Your Sunday Sermon Notes

24 Comments

1. Precentrix says:

   5 February 2017 at 5:15 AM

   From +Egan (we’re having the visitation at the moment):

   To be a disciple means to be in formation, to learn, to sit at the feet of the Master and in studying to become more like Him.
   We are each called to be salt, to be light in the world. Salt isn’t just for food, or a preservative, but was also used as a purifying agent in the ancient world. We are called to be leaven, to purify the society in which we live.
   Each and every one of us is called to be a disciple, and to bring light to others. As the sanctuary lamp burns itself up in pointing to the tabernacle, we are called to spend ourselves in witnessing to Christ.

   For a concrete example, Mgr talked about Bl Pier-Giorgio Frassati, to whom he is dedicating the diocesan youth work.

   And the challenge – do something concrete for Christ this week. With examples given – works of mercy, visit to the Blessed Sacrament, attending weekday Mass etc.
2. MattH says:

   5 February 2017 at 5:26 AM

   Our Deacon noted that the Gospel of Matthew highlights five sermons from Christ to parallel the five books of the Torah – and thus, Jesus as the new Moses.
3. Austin Catholics says:

   5 February 2017 at 9:30 AM

   Before the mass a lector read our bishop’s letter on the federal government’s new policy on refugees. (He’s against it.)

   At the conclusion of the letter about half the congregation applauded, and somewhat awkwardly, the other half did not. BTW, Father Z, I was not among those applauding.

   [I don’t get it. How is that about a good point made during the sermon at the Mass?]
4. Fr Martin Fox says:

   5 February 2017 at 9:34 AM

   I worked primarily from the reading from Isaiah, which spoke of removing oppression, feeding the hungry, and sheltering the homeless; I pointed out that Isaiah’s exhortation was addressed not to his fellow Israelites as individuals, but to them collectively, as a people — he is calling the whole group to respond. I applied this to our parish, our archdiocese and our nation. I talked about what we were doing as a parish, inviting us to continue; I talked about the Archdiocese’s “Catholic Ministries Appeal,” which does many of these things; and I talked about the President’s order regarding immigration from specific countries, and refugees. I made some observations about the problems and pitfalls of the latter, and the need to hold the President to his commitment that, once improvements are made in “vetting,” we will resume admitting refugees — because that is consistent with Isaiah’s message of what makes a country great in God’s eyes.
5. Sword40 says:

   5 February 2017 at 11:18 AM

   Couldn’t make it to Mass today. The highway is covered with snow and the idiots out there made me decide to be safe and come home.
6. iPadre says:

   5 February 2017 at 11:57 AM

   EF – The Gospel is akin to Genesis. God created and said: “It is good… It is good… It is very good.” And everything went wrong. Gospel, Father planted his field in the Kingdom of Heaven, the Church Militant. Church through history has had trials, difficulties. All in God’s plan. Even the evil will glorify God and serve His plan. Remain faithful, trust, and “keep your eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”
7. david s says:

   5 February 2017 at 1:00 PM

   5th Sunday after Epiphany. Father made 3 points about the Gospel of the weeds and the wheat:
   1. The enemy sowed the bad seed while men were sleeping. The devil comes after us when our souls are weakened–tired, hungry, cross, not paying attention.
   2. The seed. The devil can’t create anything on his own, but he must use for his wicked purpose the seed created by God . He uses our weaknesses to get us to do evil by misusing the good things God has given us.
   3. The harvest. God lets the weeds and wheat grow together, but there will be an accounting at the end for which we must be ready.

   Today was the first Sunday TLM at this parish, following several years of regular weekday evening TLMs. Father added a monthly Sunday Mass to the regular Sunday morning schedule. Great news on that front, and a good turnout.
8. JohnE says:

   5 February 2017 at 1:20 PM

   The world has enough nice Catholics. In fact nice is an insult. The etymology of the world essentially means stupid or foolish. Someone who is nice is a fool who doesn’t see or care what’s going on around him — an idiot. Salt and light aren’t add-ons, but are essential for life. We are called to give to the world what is necessary for life, Jesus Christ.
9. Curley says:

   5 February 2017 at 1:23 PM

   Our priest talked about not letting people tell you you’re not Christian/Catholic because of your stance on immigration, death penalty, etc. quoted Fr. James Martin saying you weren’t christian if you supported temporary refugee hiatus as an example
10. LDP says:

    5 February 2017 at 2:07 PM

    OF Mass. Focusing on Matthew 5:13, Fr told us not to lose our savour and become insipid Christians. He suggested that though more streamlined, the new Rite of Baptism sadly lacks the symbolic ritual of placing a small amount of salt on the baby’s/catechumen’s tongue, which reminds us that Christians are called to be the ‘condiment’ of society. Salt has a distinctive, unique taste, and only a Christian influence can impart this distinctive flavour on society. Without it, society cannot reach its full potential.

    Regarding Matthew 5:14-16, Fr reassured us that of all the many things that can extinguish a flame or a light, darkness is not such a thing. Although obvious, this simple utterance cast quite a strong image in my mind, especially given the increasingly dark times in which we live.
11. Mathieu says:

    5 February 2017 at 2:09 PM

    Father said that salt and light are not gifts to keep for ourselves, but to give and distribute to those around.

