Homily OT (A) 17th Sunday - Treasure, Pearl, Net

Core Message:

FOR THE MIND: What do I want them to KNOW?

· The Kingdom of Heaven is worth more than anything else

FOR THE HEART: What do I want them to FEEL?

· Desire for heavenly treasure …

Homily

The Mirror – what/who will I be when I am 16, 21, 33, 45?

What do you want?

To be cool, respected

To be rich, all the nice toys

To be lucky in love

To make friends on this camp

Not to suffer too much

Whatever earthly treasure you and I might desire, we are not desiring enough.

He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep in order to gain what he can never lose.

Transfiguration – Our God wants to deify you!

Dare to ask God … give me all that you are … all of your love … all of your life … Christify me.

Deacon Wolfgang will be made another Christ

Readings

Sunday, July 26, 2020 | Ordinary Time

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Year A | Roman Missal | Lectionary

First Reading 1 Kings 3:5, 7–12

Response Psalm 119:97a

Psalm Psalm 119:57, 72, 76–77, 127–130

Second Reading Romans 8:28–30

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 11:25

Gospel Matthew 13:44–52 or Matthew 13:44–46

Index of Readings

First Reading

1 Kings 3:5, 7–12

5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said: Whatever you ask I shall give you.

7 Now, Lord, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed David my father; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act— 8 I, your servant, among the people you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. 9 Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart to judge your people and to distinguish between good and evil. For who is able to give judgment for this vast people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased by Solomon’s request. 11 So God said to him: Because you asked for this—you did not ask for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies—but you asked for discernment to know what is right— 12 I now do as you request. I give you a heart so wise and discerning that there has never been anyone like you until now, nor after you will there be anyone to equal you.

Response

Psalm 119:97a

97 How I love your law, Lord!

I study it all day long.

Psalm

Psalm 119:57, 72, 76–77, 127–130

57 My portion is the Lord;

I promise to observe your words.

72 The law of your mouth is more precious to me

than heaps of silver and gold.

76 May your mercy comfort me

in accord with your promise to your servant.

77 Show me compassion that I may live,

for your law is my delight.

127 Truly I love your commandments

more than gold, more than the finest gold.

128 Thus, I follow all your precepts;

every wrong way I hate.

129 Wonderful are your testimonies;

therefore I keep them.

130 The revelation of your words sheds light,

gives understanding to the simple.

Second Reading

Romans 8:28–30

28 We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 11:25

25 At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Gospel

Option A

Matthew 13:44–52

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. 48 When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. 49 Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

51 “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” 52 And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

or

Option B

Matthew 13:44–46

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

Roman Missal

Prayers from the Roman Missal go here.

CCC

Catechism articles go here.

Notes

My notes go here.

5 Qualities of Good Preaching – Bishop Robert Barron

1. Mystical

a. Allow Jesus to so to seize you that your words become his.

b. It is no longer I who preach but Christ who preaches in me.

c. Prayer is not a sidelight to the healthy preacher; it’s indispensable.

2. Biblical

a. From Origen to Neumann, all the great preachers from 2nd to 20th c. knew this.

b. Beware not to make anecdotes eclipse the biblical message.

3. Ennerving

a. When Paul preached, riots started; when preach, they serve me tea.

b. Beware of domesticating God’s Word of fire.

4. Call to Conversion

a. Metanoiete! Good preaching shines a light, so sinners sense need to renew their lives.

5. Summons to Mission

a. From the fishing boat in Galilee to the road to Emmaus, Jesus called sinners to mission.