Podcasts about ordinary time july

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

Homily for the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 19, 2026) Total Time: 14m7sAI Notes (Click HERE)

Weeds, wheat, and why God allows evil to fester. 

Delivered by Vici from the Parish of St. John the Baptist in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Micah 7: 14-15.18-20; Rs psalm 85: 2-4.5-6.7-8; Matthew 12: 46-50.THE STAFF OF GOD'S POWER Our meditation today has the theme: The Staff of God'sPower. In many political traditions a staff or stick is used as a symbol ofpower. We remember Moses who used a staff to show that the power of God was atwork in him, when he was in his mission to lead the people of God to where theLord led them. Kings and presidents of various countries also use staff whichis the symbol of the power they hold. In the Church, the Pope and Bishops havealso staff with the similar meaning. The staff that is made of wood or metal refers to thepower or authority of the person who uses it. Even a stick of wood which isused by father or mother at home is enough to give us understanding that ifchildren violate the rules, they will be subjected to punishment be beaten withthe stick. Seeing what this staff or stick signifies, now we can furtherunderstand why  in the scriptures Godalways reveals His power through the symbolic staff being used by His chosenfigures who had so important duty to do. Today we listen to the Lord who says through theprophecy of Micah in the first reading, that He Himself shepherded His peoplewith His staff. Jesus the good shepherd also carried out the pastoral works byusing the high priest's staff, which until now has been symbolized by the Popeand Bishops. With that staff, the duty as leader and shepherd have itslegitimacy and strength to demand obedience and reliance from people who aresubjected to it. The staff of God has its powerful function in thepurification and deliverance of men and women believers from the power ofdarkness and sin. Satan, the ruler of darkness, when confronted with the powerof God that is symbolized by the staff, he will fall trembling and fear. Thatwas evident in every action of Jesus who was always present through words anddeeds, which instantly frightened the Satan who asked not to be tortured. Thisis the role of to the staff of God, that is to cast all our sins and to bethrown into the sea, says the prophet Micah. So we must look at the staff when it is shown to us insuch manner being held by the person in power, it is made as a support when westand, or when it is used to emphasize on something so important. Jesus referredto all the power that existed in Him, when He spoke that His true disciples andapostles were indeed His mother and His brothers. This statement of Jesussurely contains the teaching that is full with authority. This teaching isabout to carry out God's will which is to be the main task of every follower ofChrist. The staff of Jesus until now is in the hands of the Pope and the Bishopsof the Church. We must listen and follow our Holy Father and our Bishop.Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord, may our fidelity and obedience tothe Church always be strong and lasting especially through our obedience to theHoly Father and Bishop. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the HolySpirit ... In the name of the Father …

Homily given at St. Thomas à Becket on the 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 19, 2026)

Delivered by Evelyn Lumanta from the Parish of Santo Laurensius in the Diocese of Bandung, Indonesia. Micah 6: 1-4.6-8; Rs psalm 50: 5-6.8-9.16bc.17.21.23; Matius 12: 38-42.UNFAITHFULNESS The theme for our meditation today is: Unfaithfulness.There was a man who got a job from the company to work outside the city forthree to six months. During this time he did not return to his home and family.Communication with his wife and children was done via online messages and videocalls. When he returned home after finishing the job, hefound out that almost everything in the house was normal and good, except forhis two beloved dogs who were no longer familiar with him. The two dogs reallyignored him, even though he wanted to play with them. His youngest son, eightyears old, said this to him: "The problem is that you haven't been closeand played with them, so they have become strangers to you." Infidelity happens in our relationship with oneanother is caused by many factors, and one of them is that people are not closeto each other, they do not communicate, there is no news shared and there is nosharing of attention between them. This also happens between us and the Lord.There is a long history about people who have been unfaithful to God which inthe end they must be subjected to the punishment imposed on them because oftheir infidelity. The Lord Jesus was sent by the Father into the world to bringthem back to faithfulness and true faith. The people of God, and especially theIsraelites, were expected to be the first to renew this broken relationship andto walk on the new way initiated by Jesus Christ. However they did not even want to know and acknowledgeJesus. They asked for signs that could help them to believe in Jesus Christ.This is what made Jesus gave them a very strong reaction. They openly opposedGod by rejecting and not recognizing that Jesus was sent by God whom theybelieved according to the faith of their fathers. This is a great sin ofunfaithfulness. They preferred such worldly things like money, position, fleshpleasure, social status, fame, then God alone and His teachings brought by Jesusof Nazareth was not their priority. According to Jesus Christ, this sin is asin against the Holy Spirit, and it will never be forgiven. The temptation to deny God by making Him not ourpriority in life is really very big. In general there are three greattemptations that threaten us any time and anywhere in this world namely money,power and flesh. The prophet Micah said that we need to be sincere aboutourselves: whether we can overcome the temptation or we are always overcome byit, the world around us is the witness. If we stay with God and let ourselvesto be guided by the Holy Spirit, we are the ones who overcome temptation. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... Our almighty God, may Your Spirit help usto be faithful always in the way of Your Son Jesus Christ, and keep us from alltemptations that cause us to be away from Your path. Hail Mary, full of grace... In the name of the Father ...

