reflections, for faith sharing groups, parish bulletins, newsletters or personal prayer, from the synergy of the Word we hear and the rich tradition of Catholic Social Teaching.
https://cst74life.wordpress.com/
Catholic Social Teaching offers seven principles for upholding life in our thoughts, decisions and actions.
How we do Catholic Social Teaching.
Link: https://csmresources.wordpress.com/
Creation sustainability ministry resources in the spirit of the St Francis Pledge.
Social Ministry Resources Engaging Parishes: Monthly and liturgical seasons resources for use with parish websites, bulletins and newsletters
Involvement Opportunities
List one or two upcoming events, legislative action alerts or social justice websites
By Barb Born June 8, 2024 Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us ! The reflection maybe used in parish bulletins, newsletters or for faith sharing groups without copyright concern.