The Good Word

Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time IIJuly 21, 2026  Hello and welcome to the Word, bringing you the Good News of Jesus Christ every day from the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province. I am Fr. Karl Esker from the Basilica of our Lady of Perpetual Help in Brooklyn, NY. Today is Tuesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time.Today our reading is taken from the holy gospel according to Matthew. While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”The gospel of the Lord. Homily In our readings today we hear a cry and a reply. Humanity cries out to God to see us as his family; and God replies in Jesus Christ that, yes, we all are his family, if we take to heart doing God's will. So, what does it mean to be family? Looking at my own experience, I believe that family is very important, and yet it can create difficulties. We cannot always get our own way. The needs of others often takes precedence over my needs. We are expected to look out for each other, even when we might disagree. But when we do look out for each other, when we appreciate the gift that is each member of the family and enjoy each other's company, we find security and the strength to become the person God meant us to be. I remember my grandmother recounting bits of the family history, with some notable members and a few not so notable. In the first reading, the prophet Micah calls on God to remember the notable moments in the past when God saved his people and forgave them their sins, and asks that he show the same clemency, “as you have sworn to our fathers from days of old.” We know that God did show clemency in the time of the prophet and has shown even greater love and mercy through Jesus Christ, who took on our flesh and became part of our human family. In the gospel, when Jesus' mother and brothers appear at the house wanting to speak with him, Jesus replies: “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” Some people use this passage to say that Jesus rejected his family, even his mother, in favor of his disciples. But both Luke and John in their gospels show Mary as one who always did the will of our heavenly Father, and therefore was the greatest of the disciples. Jesus is saying that blood lines do not give greater access to him; his family includes not only his mother and his brothers, but all who do the will of God. And doing the will of God is imitating Jesus in his care for the poor and the marginalized. It is giving of ourselves to those who need us, being understanding and forgiving of those who may have offended us, and helping each other reach our potential as children of God, as in the best moments of family life. Of course there will be moments when we fail to live up to these demands and will, like the prophet, have to ask God to show us his love and mercy and then give that same love and mercy to others. We ask Mary, whom Jesus gave to us as our mother also, to help us on this journey. And we take heart that as members of the family of Jesus, God looks upon each one of us with the same love God looks upon Mary. May God bless you. Fr. Karl E. Esker CSsRBasilica of our Lady of Perpetual HelpBrooklyn, NY

Today the Church recognizes the exceptional men, women, and even children who accepted the ultimate sacrifice for the Christian faith in China between the years of 1648 and 1930.  Their story could be said to have started in the 600's when monks arrived in China from Syria. Unfortunately, these monks not only carried silk to be traded with the Chinese people, but also the Nestorian heresy which denies the divinity of Christ. The Chinese emperor welcomed the monks and permitted them to share their faith. Over the next couple of centuries, churches were built and converts were made. Persecutions began in the 8th century, however, until almost all the Nestorian Christians were vanguished.  The Spanish Dominican priest, Fr. Francisco de Capillas, arrived in China in the mid-1600's after spending twenty years in the Philippines. He was successful in winning over many converts and started a lay order of Dominicans. The tolerant Ming Dynasty was then replaced by the Qing Dynasty and persecutions began again in earnest. Fr. De Capillas was arrested for “teaching false doctrine” and opposing the new emperor. He was beheaded while praying the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary in 1647. Persecutions settled down after Fr. de Capillas' death, but that changed in 1707 when the Pope Clement XI issued a decree forbidding ancestor worship. The Emperor used this as an excuse to expel all Christian priests, confiscate church lands, and close all churches. By the end of the 18th century, there were only one hundred thousand Christians left in the country and they had to practice their faith in secret.  Fr. Augustine Zhao Rong, whose name is attached to today's memorial, was a Chinese soldier ordered to accompany a French Bishop, John Gabriel Turin Dufresse, to his imprisonment and martyrdom. Zhao Rong was impressed with the Bishop's gentle demeanor and courage. Upon the completion of his duty, he asked to be baptized. He progressed in the faith until he was the first native Chinese to be ordained a priest. Fr. Augustine was later arrested, tortured, and died of his injuries in prison.  Other persecutions followed, the worst during the Boxer Revolution in 1900, which produced eighty-six martyrs including many religious sisters, priests, catechists, and other laity. The final two martyrs honored today died in 1930.  In his canonization homily, Pope John Paul II said:  Today the Church is grateful to her Lord, who blesses her and bathes her in light with the radiant holiness of these sons and daughters of China… Young Ann Wang, a 14-year-old, withstood the threats of the torturers who invited her to apostatize. Ready for her beheading, she declared with a radiant face: “The door of heaven is open to all,” three times murmuring: “Jesus.” And 18-year-old Chi Zhuzi, cried out fearlessly to those who had just cut off his right arm and were preparing to flay him alive: “Every piece of my flesh, every drop of my blood will tell you that I am Christian.”  May our prayers join the prayers of our Christian brothers and sisters in China as they continue to inspire new converts to the faith. St. Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, pray for us.  Blessings, Fr. Kevin MacDonald, C.Ss.R. 

