Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Unfortunately, we treat it as our own, as if we were God and could determine its fate, and so are estranged from creation and extend to it our culture of death

The second is the recreational mandate

This means that we and all in creation is corrupted and only by dying and being born anew, by exchanging our death for Christ’s life do we have a future worth talking about

This is seen most clearly in the monastic tradition, but also in those who stress the preaching of the good news.

Unfortunately we often act as if all we needed was some cleaning up, getting our act straight and not a recreation. Of course, this leads to failure.

Both stresses are in the Bible and Christian tradition and failing to keep them together leads to a mission failure.

Job and Jesus speak of the creational mandate

“Who did this and that?” asks God in Job. We know many things, but ultimately we or science cannot answer the final question. This is absolutely critical in speaking with those without faith

““Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?” ask the disciples. He is calm when the forces of chaos referred to in Job break out. He takes control, for, though man, he is unfallen and has not lost his viceroyship, and he is also the creator God. This answers the “who is God” question that we are left with from Job.

Thus our stance of looking at creation to see the order of the creator and our trying to restore it witnesses to Christ rather than the human tendency to impose our order for our desires and turn the Shire into Mordor.

Paul speaks to the recreational mandate

When we look inside we find our true self and it is alienated from God and corrupted

God in Jesus came and died so that we might die in him. “we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died.”

This is the great exchange, the exchange of our death for his life as we receive new lives in his as the result of his resurrection. “He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

It is not that we find our true self, but that we receive a new self in him: “whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.”

This is the message that those open to God yet looking at themselves and the world and seeing the true extent of corruption need to hear. There is recreation - in Christ.

So, Sisters, it is not an either or, but a both-and.

It may be a left foot and then a right foot as the Church alternates emphases over time and in speaking to various individuals.

But if the creational emphasis is not there, we do not really know where we came from and what our goal in the world is, so we remain estranged from the rest of creation and from the human Jesus.

If the recreational emphasis is not there, we try to live the kingdom steeped in the mess that is within. And we realize that we have no future, for we are not in Christ who is the future.

Our readings call us to both-and and so we must try to embrace both if we are not to try to hobble around spiritually with one foot or a foot and a self-crafted prosthesis.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 6-20-2021: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Job 38:1, 8–11

CHAPTER 38

1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm and said:

8 Who shut within doors the sea,

when it burst forth from the womb,

9 When I made the clouds its garment

and thick darkness its swaddling bands?

10 When I set limits for it

and fastened the bar of its door,

11 And said: Thus far shall you come but no farther,

and here shall your proud waves stop?

RESPONSE

Psalm 107:1b

1 “Give thanks to the LORD for he is good,

his mercy endures forever!”

PSALM

Psalm 107:23–26, 28–31

23 Some went off to sea in ships,

plied their trade on the deep waters.

24 They saw the works of the LORD,

the wonders of God in the deep.

25 He commanded and roused a storm wind;

it tossed the waves on high.

26 They rose up to the heavens, sank to the depths;

their hearts trembled at the danger.

28 In their distress they cried to the LORD,

who brought them out of their peril;

29 He hushed the storm to silence,

the waves of the sea were stilled.

30 They rejoiced that the sea grew calm,

that God brought them to the harbor they longed for.

31 Let them thank the LORD for his mercy,

such wondrous deeds for the children of Adam.

Psalm 107:1b RSV2CE

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures for ever!

Psalm 107:23–26 RSV2CE

23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the great waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 For he commanded, and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight;

Psalm 107:26–31 RSV2CE

26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their evil plight; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men, and were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress; 29 he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his merciful love, for his wonderful works to the sons of men!

Catholic Daily Readings 6-20-2021: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

2 Corinthians 5:14–17

14 For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. 15 He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

16 Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. 17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

Catholic Daily Readings 6-20-2021: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Luke 7:16

16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”

GOSPEL

Mark 4:35–41

35 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. 38 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” 41 They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 6-20-2021: Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, JUNE 20, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR B | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Job 38:1, 8–11

Response Psalm 107:1b

Psalm Psalm 107:23–26, 28–31

Second Reading 2 Corinthians 5:14–17

Gospel Acclamation Luke 7:16

Gospel Mark 4:35–41

GREEN

Related Media

Related Sermons