Mass Readings for 16th Sunday on Ordinary Time - July 19, 2026 Reading 1, Wisdom 12:13, 16-19 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16 Reading 2, Romans 8:26-27 Gospel, Matthew 13:24-43

Delivered by Javinsen, Claire and Celine from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Wisdom 12: 13.16-19; Rs psalm 86: 5-6.9-10.15-16a; Romans 8: 26-27; Matthew 13: 24-30.THE ENEMY GIVES US OPPORTUNITY The theme for our meditation on this 16thSunday in Ordinary Time is: The Enemy Gives Us Opportunity. A high schoolstudent got praise and gifts from his parents for achieving best grades for allthe subjects in his study. This somehow surprised everyone in the familybecause they still remembered of his grades at the beginning of school thatwere far from expectation. He even got a number of red marks.                                              Why did he change so quickly with his studyachievements when he was in the second and third grade? Did he cheat duringexam in order to get satisfactory grades? These are the common questions thatwere always addressed to him. To those who asked these questions, the boyalways answered wisely, as he said: "Every friend of mine who gets bettergrades than me is my challenger in study, even I want to be better thanhim." This boy continued to follow this way until he finished high school. That teenager's experience is an example of a healthyand good competition. There is also unhealthy and bad competition, which goesthrough bad ways to pursue its goals. In every competition, each competingparty considers its counterpart as an enemy. There are enemies who becomefriends of competition and struggle, so we can be helped to achieve progressand success. Enemies of this quality are considered good enemies, because theygive us the opportunity to become better. But there are enemies who become deadly opponents, whoare moved by hatred, anger and jealousy. We are not helped to become better,instead we are led to a disaster and loss. We naturally and in following thecommon sense, want to have good enemies. God himself is in the category of ourgood enemies. We are sinners. Every time we realize ourselves as sinners, wemust be able to see God as our good enemy, who is patient with us and providesall the opportunities so that we can repent and ultimately return to Him. The parable of coexistence between the seed sower andhis enemy the weed sower, then between the seed that grows together withits  enemy the weed, is so clearly toteach us about the role of the enemy that helps us in this life. Our own familymembers, our friends and people whom we don't know can be our good enemies.Even if we cannot avoid the presence of the dangerous or deadly enemies, thiswas actually already experienced by the Lord Jesus himself and the martyrs whohave gone before us. Such enemies give us opportunities to drink the cup ofsuffering like Jesus Christ did, who is our Teacher and Savior. In this case,we should be grateful and pray for our enemies. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord, bless us so that we can live inYour truth and wisdom. Make us good neighbours to those around us. Our Fatherwho art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ...

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Micah 2: 1-5; Rs psalm 10: 1-2.3-4.7-8.14; Matthew 12: 14-21.GOD IS NOTHIDING The theme forour meditation today is: God is Not Hiding. The school year for schools hasjust started this week. In general, teaching and learning activities take placein the middle of summer and dry which can have a negative impact on theactivities of students and teachers at school. They feel the hot air bothinside the classroom and outside and especially when they are in the playground. In remotevillages, students walk daily from home and school. They endure hot every dayand bathed in dust along the way. They easily get sick because of the hot anddry weather. There was a junior high school student writing on his social mediapage, in the form of a challenge addressed to God. He said: "This is aserious threat to life. God seems to be hiding and not near us to helpus." This student'sheartfelt expression represents the feelings of difficulty, anxiety, lack ofpatience and pessimism of many people in today's world. These feelings arenatural for us humans and there is nothing wrong with complaining or urging Godto help us. The event recounted in the Gospel about Jesus calming down the windand violent waves that nearly destroyed His disciples very clearly give usconfidence that God is not silent or hiding. Our Gospel readingtoday also illustrates how Jesus chose to avoid and hide, at a time when thethreat of enemies and evil was evident. There was a conspiracy that plottedevil against Jesus and all of His works, but Jesus got rid of himself. If aleader or chief chose to abandon his responsibilities, then we can understandthat his work, struggle or task has failed.  If our life inthis world only give attention to violence, evil and the threat of the enemy,we are the people who live in fear and this world is like a terrible jungle.God is indeed seen or understood to be in silent and hiding, but He actuallydwells in our hearts. God fills the spaces of understanding and conviction ofour faith. He works as the invisible Holy Spirit, but provides everything bothin word and deed, so that we become able to face our enemies. Our livesactually remain focus on the kingdom of God and the path we walk is the way ofJesus Christ. If until this moment we have this life in the midst of adifficult and bad situation while we continue to adapt ourselves to the newreality of life, this is the path that God has given us. He is actually with usand guides our lives. Let us pray. In thename of the Father ... O Lord, in your hands we put all our hopes and fates inlife. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the nameof the Father ...

