I Do

Greetings on this the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Ez 2:2-5; Ps 123:1-2, 2, 3-4; 2 Cor 12:7-10; Mk 6:1-6
Notes: Tropical Storm Elsa on her way.

First reading
As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me
and set me on my feet,
and I heard the one who was speaking say to me:
Son of man, I am sending you

Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.

Ezekiel, having been filled with the sacred, is sent forth into the dangers.

Responsorial Psalm
Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

To you I lift up my eyes
who are enthroned in heaven —
As the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.

We are to follow and imitate what the Lord is doing.

Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us,
for we are more than sated with contempt;
our souls are more than sated
with the mockery of the arrogant,
with the contempt of the proud.

We ask for relief from the contempt of the unbeliever. It is natural prayer and one we should pray and often the Lord’s will is to bring relief. But not always.

Second reading
Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,
but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,
for power is made perfect in weakness.”

If only I could be perfect!
Yet, the perfection is not mine but Christ, who dwells within.

Alleluia Verse
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

Gospel Portion
Some say the reason Jesus was not honored in his own home place is because he did not do the miracles in his home place. The reason Jesus didn’t do miracles in his home place is they did not believe he was a miracle worker having come from such humble estate.

We get like that don’t we?

I remember the funny meme on the internet. As the bride and groom walk out of the Church having just married, the bride leans over to the groom and says,

I don’t like the way you said, “I do”.

Well, Jesus did say “I do” for you. And he meant it. And he honors you.

Sometimes we are not going to be happy with the way he says, “I do”.

Happy or not happy.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

This is our mission.

And that makes us …

content with weaknesses, insults,
hardships, persecutions, and constraints,
for the sake of Christ;
for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry