Calling All Saints!

Greetings on this the Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop
Readings: Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10; Ps 29:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9c-10; Mk 8:14-21
Notes: Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop did the best they could with who they are.

The LORD creates people with a certain type of spark. That spark, different in each of us but common to all of us, is the igniting influence of faith and mercy.

Jesus constantly pushes us forward.

Jesus encourages us to go deeper and deeper into the ethos, pathos and logos of the LORD.

Consider our gospel portion today.
Jesus is asking the disciples to grow by way of reason, intellect and faith. All of them. All of you.

• Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
• Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
• Are your hearts hardened?
• Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
• And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
• “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
• He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

In the structure of this gospel, it is important to remember that only after Jesus confronts the lethargic thinking of the apostles do we come to this: Peter’s Confession About Jesus.

Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Messiah.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him.

Reflection

Holiness means reacting to human life with God’s love: human life as it is, crisscrossed with the political and the cultural, the beautiful and the ugly, the selfish and the saintly. For Cyril and Methodius much of their daily cross had to do with the language of the liturgy. They are not saints because they got the liturgy into Slavonic, but because they did so with the courage and humility of Christ.

From: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saints-cyril-and-methodius/

First reading
When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, … his heart was grieved.
But Noah found favor with the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm
The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Alleluia Verse
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

Gospel Portion
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry