Podcasts about Ordinary Time

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Genesis 44: 18-21, 23b-29; 45: 1-5 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 105: 16-17, 18-19, 20-21 Alleluia: Mark 1: 15 Gospel: Matthew 10: 7-15   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read Online“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say. For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10:19–20This is an easy lesson to understand but very hard to live. This teaching of Jesus comes within the context of Him telling His Apostles that as they go forth to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, they will be handed over to courts, scourged in synagogues, and led before governors and kings. They will be persecuted in one town after another for sharing the Gospel. Though such a “pep-talk” may not at first seem that encouraging, the Gospel passage quoted above should provide much encouragement. Encouragement, that is, if they can follow Jesus' advice in faith.When we are condemned, judged, misunderstood and the like, it is very common to begin mounting our defense within our minds right away. We justify our actions, set up a tribunal in our minds by which we act as judge and jury of the other, finding them guilty and issuing them punishments. The sin traditionally referred to as “self-love” is a sin that stems from pride and is not love at all. It tempts us to defend ourselves, using our own human wisdom and counsel.If we carefully consider Jesus' teaching above, most people will realize that it is a very hard teaching to embrace. Essentially, when you are condemned or mistreated by another, remain silent in your heart. Do not immediately dwell on the wound they have inflicted. Do not become obsessed with the apparent injustice. Do not worry or become filled with anxiety at the perceived persecution. Instead, turn your eyes to Jesus, consider only His Voice and His Truth. And instead of looking at the wound that was inflicted upon you, look at the person inflicting it. And look at them with love. They are not the enemy, they are the battleground for Truth, and it is your mission to help them hear God's truth. So how do you do that? Jesus' answer is straightforward. “You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” Furthermore, Jesus makes it clear that it must be the “Spirit of your Father” who is to speak through you in such a case.Living such a teaching especially requires two things: humility and trust. Humility will allow the temptation to self-love (pride) to be set aside. This is essential if you are to hear the Voice of God speaking to you and, ultimately, allow Him to speak through you. Second, it is essential that you trust that what Jesus says is true. You must trust that, if you are humble and open to His Voice, that He will give you His words when He wants them spoken. This is difficult, because we often want to say far more than God chooses to say. God often calls us to silence in the face of injustice. A silence that is also imbued with love for the persecutor. This requires much trust in the grace of God, which results in an abundance of charity on your part.Reflect, today, upon this teaching of our Lord. Consider how you react when someone condemns or judges you. How do you respond to such persecutions? Begin with silence, turn your eyes to the other out of love for them, and then listen and wait on the Lord. Wait until He gives you the words to say. Doing so is not only good for the persecutor, it is also exceptionally good for your own soul and holiness of life.My patient Lord, You, Who are the Savior of the World and the God of all, allowed Yourself to be falsely accused, judged and condemned. During it all, You remained silent and spoke only when the Father spoke through You. Help me to be freed of all pride, dear Lord, so that I will speak only Your holy words, think only the thoughts inspired by You and act only on Your holy command of love. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image via Web Gallery of ArtSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Gospel Matthew 10:7-15 Jesus said to his Apostles: "As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep. Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. As you enter a house, wish it peace. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words— go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.” Reflection In this gospel we again see Saint Matthew describing the early church, his ministry. It is to be a gift that is given to those who will proclaim it to others, but in an interesting way, they are not to go out and convert pagans to the reality of who God really is but they were to go to the house of Israel. And what they were asked to do was to awaken them, to build on the goodness that is there, the grace, the peace that is in their homes. It's fascinating to me that this was not about conversions, but about fulfillment. And it expresses once again the love that God the Father had and Jesus had for the Jewish people. Closing Prayer Father, there is something about you that is so consistent and so beautiful. You are a lover, and you never give up on those you love. You consistently work with them, help them to see things through experiences they've had. So bless us with an awareness of the confidence that gives us as we too participate in the coming of the Kingdom of God. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preaching for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Meghan J. Clark offers a reflection on the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a call to a communal ethic of compassion: "God calls to us from the depths of our own hearts. Christ calls to us in our neighbor. How then can we together advocate for compassion and resist indifference, resist pretending nothing is wrong. That is the message I hear anew as I return once again to the parable of the Good Samaritan."Meghan J. Clark, Ph.D., is a professor of moral theology at St John's University (NY), where she students inside and outside the classroom on diverse topics in moral theology and Catholic social thought. She has conducted fieldwork on human rights and solidarity in Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. She is author of The Vision of Catholic Social Thought: the Virtue of Solidarity and the Praxis of Human Rights (Fortress Press, 2014). Visit www.catholicwomenpreach.org/preaching/07132025 to learn more about Meghan, to read her preaching text, and for more preaching from Catholic women.

10 July 2025

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday/ Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, & Companions, Martyrs First Reading: Genesis 41: 55-57; 42: 5-7a, 17-24a Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 33: 2-3, 10-11, 18-19 Alleluia: Mark 1: 15 Gospel: Matthew 10: 1-7   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read Online“Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.” Matthew 10:14–15Recall how Jesus harshly condemned the Pharisees for their hardness of heart. In Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 23, Jesus issues seven “woe to you” condemnations of these Pharisees for being hypocrites and blind guides. These condemnations were acts of love on Jesus' part, in that they had the goal of calling them to conversion. Similarly, in today's Gospel, Jesus gives instructions to His Twelve about what they are to do if they preach the Gospel in a town and are rejected. They are to “shake the dust” from their feet.This instruction was given within the context of Jesus sending the Twelve to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” with the commission of preaching the Gospel.At that time, they were to go to those who had already been entrusted with the message of the Law of Moses and the prophets but were to now proclaim that the Kingdom of God has arrived. Jesus was the promised Messiah, and He was now here. And for those of the house of Israel who reject Jesus, they were to be condemned by this prophetic act of the wiping of the dust of their town from the Apostles' feet. At first, this can seem somewhat harsh. One can think that patience, ongoing discussions, gentleness and the like would be more effective. And though that may be the case in many of our experiences today, the fact remains that Jesus gave the Twelve this command.Just like the condemnation of the Pharisees, this prophetic action of wiping the dust from their feet was an act of love. Certainly, the Apostles were not to do this out of an irrational anger. They were not to do so because their pride was wounded by rejection or because of their disdain for these people. Rather, the Apostles were to do so as a way of showing the consequences of the townspeople's actions. When these towns of the chosen people rejected the promised Messiah, they needed to understand the consequences. They needed to know that by rejecting the messengers, they were rejecting the saving grace of the Gospel.First of all, it's important to consider those about whom Jesus was speaking. He was speaking about those who “will not receive” nor even “listen” to the message of the Gospel. These are those who have fully rejected God and His saving message. They, by their free choice, have separated themselves from God and His holy Gospel. They are stubborn, obstinate and hard of heart. Thus, it is in this most extreme case, of being completely closed to the Gospel, that Jesus instructs His Apostles to leave with this prophetic act. Perhaps upon seeing this done, some people would experience a certain sense of loss. Perhaps some would realize they made a mistake. Perhaps some would experience a holy sense of guilt and would eventually soften their hearts.This teaching of Jesus should also open your eyes. How fully do you receive and listen to the message of the Gospel? How attentive are you to the saving proclamation of God's Kingdom? To the extent that you are open, the floodgates of God's mercy flows forth. But to the extent that you are not, the experience of loss is encountered.Reflect, today, upon your being present in one of these towns. Consider the many ways that you have been closed to all that God wants to speak to you. Open your heart wide, listen with the utmost attentiveness, be humble before the message of the Gospel and be ready to receive it and to change your life as you do. Commit to being a member of the Kingdom of God so that all that God speaks to you will have a transforming effect upon your life.My compassionate Lord, Your firmness and chastisements are an act of Your utmost mercy for those who are hard of heart. Please soften my heart, dear Lord, and when I am stubborn and closed, please rebuke me in Your great love so that I will always turn back to You and Your saving message with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Jesus blesses the Apostolic College by Lawrence OP, license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Gospel Matthew 10:1-7 Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, "Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Reflection The Old Testament, it's a long story of God working with a group of people, the Jews. And wanted so much for them to understand the fullness of the kingdom of God that was to come through the work of Jesus. What we see in this passage is Jesus giving authority to his disciples to go and to preach and teach his message. And it's fascinating, in Matthew's Gospel that he doesn't send his disciples to the Gentiles, but to the house of Israel. And he's hoping maybe in a last ditch effort, hoping that he can convert the Jews to understanding that Jesus is the fullness of God the Father. Closing Prayer Father, you have never truly left the Israelite people. You continue to long for them to understand fully who you are. And when you send your disciples first to them, we see clearly a sign in you that you long for things, even though it may take centuries for them to change. Ultimately, when the kingdom comes, they will change. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How are we supposed to bring the gospel to others? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What is your experience of living in the kingdom of God? How would you explain the novelty of living in Christ to others? In what ways does your life reflect the message of the gospel? Have you ever seen this played out – you or someone you know being an instrument of Christ to bring salvation to others?

Msgr. Roger J. Landry Chapel of the Vincentian Seminary, Krakow Tertio Millennio Seminar Tuesday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I July 8, 2025 Gen 32:23-33, Ps 17, Mt 9:32-38   To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:  https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/7.8.25_Homily_1.mp3   The following points were attempted in the homily:  […] The post The Prayer That Leads To An Heroic Christian Life, 14th Tuesday (I), July 8, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

Father Matthew Dimock's homily on the Fourteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time Vigil Mass July 06, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Readings https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/070625.cfm Check out our YouTube channel https://youtube.com/@salisburycatholic?si=vAV_z-MbAgDa_GTQ

Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Genesis 32: 23-33 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 17: 1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15 Alleluia: John 10: 14 Gospel: Matthew 9: 32-38   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read OnlineJesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'” Matthew 10:5–7 The very last words of Jesus, just prior to His Ascension into Heaven, expands the mandate we read above that Jesus gave to His Apostles. He later says, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit…” (Matthew 28:19). Eventually, Jesus sends the Twelve and all of His disciples to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Gospel to every creature. But here, prior to the coming of the Holy Spirit, and prior to the completion of Jesus' earthly mission, He instructs the Twelve to go only “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Thus, Jesus gives a sort of priority to the preaching of the Gospel to those who have already been entrusted with the revelations of the Old Testament—that is, the teachings of the Law of Moses and the prophets.Though, today, we must all hear the call from our Lord to “make disciples of all nations,” we must also hear this unique commission to first preach to those who are already members of the family of God. And though, today, the Holy Spirit has already come and the Gospel has already gone forth far and wide, there is still an important spiritual lesson to be learned by Jesus' progressive commission from those of the family of God to those who do not yet know the Gospel.Start with yourself. By hearing Jesus give special emphasis to His Twelve to go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, you should hear our Lord speaking especially about you. You, who were baptized, have been confirmed and have received Holy Communion, now have a special obligation to listen to and respond to the Gospel of Christ. From there, God entrusts you with the sharing of the Gospel in a special way to those who also share your faith. For that reason, parents are uniquely obliged to share the Gospel with their children. Friends within the same faith community are uniquely obliged to reach out to others who share their faith. And pastors of the Church must do the same. The Gospel is now universal and must be proclaimed to all people, but this passage appears to highlight the importance of sharing the Gospel with fellow disciples of Christ.We know from our daily life that there are many who profess faith in Christ who still are not fully evangelized. There are many who have received the Sacraments but lack the deep faith to which they are called. It can appear that most fail to worship our Lord every day, and many fail in their prayerful worship each and every week. Therefore, it is useful to place yourself into this Gospel passage and to hear our Lord call you to especially devote yourself to the sharing of the Gospel with those who have already become members of His Church, even if it is only in name.If we begin with ourselves, seeking to daily grow deeper in our life of faith, praying and seeking out the will of God, then God will more easily be able to use us as He wills to share the faith with those who belong to God's family but whose faith may be weak. And for those who are “all in” and have truly given themselves over to Christ, God will certainly also use you for the proclamation of the Gospel to those who have not yet come to know Christ through the gift of faith.Reflect, today, upon the invitation Jesus gives to you to be His evangelist. First, look at your own life and do all you can to allow the Gospel to transform you into a fervent follower of Christ. From there, be open to the many ways that God wants to use you every day to inspire others to become followers of our Lord. Start with your family. Pray for them. Be attentive to the promptings of grace God gives to reach out to them. Then turn your eyes, also, to the wider community. Allow the Lord to lead, follow His voice, and He will use you in many ways to help others come to know His burning love for them. My universal King, You came to establish Your Kingdom in the lives of all people. You call all Your creatures to faith in You. Help me to be among the first who turn to You with my whole heart. Please also use me to become an instrument of Your saving grace to those whom You've put into my life. My life is Yours, dear Lord. Use me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Gospel  Matthew 9:32-38 A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives out demons by the prince of demons.” Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Reflection There was a tradition in the time of Jesus that those who were evil were considered to have the power to do strange things to other people. And so it seems, the Pharisees were just claiming some kind of hope that some people might believe them when they said, Jesus is the demon. That's how he can handle demons. But it makes no sense to Jesus or to the others. Why would the devil try to drive out the devil from another person? But what I love in this passage is the way in which the compassion of Jesus is so clear. Looking at his  human beings, he sees them troubled, abandoned, without direction, and he calls for a prayer of all of us, that there will be people who will guide those who are longing for the kingdom. We underestimate each of our ability to be an instrument of touching the troubled and abandoned soul, with love and with hope. Closing Prayer God, we don't always have the confidence that we should. That you can use us to give direction that you long for other people to have. You will use us, empower us, give us wisdom so that through us you will be able to touch those abandoned and those who are afraid. Bless us with this conviction. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Bible study on Luke 10:25-37, the Gospel reading for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C.

It's Tuesday of Ordinary Time, Proper 9 in the Church Calendar, July 8, 2025.Our general order and lectionary come from the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office.Psalms 5, 6Luke 23:56b-24:11Today's song: You Love Me (Apple of Your Eye) (Ben Ward)Playlist of songs from Morning Prayer.If you have a prayer request please ⁠submit it here⁠. Sign up ⁠here⁠ for the email list.Morning Prayer and Worship is a production of Steady Stream Ministries, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Thank you for your support. ⁠You can go here to find out more⁠.Get an ad-free feed of the podcast with a monthly contribution of any amount!⁠Join our Facebook group here!⁠Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh.Opening SentenceSend out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3Collect of the DayProper 9, Rite TwoO God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

What's in a name?

Join Father Kevin Drew as he preaches on this Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time. Today's readings First Reading: Genesis 32:23-33 Psalm: Psalm 17:1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15 Gospel: Matthew 9:32-38 Catholic Radio Network

Homily for the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time by Fr. Stephen Hamilton.Reading 1 Isaiah 66:10-14cResponsorial Psalm Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20Reading 2 Galatians 6:14-18Alleluia Colossians 3:15a, 16aGospel Luke 10:1-12, 17-20

We are all called to go, and we are sent not to be just disciples, but missionary disciples to go forth into the world to proclaim it through our words and actions. I sometimes fear that we are a little insecure, and we think that we need theology degrees or we need to be qualified as professionals. That that you need to be somehow more trained than others, but that is not the case. (Read more…)Here is my homily email from the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. Please feel free to share this email with others. Finally, I will be on vacation for the next four Sundays and there will be no homily. Please keep me in your prayers and be assured you will be in mine.

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time by Saint Patrick Parish Homilies

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | 7.6.2025 | Fr.Brian by Lourdes Denver

Why did Jesus send his disciples on a mission? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.Have you experienced that distinctive union of wisdom and power in Christianity? Why did God decide to count on us as messengers?

In this week's ALIVE reflection, Fr. Jonathan Meyer breaks open the well-known Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). We've all heard the story—but are we truly living it?   Jesus challenges us to stop crossing to the other side of the road and start stepping into the mess of others' lives with compassion. From hospitals to laws, the legacy of the Good Samaritan is everywhere… but the call is personal.  

The Revd Catherine Williams leads a service of Evening Prayer for Tuesday during Ordinary Time. St Martin's Voices. Find the service and join in via the free Daily Prayer app or online via the Church of England website: www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-in-daily-prayer/evening-prayer-contemporary-tuesday-8-july-2025

The Revd Catherine Williams leads a service of Morning Prayer for Wednesday during Ordinary Time. With music from St Martin's Voices. Find the service and join in via the free Daily Prayer app or online via the Church of England website: www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-in-daily-prayer/morning-prayer-contemporary-wednesday-9-july-2025

Brendan Jamieson, a pastor in our community, preaches on fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.Readings from Sacred ScriptureIsaiah 66:10-14 | Psalm 66:1-8 | Galatians 6:1-16 | Luke 10:1-11, 16-20Intro for Sermon Podcasts Outro for Sermon AudioWe are a community hoping to live the Jesus-way in our city as a people of God's hospitality, God‘s restoration, and God's shalom. Learn more about All Souls Charlottesville: www.allsoulscville.com

For 9 July 2025, Wednesday of week 14 in Ordinary Time, based on Matthew 10:1-7

The Revd Catherine Williams leads a short service of Night Prayer for Tuesday during Ordinary Time. With music from St Martin's Voices. Find the service and join in via the free Time to Pray app or online via the Church of England website: www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-in-daily-prayer/night-prayer-contemporary-tuesday-8-july-2025

The Revd Catherine Williams leads a short service of Prayer During the Day for Wednesday during Ordinary Time. With music from St Martin's Voices. Find the service and join in via the free Time to Pray app or online via the Church of England website: www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-in-daily-prayer/prayer-during-day-contemporary-wednesday-9-july-2025

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

8 July 2025

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: Genesis 28: 10-22a Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 91: 1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab Alleluia: Second Timothy 1: 10 Gospel: Matthew 9: 18-26   Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Read OnlineJesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35–36Jesus was quite zealous for souls. Zeal is an energy, a passion and a drive to accomplish some task. The task that Jesus was zealous for was the conversion of every heart that He encountered. As He walked from town to town, encountering person after person, Jesus could see into their hearts. He saw that so many people were “troubled and abandoned.” He could see they were like “sheep without a shepherd.” And this moved Him to compassion with a zeal to become their Shepherd, to remove the trouble from their hearts and to let them know they were invited to belong to His new Kingdom.The image of Jesus encountering numerous people who were troubled and abandoned is a good image to ponder. The reason is that this is us. Each one of us has our own interior troubles. We can feel alone, confused, uncertain and lost at times. The person who doesn't feel this way is either a perfect saint or is not being honest. Deep holiness and union with God does, of course, cure this interior struggle that many have. In that case, the person clearly knows they belong to the family of God, understands himself or herself as a son or daughter of God, and finds deep peace in this truth. But for those who struggle, this Scripture passage is especially for you.First of all, to be “troubled” could be caused by many things. For some, they struggle with memories of the past, broken relationships, a lack of direction, serious sin, anger and the like. So the first question to honestly ponder is whether or not you have a troubled heart. Even the greatest of saints will find some areas they struggle with. So what is that for you?Secondly, feeling “abandoned” is a heavy cross. The reason Jesus came was to enable us to belong to His family. That is accomplished by the gift of eternal salvation which must begin now. By receiving the forgiveness of sins and growing in a life of prayer, we come to know God in a very intimate and personal way. Yes, He is the Almighty God and Creator of all. But He is also deeply personal and intimate, and He wants to form a real relationship of love with you.If you struggle with either of these, being troubled and/or abandoned, then consider the zeal that Jesus has for you. His tireless and extensive travels, by foot, while He was engaging in His public ministry, should be seen as a sign to you of His zeal to come to you, personally, to become your Shepherd. He wants to lift every burden and clear the way for you to discover your place in His family. The “Gospel of the Kingdom” that Jesus preached was one that invited everyone to become a member of that Kingdom. As He comes to you, know that His heart is filled with compassion for you, just as it was when He traveled the countryside so long ago. He sees you, gazes at your heart with love, and never takes His eyes off of you in your need, weakness and sin.Reflect, today, upon the zeal that Jesus has for your own eternal salvation and holiness of life. You cannot make it through this world without Him. Let Jesus seek you out, come to you, speak to you and invite you to allow Him to shepherd you. He wants to do so with every fiber of His being; let Jesus fulfill His mission in you.My divine Shepherd, You seek out all people with the greatest of zeal and compassion. You see every hurting and broken heart, and You desire to heal each one. Thank You for coming to me, dear Lord, for being my Shepherd and Guide. Help me to see You as You gaze at me in my weakness and pain. And help me to open my heart to You now and throughout my life. I love You, my Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Rembrandt, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2025 In this episode, Fr. James reflects on The Backpack Effect—the paradoxical truth that the more you travel, the lighter you pack… not just in your luggage, but in life. Drawing from Jesus' instructions to the 72 disciples in Luke 10, we explore how the spiritual life calls us to travel light, to surrender control, and to cultivate deep interior peace through trust in God's providence.   This isn't just a homily—it's a call to mission. But before we can share peace, we must receive it. Before we can preach the Good News, we must experience it ourselves.   The Backpack Effect: Life isn't about how much you carry, but how free you are to move. Mission as Formation: Jesus sends us not to use us, but to form us in freedom and trust. Detachment as Freedom: Let go of stuff, stories, and control—so you can receive peace and purpose. 1. Detach from What Weighs You Down Physical Clutter: Ask, “What do I own that owns me?” Let go of one thing a day. Emotional Baggage: Identify a wound or story you keep reliving. Write it down. Burn it. Surrender it. Need for Control: Try a Trust Fast—for one day, don't seek answers. Just act in faith.   2. Cultivate Interior Peace (Inspired by Jacques Philippe) Peace is not the fruit of calm circumstances—but of radical trust. Begin each day: “Lord, not my will but Yours be done.” Daily 3-Minute Peace Check: What upset me today? What can I do, and what must I entrust? Jesus, I trust in You. Give me Your peace.    

Father teaches us about Faith.

Gospel Matthew 9:18-26 While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, ""My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live."" Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, ""If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured."" Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, ""Courage, daughter!  Your faith has saved you."" And from that hour the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, ""Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping."" And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land. Reflection It's fascinating to me when you encounter someone and ask them if they believe in God. They often say yes, and you say, well, can he raise people from the dead? Can he heal diseases? And they kind of get confused and oh, not for me. But seriously, we don't understand what it means to believe in Jesus. It means we're actually establishing a new kingdom where there is less and less pain and suffering and disease and death until we reach the final goal. The Kingdom of God is here. But the mysterious thing is, it's here now, we're experiencing it. But the key to experiencing anything that God can do for you is believing it can be done and will be done. Closing Prayer Father, the gift of Faith is more than something that we just work on ourselves. It's a gift that comes from your Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Give us the new eyes of faith. Help us to know how powerful God's healing power is in everything we're doing. Never let us lose hope. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Monday of Ordinary Time, Proper 9 in the Church Calendar, July 7, 2025.Our general order and lectionary come from the Book of Common Prayer Daily Office.Psalms 1, 2, 3Luke 23:44-56aToday's song: I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (Martin Smith/Ben Ward)Playlist of songs from Morning Prayer.If you have a prayer request please ⁠submit it here⁠. Sign up ⁠here⁠ for the email list.Morning Prayer and Worship is a production of Steady Stream Ministries, a 501(c)(3) non profit organization. Thank you for your support. ⁠You can go here to find out more⁠.Get an ad-free feed of the podcast with a monthly contribution of any amount!⁠Join our Facebook group here!⁠Photo by Gareth Davies.Opening SentenceSend out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, and bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling. Psalm 43:3Collect of the DayProper 9, Rite TwoO God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

If you've fallen, get up!

Fr. Eric's homily on the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Join Father Kevin Drew as he preaches on this Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time. Today's readings First Reading: Genesis 28:10-22a Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26 Catholic Radio Network

Opening: #724 I Heard the voice of Jesus say Psalm: #66 Let all the Earth cry out to God with joy (mayernik) Presentation: #828 Prayer of St. Francis Closing: #984 America the Beautiful All music reproduced and streamed with permission from ONE LICENSE, license #A-723939. Organist: Bill Brinser Celebrant: Father Bob Cedolia Today's readings (via USCCB): bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading For more information, visit our parish website at MaryQueenofPeacePGH.org.