15th Sunday in Ordinary Time July 14, 2024

Father Rick’s Two Minute Homily for 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time
July 14, 2024, Mark 6:7-13

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071424.cfm

Ignite the Fire in Each Other.

As the first number of months of the pandemic were hard to bear, the Lord Jesus poured a tremendous blessing into the hearts of our parish staff. We became a family who loved and cared for each other. This sense of community was born from gathering with Jesus around His altar of sacrifice every morning during the three months of lockdown.

After Mass each morning, we assessed the situation and made the appropriate changes. How can we best serve the people of Blessed Sacrament? It was all about you. God formed us during that time, just as Jesus formed his disciples into a family.

That experience reminds me of the time the apostles spent with Jesus while He made them disciples.

Morning, noon, and night, the disciples became God’s family. Like our staff after the lockdown, the time came for them to reach out to people the Lord wanted to meet and welcome them into His Church family. He gave them authority over all the obstacles, demons, and illnesses that would distract people from meeting Jesus in these men.

Here is the key to evangelization: It’s through people, not programs, walking sticks, food, an extra tunic, or even a miracle, that Jesus works. Those are only aids or tools for the work we do. People are the Presence of Jesus in the world. We are His DNA.

Think about how Jesus started with his twelve disciples. He sent them out two by two, “Whenever two or more of you gather in My Name, I am with you.”

Gospel Challenge:

Think about it – we are not alone. Jesus is so smart. He knows that we are not strong enough to avoid attacks on our Faith alone. Have you ever been afraid to stand up for your Faith?

Without the support of confiding in a friend, we can more easily give in to temptations and get discouraged because we failed again. When we keep our love for Jesus to ourselves, it’s easy to give up praying and reading our Scriptures every day.

A friend in the Lord can help us in all these difficulties simply because Jesus is with us when we gather in His Name. Who is your friend Jesus is putting in your path to support you? If you don’t know, ask Him, and keep asking until you do.

Love Your Neighbor:
Please join me in praying for all baptized Catholics to be faithful to Jesus in the Holy Mass every weekend. Hail Mary, full of grace…

Peace be with you.

Fr. Rick Pilger, I.C.
pastor