    I was reading and found amusing some will not go to church because of some snow on the highway. If we did that in Canada we wouldn’t go to Church for half of the year !
12. Discerning Altar Boy says:

    5 February 2017 at 2:55 PM

    Father recounted a story of a young, cheery maid whose witness to her faith prevented a fallen away Catholic from killing himself. Father called upon us to be the light of the world, shining examples of the witness of Christ so as to bring greater glory to Him.
13. THREEHEARTS says:

    5 February 2017 at 3:25 PM

    What kind of sin is it when we deliberately turn our back on the Altar with Christ in residence upon it? Is it only a spiritual misdemeanor or a grave one or merely symbolic of what sin is? Is it an oxymoron to wish people peace when we moments later acknowledge we have to receive peace from Christ when we ask him in the Agnus Dei to grant us peace?
14. Prayerful says:

    5 February 2017 at 5:58 PM

    Fr talked about wheat and darnel. Zizánzia is translated often as weeds, but this does not capture the meaning of the Latin properly, which darnel does. If eaten, it created symptoms close to drunkenness. Yet it looks close to wheat. This bad seed is sown by the enemy can be related to the present social breakdown. However, like the Master we will have to tolerate it until the wheat is harvested and the darnel rooted up and burnt. A Catholic has to tolerate, be tolerant of certain evils, but this is not the modern toleration of approval. The darnel will be burnt, the evildoers will be punished.
15. djc says:

    5 February 2017 at 8:34 PM

    Something very powerful happened at the Vigil Mass Saturday Evening. The choir finished the hymn and father said the offertory prayers, if that is the right terminology, silently. The entire church was absolutely quiet as the priest reverently prayed in silence, and genuflected with total deliberation and care. It was quite holy and I can’t really do justice when describing it.

    The silence really spoke to me.
16. Charles E Flynn says:

    5 February 2017 at 8:42 PM

    Our deacon made the point that we are a part of the real world, and if we want to change the real world, we should change ourselves.
17. Mary Jane says:

    5 February 2017 at 10:53 PM

    Mathieu, keep in mind that in some places where it snows infrequently the roads are not plowed or salted (and residents of these places are not accustomed to driving in such conditions–most don’t know how to handle a vehicle under such conditions) so even a thin layer of snow or ice can make roads dangerous or even completely impassable. I know…I’ve lived in both types of places (very snowy places where they do salt/plow, and what I described above).

    Aaaanyway, great homily today from our FSSP pastor–he talked about occasions of sin and temptations and grace.
18. Mathieu says:

    5 February 2017 at 10:58 PM

    Mary Jane, oh yes, don’t worry, I was by no mean pointing a finger. It just struck me as funny. I guess I’m one of the idiots who will be doing a road trip of two and a half hours with a few buddies to go to a seminary event… in a blizzard, and with winter tires. Canadians…
19. JonPatrick says:

    6 February 2017 at 5:36 AM

    EF Mass. None of us are in a position to judge someone as wheat or weed. If we try to pull up the “weed” we may pull up the “wheat” itself. This does not mean that sin goes unrebuked and we do nothing. As the Epistle stated “be forebearing with one another”. There is much to put up with in the Church, for us – and others that have to put up with us. Let the rule of Christ be in our hearts.
20. Spade says:

    6 February 2017 at 9:04 AM

    EF.

    Father talked about the field and said that when there’s problems in the church, well, here you go. Jesus told you it would be that way. He also called Catholics pushing false teachings, especially politicians, traitors.

    He said that in times of trouble in the church we needed to suck it up and “stand our post” and be the wheat. He connected it to last week with Jesus calming the storm saying that if you didn’t like it, well, you can surely try to get out and swim for shore and good luck with that. He pointed out that every age has it’s heresies.

    He also said that to beware that you were the weed yourself, and if you’re in mortal sin then yes, you are the weed right now and a danger to everybody around you. And that it wasn’t healthy to focus too much attention on the troubles inside the church lest they discourage you or drag you down. And sometimes you need to put down the paper or the blog and pick up something by a Saint or the Gospel.
21. frjim4321 says:

    6 February 2017 at 3:41 PM

    The Sin of Pride.
22. thomas777 says:

    6 February 2017 at 8:29 PM

    This week we find that the modernist Tielhardian has moved on to another parish in the diocese. The new priest asks for advice. I told him I did not want to hear Teilhard from the pulpit anymore and he said to me. Chardin? No. I may talk about the little flower a bit though.

    you can’t see my grin. I assure you it is there. and this week we did in fact here from the little flower during the homily. How does he say it, oh yes,
    ‘Brick by Brick’
23. mo7 says:

    6 February 2017 at 9:33 PM

    My son went to the local OF Mass and said that the priest pointed out that we are the salt of the earth not the sugar!
24. steve51b31 says:

    6 February 2017 at 10:22 PM

    Our parish celebrated Scout Sunday. Fr. John tied, living the scout law to our call to be salt and light for the world. As part of the homily, he repeated the law for the Scouts present at Holy Mass. He noted toward the end just how many of the adults were also mouthing the Scout law , known by heart and therefore lived In Christ, to be…… salt and light for the world .

    Unbelievable unity observed throughout the parish !!

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