I thought it would be fun for us to discuss the Sacred Readings from/for each Sunday Liturgy. We have a new young Priest and he is a gifted homilist (thanks be to God). I also attend a weekly Men’s Bible Study, which I get a lot out of, and Fr. Matthew adds even more depth come Sunday.
I think if we all share here, we can all grow as Christians in God’s Word.
This past Sunday, Jesus prays Psalm 22 while suffering on the Cross.
"And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” — Mark 15:34
Fr. Matt invited us to read all of Psalm 22 this Week. I have not done it yet, but I will tonight.
I just did my Bible Study with my co-worker (who is Protestant) and the last verse mentioned in the devotional was from Hebrews 13:5, “I will never forsake you nor abandon you.”
God does not give up on us. Nor should we give up on Him.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and steadfast; have no fear or dread, for it is the Lord, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you nor forsake you.”
God’s divine promise to Joshua (Moses’s successor), if Israel totally relies on the Lord for victory is as such, “As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).
Per Fr. Matthew’s challenge to read all of Psalm 22 this Week, I read it just prior to doing this devotional with my co-worker. I can see why Jesus chose this Prayer nearing the end of His Passion. It foreshadows all that Jesus had just gone through.
Some believe Jesus felt abandoned by God on the Cross, but I believe He was finding comfort and strength in the Psalm. Not only did this Psalm speak to Him, but this Psalm spoke of Him.
Jesus was fulfilling what the ancient Scriptures prophesied. And Jesus is the answer to their/our Prayer.
I’m not sure it was a Sunday reading, but recently we heard Luke 24 about the two disciples walking to Emmaus. Only a few years ago, after 60-some Easters (the first few of which I don’t remember 
), I realized that the disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread only a few days after Jesus had instituted the Eucharist, and the two who were going to Emmaus hadn’t been at the Last Supper. So during the days we now call the Easter Triduum, the Apostles must have taught the other disciples about the breaking of the bread and presumably were practicing it.
This blew my mind too the first time I heard it. Since then, it has become one of my favorite moments.
This kind of ties into this Sunday’s Gospel Reading. When the disciples see Jesus, they think they are seeing a ghost.
Our risen Lord shows them His hands and His feet in the flesh. Then He eats baked fish to prove to them that He is not a ghost.
Then Jesus reveals to them how the fulfillment of Scripture has come!
How would you have reacted if you saw Jesus in bodily form after He had been dead for three days?! There would probably be a puddle under my sandals : )
Our readings on the 1962 calendar for today are the Good Sheperd passages. The homily tied in nicely with all the issues with the hierarchy these days and was a perfect continuation of the homily we heard from Cardinal Burke Thursday on the feast of St. Leo the Great. What a blessing to be at a Mass celebrated by such a holy man as Cardinal Burke.
It’s interesting that He didn’t say, “There’s no such thing as ghosts!”
Very true. Never really thought of that : )
At my Mens’ group last Thursday night, we discussed this past Sunday’s Gospel reading.
We too picked up on how our shepherds (our Bishops & Priests) must do a better job of shepherding in truth and love. Their main job is to protect us from the wolves, prowling about the world, seeking to snare, scatter, and ruin souls.
We also talked about how sometimes we, the sheep, push other sheep out of the flock. We can do a better job of being more like Christ, the Lamb.
This past Sunday’s Gospel Reading is John 15:1-8 — “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower…” He prunes the branches that bear fruit so that we bear more fruit.
Bishop Robert Barron made an interesting point in his Homily (Sermon) that speaks to me as a Christian Libertarian.
Christians are “theonomous” (Christ’s body) which sustains life. However, those who cut themselves off from the Vine are “autonomous” (“My body”) which leads to spiritual death.
I agree 
that government does not own our bodies, but I have never been comfortable with the idea that we own our own bodies, as some Libertarians promote.
Even in Marriage, “the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate.” — Mark 10:8-9
“The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with mutual consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” — 1 Corinthians 7:4-5
This idea of “self-control” is something that we cannot do apart from God’s grace working in us, which brings us back to the Vine.
“Let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace in time of need.” — Hebrews 4:16 Amen ♱
I wonder how many Priests and Bishops took the first reading to heart this past Sunday.
“Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 23:1-6)
I was hoping our Priest (who is an awesome homilist who speaks to both the head and the heart people), but our Deacon gave the Homily. I love our Deacon. He is a man’s man and owns his own construction business, but when it comes to preaching, Fr. Matthew speaks more my language. Maybe next Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, we will still be blessed with Fr. Matt and maybe he’ll take this one : )