Greetings to all.Thank you for your support and for listening to this week's Gospel reflection.God bless.Fr. Kennedy

Delivered by Nia from the Parish of Good Shepherd in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Isaiah 38: 1-6.21-22.7-8; Rs psalm: Is 38: 10.11.12abc.16; Matthew 12: 1-8.BETWEEN COMPASSION AND SACRIFICIAL OFFERRING  The theme for our meditation today is: BetweenCompassion and Sacrificial Offering. There are many Catholics who no longer goto the confession. This is represented by a young man who once spoke with hisparish priest, that he himself and his friends do not consider it important tomake confession through a Catholic priest. The young man has his own reason,that a direct confession of sins to God is sufficient and it is secure in termsof each person privacy. Confession of sins through a priest does not make themany good sense. The confession of sins is not just an act of prayingto God to reveal the sins committed and to ask forgiveness. Its main point isan act of reconciliation and repentance that a penitent should do. Prayer forforgiveness is not a sacrament of reconciliation and it cannot replace it. Thisprayer is the same as all kinds of offering sacrifices that the believersnormally do, namely to give something as the sign of our faith and love forGod. This is the same as giving something to our loved ones to respect andplease them. An offering of sacrifice is solely a human act, so itis very dependent on the free will, choice or taste of each person. Oftencertain offerings are arranged or institutionalized in order to meet the wishesof the authorities or leaders, therefore, the rules are made to keep an orderof observance. For example, there were some amount of money to be submitted,namely one tenth of monthly income. Burnt offerings and animals slaughteredmust be counted all and the condition of those animals should be unblemishedand many other items of norm. The Lord Jesus Christ came to the world and he hadauthority to replace all the existing rules with His own self-offeringsacrifice. What the Lord Jesus had made was the work of the almighty God forall of us, and this work is not actually the offerings to praise or honorsomebody but a merciful love or an act of compassion. God loves us bysacrificing Himself. God is all merciful and full of love, therefore, He gaveHis own Son for our salvation. The action of Jesus in His merciful love andcompassion is to save the world and us from the slavery of sin and death. The Lord's merciful love and our obligation topractice this in our daily lives is an act of worship that is superior to theSabbath observance and other offering sacrifices, when the call for salvationof mankind requires. This is what Jesus wanted to correct, when mercy orcompassion was despised or even abolished, while offering sacrifices andsabbath observance were strictly obeyed. For us believers, offering sacrificesand worships are also needed for our expression of faith. However, when mercyor compassion requires, we cannot replace it by merely offering prayers andsacrifices. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... Strengthen and fill us with Your power, OGod, so that we can witness Your truth through merciful love and compassionthat we do in the light of faith we profess. Glory to the Father and to the Sonand to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ...

Given at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, Cottage Grove, Oregon

