The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew by Duccio di Buoninsegna
The weekend's readings offer the homilist several possibilities. The texts and some background material on them can be found here.
As you'll see, the first reading has been chosen at least in part because of its geographical complementarity with the gospel selection. The lectionary offers a long and short form of the gospel: one with and one without the story of the call of Peter and Andrew, and James and John.
I'm looking for some advice here. What strikes you in these scriptures? Where does the Word lead you this weekend? Should my homily look to the call to repentance in the short form of the gospel or to the vocational theme in the longer form? Or should I center my homily on Paul's admonition to the Corinthians with regard to unity in Christ and the abandoning of rivalries in the faith community?
I trust that only those who have taken the time study the texts and the background material will step forward with counsel!
Welcome to the homilist's world!
A few things struck me from the readins:
ReplyDelete1. The consistent message of being called to service by God.
2. I was particularly caught by the phrasing of Jacob being made God's servant while still in the womb. I had to read it twice because my first thought was that Jesus was the "One" called to service int he womb. This is the particular phrase: "who formed me as his servant from the womb..."
Building on being servants of God, the message is pretty clear that by answering the call we are made better/greater than we ordinarily would. There was an interesting quote in the most recent Newsweek of John Wesley "Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, to all the peopl you can, as long as you ever can."
Seems quite beautiful in its simplicity.
"Paul's admonition to the Corinthians with regard to unity in Christ and the abandoning of rivalries in the faith community?"
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess you could talk about the recent Jesuit election *Grin*
I am a strong believer that if people would think about how they could do for others more that it would be a better world. When one does for another it can be either anonymous or not. When it is anonymous it can make they giver feel nice that you have done something "in secret" to make someone else happy and loved. When you do something and they are aware of it, it can make them feel loved by someone they know and might not have expected or remembered and it can bring about a bond that is special.
ReplyDeleteRandom acts of kindness can put the giver in such a different frame of mind. A mind that is more "Christ-like." Mothers (and fathers) put their children's needs first, just as God put our needs before Christ's. Would it be so hard to think of others needs and to try to help? When a parent puts their kids needs first it is not always monetary- it might be their child eats first, or their child is having a temper tantrum and the parent is patient and kind to them offering a nice word or a hug. Maybe we could let someone go first in line if they look like they or in a rush (or maybe they can go first when we are driving and have less road rage) and maybe when someone looks down or is just waiting in line we can say hi (how about that elevator).
If people just thought of others needs or looked at other's lives through their perspectives instead of judging what a better more peaceful place the world would be.
I went on and on, but I guess the part about vocation. I also think that the young people in the church can learn a lot from this depending on the wording and they did do a bible camp day where this was talked about.
Good luck- God Bless.
I would like to hear a homily about repentance, particularly since Lent is coming and since we are going to have a 4-day (4 1-hour sessions) mission at our parish. Perhaps, you might include some reasons, speculations for why people do not avail themselves of the sacrament of reconciliation. What are the benefits in your judgment of the sacrament of reconciliation
ReplyDeleteSince this is a week of prayer for Christian unity, and as a person in the pew...although not a Concord pew (wish I was), I would appreciate a homily based on the second reading and unity in Christ.
ReplyDeleteNeil on Catholic Sensibilty has great reflections, prayers and ideas.
Anne
I am a little confused: when I clicked on your link "here", the readings that came up were under January 20th... ?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: you are certainly correct about Neil's fine series for the Octave of Unity.
ReplyDeleteChristina: I've corrected the error!
Others have commented on the correct readings so I presume that from experience with the St. Louis site they navigated to it - or perhaps some unfriendly sprite in cyber space played a trick on me! THANKS for letting me know, Christina!