29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
VOCATION: Jesus calls us - He calls us to follow Him, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and to become a missionary disciple....
Homily MP3 version - PDF version
What are the offerings that we bring to God? What is the meaning of "HOSANNAH!" We acclaim God for his greatness and praise Him, while at the same time calling upon Him to rescue us in our distress.... "HOSANNAH!" MP3 version
My sisters! My brothers! What a shock to hear the Word of God tell of this battle between the Amalekites and the people of Israel. In fact, it was a little like the invasion in our own day of Ukraine by Russia. A peaceful people and their innocent families are invaded by an aggressor nation. Israel had barely gotten out of Egypt when the Amalekites ambushed them from behind.
How horrible! Generally, God does not participate in our quarrels or battles, but God acts when people or nations oppose his plan to save humanity. God chose his people Israel so that one day his only-begotten Son might come and take flesh and dwell among us. Amalek was fighting against God. Our Saviour needed to find a home among all of humanity. God chose Israel because of the young maiden Myriam – Mary of Nazareth – whom God chose to bear his Son. Every Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus who could find no room in the houses of men, but who had to be content with a manger in a stable in the hollow of a poor cave.
“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”
This story of Moses who had trouble keeping his arms raised so that Israel might overcome their attackers shows God teaching his people a lesson. All too often we try to handle our own affairs without having recourse to God. We forget that to have life in its fullness we need to live our life in partnership with God. God created us to live in communion with the Most Holy Trinity. So, when we try to walk alone, we deprive ourselves of God’s love and his power.
“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”
God invites us today to consider our relationship with the Most Holy Trinity. From one Sunday to the next, at home or outside, what is my attitude towards God? Do the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit find a warm welcome in me or rather a contemptuous or disrespectful attitude? Worse still, do I spend all my time ignoring God as if I were telling Him to mind his own business? Do I love my neighbour, or am I at times contemptuous of others?
At the moment of our last breath on this Earth, our soul will leave our body behind, and we will find ourselves face-to-face with God, with Jesus Christ. If at that final moment we realize we are full of regrets, it will be too late to change. Today is “the day of salvation”. Now is the time to get closer to God.
“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”
As soon as we raise our eyes to Heaven, as soon as we open our hands to God, we are already at prayer. If there is an empty space inside us, and it hurts, it is simply because this empty space was made by God so He could come dwell within us; but He does not come when He is not welcome. God does not want to make us slaves but friends. God already loves us; so, it’s up to us every moment of every day to accept his friendship.
Jesus tells a parable about a nasty judge to teach us to persevere in prayer. Unlike the unjust judge, God is just and good. However, his ways are higher than our ways, and his will is bigger than our will. He always answers our prayers, but He answers in his time and in his way for our greater good. God always acts for our best, but not necessarily as we want Him to do.
“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”
If there is a fire burning within us, it is a sign of the Presence and action of God within us. The Holy Spirit burns our bad intentions to purify our heart and make room for the love of the Father and the Presence of Jesus. There is another fire, more pleasant, which is a fire of divine desire – a holy desire – which attracts us to God and also towards our neighbour. It is the fire of divine love which seeks to fill us with love and then bring us to love our neighbour and even our enemies; exactly as Jesus loves us.
In a few moments, it will be time to place at the altar our offering to God. It is ourselves that we offer: all that we carry within us, our hopes and our fears, our desires and our regrets, and even our sins and our repentance. Let us open wide our spirit to God; so that He may do in us all that He desires to do: to forgive, to heal, and to give life.
“To You I call; for You will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me!”
“Mary Queen of Peace, pray for us. St.
Joseph, pray for us. St. Brother André, pray for us. St. Kateri, pray for us. All you holy women and men, pray for us. O my Jesus, I trust in You! Thank You; You who are God, the Father, + the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
In silence now, the Holy Spirit continues to fill us with
the Light of God.
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© 2006-2022 All rights reserved Fr. Gilles Surprenant, Associate of Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montreal QC © 2006-2022 Tous droits réservés Abbé Gilles Surprenant, Prêtre Associé de Madonna House Apostolate & Poustinik, Montréal QC
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