Matthew 13:1-23On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.Such large crowds gathered around himthat he got into a boat and sat down,and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,and when the sun rose it was scorched,and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”The disciples approached him and said,“Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply,“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heavenhas been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, becausethey look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:You shall indeed hear but not understand,you shall indeed look but never see.Gross is the heart of this people,they will hardly hear with their ears,they have closed their eyes,lest they see with their eyesand hear with their earsand understand with their hearts and be converted,and I heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see,and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous peoplelonged to see what you see but did not see it,and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."Hear then the parable of the sower.The seed sown on the path is the onewho hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,and the evil one comes and steals awaywhat was sown in his heart.The seed sown on rocky groundis the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the wordand it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soilis the one who hears the word and understands it,who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Matthew 13:1-23On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.Such large crowds gathered around himthat he got into a boat and sat down,and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,and when the sun rose it was scorched,and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”The disciples approached him and said,“Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply,“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heavenhas been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, becausethey look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:You shall indeed hear but not understand,you shall indeed look but never see.Gross is the heart of this people,they will hardly hear with their ears,they have closed their eyes,lest they see with their eyesand hear with their earsand understand with their hearts and be converted,and I heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see,and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous peoplelonged to see what you see but did not see it,and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."Hear then the parable of the sower.The seed sown on the path is the onewho hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,and the evil one comes and steals awaywhat was sown in his heart.The seed sown on rocky groundis the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the wordand it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soilis the one who hears the word and understands it,who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Matthew 13:1-23On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.Such large crowds gathered around himthat he got into a boat and sat down,and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,and when the sun rose it was scorched,and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”The disciples approached him and said,“Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said to them in reply,“Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heavenhas been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, becausethey look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand. Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:You shall indeed hear but not understand,you shall indeed look but never see.Gross is the heart of this people,they will hardly hear with their ears,they have closed their eyes,lest they see with their eyesand hear with their earsand understand with their hearts and be converted,and I heal them. “But blessed are your eyes, because they see,and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous peoplelonged to see what you see but did not see it,and to hear what you hear but did not hear it."Hear then the parable of the sower.The seed sown on the path is the onewho hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it,and the evil one comes and steals awaywhat was sown in his heart.The seed sown on rocky groundis the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word,he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word,but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the wordand it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soilis the one who hears the word and understands it,who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.”

Delivered by Evelyn from the Parish of Holy Spirit in the Archdiocese of Singapore. Isaiah 26: 7-9.12.16-19; Rs psalm 102: 13-14ab.15.16-18.19-21; Matthew 11: 28-30.KNOWING THE LORD WITH HIS NAME The theme for our meditation today is: Knowing theLord with His Name. There was a ten-year-old boy named Bastian. He wrote aletter to God to ask about His name. Bastian has prayed many times to ask whatreally the name of the Lord is, like his own name Bastian. Since he has notfound an answer, he wrote a special letter. He wrote such words: "LordGod, like Your Son's special name Jesus Christ, so what is Your realname?" He placed that letter at the foot of the cross in the church. The parish priest found that letter one morning. Hetook the letter and wrote under the written words of Bastian, and it read:"The name of the Lord God is 'I AM'. This was not a direct answer fromGod, but what the parish priest gave was the real answer, as the book ofGenesis says about Moses who did meet God and received this name. Then some daylater when Bastian and his family came to church, the boy took his letter andfound the answer he was really waiting for. God gives His own name "I" which means He isperfect, total and eternal. For the name "I", God is the onlypowerful being who affirms Himself as the almighty and everliving Lord. Withsuch superiority, Moses in the old testament and all of us from everygeneration are so blessed with this so special dignity of the Lord. God is notselfish, but He always shares with us, especially involves Himself with us andwe participate in His divinity, through Jesus Christ. We are encouraged to bring such divine superiority toequip ourselves, that we may be able to face enemies and those who oppose thewill of God. Our aim is to defeat those enemies. If we only use our ownstrengths and egos as human beings, we must be very weak when we face all thecomplexities of our works, various challenges and threats. But by using theidentity "I" of God, we will always be enabled by Him and we canstand to face all threats and difficulties. Jesus Christ shows this when He always says: "Itell you". Jesus revealed God's own name when He spoke and when He did theworks of God. Jesus never called himself by using such expression: "Jesustells you". He indeed used "I" to give affirmation ofHimself  and this also means to bring allthe believers to come to Him, to live with Him and to walk in His way of life.Today Jesus invites us to come to Him in order to draw from Him our spiritualrichness. "Come to me, for I am gentle and humble of heart." Let usalways believe and rely on God's name "I AM". Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O powerful and almighty God, accept ourprayer of gratitiude dependence for the love that You bestow on us through theperson Jesus Christ Your Son, and may we always rely on your power. Glory tothe Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father...

