Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (2022-2023)

Introduction:

Good afternoon my Brothers and Sisters,

Today we are invited to look at christianity in more radical way.

We will hear in the Gospel: Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

I think nobody would like to lose life, it is unnatural thing.

Our natural instinct pushes us to save our life.

Our Baptism makes us capable to offer our lives for the Lord and for the others.

Say something about: the Independance Day - Freedom in God.

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When I was a kid, my family had a dog named Kajtek.

I remember feeling really excited about having a furry friend to play with, especially along with my sisters.

However, something happened that made our excitement fade away.

We didn't take Kajtek outside as often as we should have, and we weren't giving him the attention he needed.

To address this, my mom decided to establish a rule to ensure that Kajtek would be properly taken care of.

Of course my sisters and I didn't like the rules at all. We wanted to have the freedom to spend time doing other things without having to worry about Kajtek's needs.

Unfortunately, as a result of our disobedience , my mom had to find a new home for him.

It was a tough lesson for us.

You know loving and carrying parents make the rules - and it is out of love.

And I do not know if you ever thought about the Church as a caring mother.

Like all good moms, she takes care of us and wants us to be well.

But this mother is not looking only after our physical bodies, she's looking after our hearts and souls.

But making sure to make us safe - she does have some house rules.

You know, like the rules your mom and dad make at home to keep everyone safe and happy?

The Church has rules like that too, for everyone who's part of the Catholic family.

The most important rules that the Church teaches us are the Ten Commandments, like a guidebook that God gave us for living a good and happy life.

But it's not just about rules, the Church reminds us that Jesus showed us how to live by these rules in the best possible way - by being friends with him.

In John 15:10 Jesus says: “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.”

Just like a good mom gives advice to her children, the Church also gives us some extra tips.

These are called the “precepts of the Church.”

They aren't written in the Bible, but they help us to know if we're truly being friends with Jesus.

When I prepared for my first Communion and Confirmation in Poland, I had to memorize them.

However, upon coming to the USA, I noticed that it is not frequently taught in the Children's Faith Formation program.

So, Here are the five rules the Church tells us to follow:

• You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor

• You shall confess your sins at least once a year

• You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season

• You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church

• You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church

In today’s First Reading and Gospel passage, we hear about this last precept – and how we the member of our Catholic family can provide for the material needs of the Church.

First, in our today's Gospel, Jesus speaks about this precept.

He promises us that even if we only share a small gift to support the mission of his Church, whether material of our time and talents, God won’t forget it: "And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple - amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

And yes, we don't always experience that "reward" here on earth, but God has given the promise that it will come.

A good example today is the woman of Shunem in our First Reading:

She convinced her husband to show special hospitality to God’s prophet, Elisha.

She didn’t do it for selfish reasons, or to look good in the eyes of her neighbors.

She did it because she saw an opportunity to how her love for the Lord by using her own resources to support the God’s servant.

As she explained it to her husband: “I know he is a holy man of God. Since he visits us often, let us arrange a little room…”

She wanted to support his mission, his work on behalf of God’s Kingdom.

And God allowed her to see how grateful and pleased he was with her generosity – he gave her and her husband the gift of a child, to which she gave birth at the very time Elisha had predicted.

Of course, We never receive in this life the full reward for our generosity to God, but he does give us glimpses of the reward he is preparing for us.

My dear Brothers and Sisters,

This fifth precept of the Church has a spiritual purpose.

It reminds us of our true goal in our life is: to build up an eternal Kingdom, to spread God’s Love, His Compassion and Mercy, but it also is teaching us to be free from being attached to the earthy possessions.

We are going to continue with this Mass, first by saying the Creed, then by bringing to the Lord our petitions.

After that, we will take up the offertory.

And then, when we put our offerings we provide for the needs of the Church and open ourselves for the transforming power of Jesus.

Look! The Gifts of Bread and wine which we bring will be transformed into his own Body and Blood, his very own divine presence.

When we bring ourselves, our lives and offer it on the same altar - He can also transform us to make us His presence.