Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time Year 1 2023

Title

Building Trust

Outline

How often has a parent or spouse or leader complained, “You don’t trust me.”

How often have we forgotten how to trust? What does it take to lead us to trust?

In the gospel narrative it takes desperation

The father had brought his son to the disciples, for he had a need. They were unsuccessful and Jesus was up the mountain, so he is frustrated.

When Jesus arrives he asks him to help “if he can.” Jesus picks up on this and asks, “If I can? All is possible for the one who trusts.” That brings the man to the point of desperation, “Lord, I trust, help my lack of trust.” And the request is granted. It only took a little trust.

The disciples were apparently relying on their track record, not trusting Jesus and the Father. That is why you were not successful. You did not trust my promise to you and did not rely on my inner direction and presence while absent.

In our first reading ongoing trust means repeating the words and teachings of God

Be constantly reading and meditating. Teach them over and over to your children. Think of them first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Love God totally and first of all.

Why was this important? Because the wealth of the land they would inherit might make them complacent. “We are doing OK.” They may well forget the narrative that brought them to that wealth. And they forget to trust and obey the Lord.

This is not just true of Israel; it is true of us. That is why trials are for our good even if the Evil One does not intend that. In them we are brought back to trust.

So, Sisters, that is our need too

We have the cycles of readings and prayers in the liturgical year so that we will not forget. And include in that the readings from the Fathers.

But let us not be content with that. Let us be like St Dominic who was reading Matthew and Paul while walking along and doing it so much that he about had it memorized. And when he spoke, he spoke about God or to God, repeating the story to others and communing with God about how they applied to the present.

If we do that then our minds will direct us to be constantly loving the Lord along with our hearts and souls.

And then every crisis will be a chance for wonder: “I wonder how God will work this one out?” We come with expectancy, we come with trust, we come in dependence.

In fact, it may not take a crisis, for we will be so mindful of God that we will see him at work in our normal life and life will become an opportunity for praise and worship.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 8-12-2023: Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Deuteronomy 6:4–13

4 Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! 5 Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. 6 Take to heart these words which I command you today. 7 Keep repeating them to your children. Recite them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Bind them on your arm as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.

10 When the LORD, your God, brings you into the land which he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give you, a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, 11 with houses full of goods of all sorts that you did not garner, with cisterns that you did not dig, with vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant; and when, therefore, you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful not to forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that house of slavery. 13 The LORD, your God, shall you fear; him shall you serve, and by his name shall you swear.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-12-2023: Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 18:2

2 He said:

I love you, LORD, my strength,

PSALM

Psalm 18:2–4, 47, 51

2 He said:

I love you, LORD, my strength,

3 LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer,

My God, my rock of refuge,

my shield, my saving horn, my stronghold!

4 Praised be the LORD, I exclaim!

I have been delivered from my enemies.

47 The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock!

Exalted be God, my savior!

51 You have given great victories to your king,

and shown mercy to his anointed,

to David and his posterity forever.

Catholic Daily Readings 8-12-2023: Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

2 Timothy 1:10

10 but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,

GOSPEL

Matthew 17:14–20

14 When they came to the crowd a man approached, knelt down before him, 15 and said, “Lord, have pity on my son, for he is a lunatic and suffers severely; often he falls into fire, and often into water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” 17 Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you? How long will I endure you? Bring him here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him, and from that hour the boy was cured. 19 Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said, “Why could we not drive it out?” 20  He said to them, “Because of your little faith. Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 8-12-2023: Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

SATURDAY OF THE EIGHTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 1 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

On the same date: Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious

Catholic Daily Readings 8-12-2023: Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading Deuteronomy 6:4–13

Response Psalm 18:2

Psalm Psalm 18:2–4, 47, 51

Gospel Acclamation 2 Timothy 1:10

Gospel Matthew 17:14–20

(Green if feria) Also BVM on Saturday (White)