Delivered by Svara Nirmala and Stella from the Parish of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mamajang, in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Isaiah 10: 5-7.13-16; Rs psalm 94: 5-10.14-15; Matthew 11: 25-27.KNOWING GOD         The theme for our meditation today is: Knowing God.Joyce, a grade 2 student of elementary school who has only been to school for aweek. In religion class, the students were taught to pray the "OurFather" and other basic prayers. The teacher once asked the students tojot down the formula of Our Father's prayer. However, Joyce only wrote thetitle "Our Father", then under it she drew the face of a man withthick and curly hair, mustache and thin beard. The teacher then asked why Joyce drew that man's face.She replied in this way: "I can already memorize the Lord's Prayer, and Ieven want something more, namely the face of God the Father. Because I do notknow the face of God, I better draw the face of my father at home. He is alsoas good as God". The little girl Joyce represents all of us believerswho want to know God directly and clearly. But  like her, we certainly find it difficult toverify on what or who God looks like. There is no human being can do this, butJesus Christ, who is the Son of God, indeed does it for us. The face of Jesusis so well known to us. According Him, as we come to know Him, to see His faceand to meet Him, we indeed know and experience the existence of God the Father. Today we come to meet the Lord God who introducesHimself to us. Through the passage of the book of the prophet Isaiah chapter10, God revealed Himself as the ruler of the universe and all nations on earth.The evil power who ruled  over thegodless nations would be eventually defeated by the power of Heaven, when Godused the Assyrian Kingdom to oppress them. Indeed, the Lord wanted to make themaware of their sinfull lives and they should repent then returned to Him. Jesus introduced God the Father as the One who hadincarnated in his human form. Jesus himself knew God the Father and what Godthe Father is really like. We can only obtain this knowledge through JesusChrist who is speaking and meeting us. In His prayer to the Father, Jesus askedthat all goodness and mercy are to be given to the simple, little and sufferingones. Whereas the arrogant, the powerful and the learned people find itdifficult to recognize God in their complicated lives. Many of us truly recognize God in times of difficultyand threat of suffering, and we really need the Lord's help. We also recognizeGod when He frees us from all forms of oppression and persecution. We alsorecognize God in situations of pain and helplessness. In a simple and humblelife we ​​also know the Lord our God. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty God, strengthen us with Yourblessings, so that we can recognize You without obstacles in all situations ofour lives. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ...

Mass Readings for 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time -July 12, 2026 Reading 1, Isaiah 55:10-11 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14 Gospel, Matthew 13:1-23 Reading 2, Romans 8:18-23

Homily given at St. Thomas à Becket on the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (July 12, 2026).

Homily for the 15th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 12, 2026) Total Time: 15m28sAI Notes (Click HERE)

A patch of grass cannot magically turn into a golf course, and a random patch of soil cannot spontaneously produce good fruit. 

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Greetings.I remain most appreciative of the time you take to listen to my reflection.God bless.Fr. Kennedy

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. 

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Matthew 11:25-30At that time Jesus exclaimed: "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,for although you have hidden these thingsfrom the wise and the learnedyou have revealed them to little ones.Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father,and no one knows the Father except the Sonand anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.""Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am meek and humble of heart;and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Matthew 11:25-30At that time Jesus exclaimed: "I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,for although you have hidden these thingsfrom the wise and the learnedyou have revealed them to little ones.Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father,and no one knows the Father except the Sonand anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.""Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am meek and humble of heart;and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

Homily for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 5, 2026) Recorded at the 9AM Mass at Sacred Heart Parish - Enumclaw, WA Total Time: 13m27sAI Notes (Click HERE)

How to properly rest. 

In this homily given on the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 5, 2026), Father Mathias preaches on why God hides himself from the proud but reveals himself to the humble.  Because the proud are self-focused and self-reliant, they are not open to reality, they are not open to change.  As such they become blind to God and what he offers us.  But the humble are open to reality, they know they need God and are open to receiving from God.  If Jesus wants us to come to him to receive his rest, then we need to be humble enough to come to him to receive his rest.  The problem is that those who are proud don't come to Jesus, they don't think they need to, they don't want to.  Therefore, they don't receive much from what he offers.Father ends his homily inviting us to come to Jesus as a little child to tell him what's going on in our prayer so we can receive what he has for us. 

Mass Readings for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - July 5, 2026 Reading 1, Zechariah 9:9-10 Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14 Reading 2, Romans 8:9, 11-13 Gospel, Matthew 11:25-30

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Greetings to all.Thank you for listening to my Gospel reflection this week.God Bless.Fr. Kennedy

Send us Fan MailCheck out the JIBM Web site at:  https://www.joeinblackministries.com/To submit comments or questions, please email: joeinblackministries@gmail.comPlease use the following link if you would like to financially support  Church of the Holy Family: https://pushpay.com/g/hfgrandblanc?sr…Support the show