SEMBRANDO JUSTICIA…CONSTRUYENDO EL REINO DE DIOSHoy el Profeta Oseas dice esto a los israelitas: Siembren justicia y cosecharán misericordia. Entonces Jesús nos dice hoy: Vayan más bien en busca de las ovejas perdidas de la casa de Israel. Vayan y proclamen por el camino que ya se acerca el Reino de los cielos". Jesús sabe que la mejor forma de hacer llegar el reino de Dios es cuando sembramos justicia y  cosechamos así la misericordia.  El Reino de Dios es una forma de vivir en comunidad con justicia, misericordia y amor. El Reino de Dios es lo que construimos cuando seguimos el ejemplo de Jesús….Porque Jesús siempre veía a la gente con amor y misericordia. Jesús hoy día nos invita ver a los demás, sobre todo a los pobres y maltratados CON LOS OJOS DE DIOS…CON LOS OJOS DE JESÚS. Jesús sanaba la gente de sus enfermedades como la ceguera, la cojera, la sordera, las enfermedades del pie. Pero Jesús también sanaba la gente de su odio, su rencor y de su desprecio de los demás. Jesús ayudaba y sigue ayúdanos hoy día de VER A LOS DEMÁS CON LOS MISMOS OJOS DE DIOS. Sobre todo para que miremos con compasión gente que haya ofendido a los demás.  (Jesús hizo esto con el ladrón Dimas al lado suyo en el Calvario. Jesús anunció el Reino hacienda nuevas las vidas de gente herida y equivocada para que vieran a los demás con ternura y amor.  Jesús nos invita ser personas nuevas. Hizo esto Jesús con personas como María Magdalena. Lo hizo con Pedro mismo y a los demás discípulos que le habían abandonado y en el caso de Pedro le había negado. Jesús nos invita ser Constructores de su Reino. Eso lo hacemos cuando somos misericordiosos, generosos, Honestos y humildes. Les invito yo pensar en personas que construyen el Reino de Dios. Yo vivo con mi compañero Padre Félix. El es sacerdote redentorista igual que yo. Padre Félix no puede caminar sino en silla de ruedas. Tiene constante dolor en el cuerpo. Pero Padre Félix no cansa nunca construyendo el reino de Dios. Padre Félix no tiene pelo en la lengua. Habla sobre la justicia y el amor cada día. Inclusive, pero con mucho respeto le llamó la atención su falta de tratar con justica de gente deambulante de nuestro pueblo de New Smyrna. La palabra de Dios nos reta. Seamos valientes y fuertes en vivir y anunciar el reino de Dios…por supuesto viviendo ese reino primero.Si me quieren enviar un comentario:tdeely7352@hotmail.com

DIOS BENDIGA AL MUNDO ENTERO Yo, Padre Tomás Martín Deely vivo en los Estados Unidos que hoy celebra sus 250 años de ser una nación. Hoy las palabras del profeta Amós nos dicen: :“Aquel día renovaré la casa de David convertida en ruinas, taparé sus brechas, levantaré sus muros y la reconstruiré como era en otros tiempos. Hoy Jesús, en el evangelio de    nos dice: Nadie remienda un vestido viejo con un parche de tela nueva, porque el remiendo nuevo encoge, rompe la tela vieja y así se hace luego más grande la rotura…Hoy en estos Estados Unidos muchos muros que necesitan ser reparados. Además en los Estados Unidos hay muchas brechas, brechas entre familias, entre creencias religiosas y políticas que, con la ayuda de Dios debemos reparar. Para mi la tela nueva que necesitamos todos nosotros en los Estados unidos es la tela de escucha, la tela de humildad, la tela de comprensión y generosidad. Para mi la tela nueva mas importante es la abertura. La abertura de una gente a otra gente que todavía no hayan llevado a respectarse y amarse como Jesús nos dice miles de veces en los evangelios.  Un peligro muy grande para nosotros en los Estados es el peligro de ignorar, olvidar o hasta rechazar los errores y pecados del pasado, sobre todo los horrores de la esclavitud de gente negra, amarilla y y tantas otras buenas gentes que por la ignorancia, por la falta de sabiduría hemos causado gran dolor en los años anteriores de nuestra nación. Termino con un trozo de Dios Bendiga a America cantada por Gabriella Muñoz.Si me quieren enviar comentario:tdeely7352@hotmail.com

A SEGUIR A JESÚS  COMO DIOS MANDAJesús no quiere que Uds. y yo le sigamos de nuestra manera. Jesús quiere que lo sigamos, como se dice, “al pie de la letra”. Jesús nos dice que cuando amemos y sirvamos a los pobres, aun dando un vaso de agua, pues en aquellos momentos estamos recibiendo a Jesús mismo. Es mas. En los momentos de acoger a la gente pobre y la que sufre de cualquier manera estamos acogiendo al mismo Padre Celestial. Jesús también nos dice que cuando nos parece que estemos perdiendo cosas: perdiendo dinero, perdiendo tiempo, pues no es así. Porque como Jesús lo dice: el que no toma su cruz y me sigue, no es digno de mí. El que salve su vida la perderá y el que la pierda por mí, la salvará. Pasó eso con la buena mujer y su esposa que recibieron al profeta Eliseo en su casa. Ellos dos recibieron al hijo que pensaron no tener nunca. Como dicen San Pablo hoy: por el bautismo Uds. y yo hemos sido muertos y resucitados con Cristo. Por eso con Cristo, por el poder y el amor del Espíritu Santo vivimos una vida nueva.  Y esa vida nueva nos invita seguir a Jesús perdiendo, tiempo, perdiendo dinero, pero ganando al por mayor el amor de Dios sirviendo y consolando a la gente que sufre mas. El verso de Aleluya hoy nos dice:Ustedes son linaje escogido, sacerdocio real, nación consagrada a Dios, para que proclamen las obras maravillosas de aquel que los llamó de las tinieblas a su luz admirable. Y El Salmo Responsorial hoy nos invita a PROCLAMAR LA MISERICORDIA DEL SEÑOR SIN CESARSi me quieren enviar comentario:tdeely7352@hotmail.com