Romans 8:28-30 – deacon rudy's notes

My brothers and sisters, it can be really hard to see God’s divine Providence in our world today – whether we’re talking about COVID-19, or restrictions which limit our ability to do what we want when we want, or uncertainty that comes from reduced work hours or unemployment due to business reductions or shut downs. But God is at work in our lives. Yes, things might be difficult, but everything will work out eventually.

St. Paul tells us in Romans Chapter 8 that we’ve been reading from these last several weeks that everything works out for the good of those who love God. “Divine Providence is all about God’s love and mercy toward us.” <1>

Just the other day as I was preparing this homily, I stopped to watch daily mass broadcast from Ireland. Do you know what happened? The opening hymn was one of my favorites – Morning has Broken. I was very conscious of the smile on my face. I knew in that moment that God was with me as I prepared this homily – this work for His people.

I think that’s awesome! Despite the uncertainty we face in this world today, God’s mercy and love breaks through the gloom and doom and touches each and every one of us. The catch is we need to open to these encounters – these opportunities to feel the presence of God walking with us in good times and in bad – or they will just pass us by. God is with us, so we need to ask him to help us face the challenges of the world today, and more specifically the challenges our family, our friends, our community faces today.

How do we experience divine Providence in our lives? Well, it begins with prayer. We have to allow ourselves the opportunities to pray and to reflect on what’s going on in our lives. When we open ourselves up to the possibility of grace, we are much more likely to experience God’s presence. Look at Solomon in today’s first reading? He prayed for a “listening heart,” (1 Kings 3:9), and God granted his prayer. Solomon’s prayer is a great prayer for all of us! But it is also a wonderful reminder that we can’t receive what we don’t ask for.

It’s kind of like when I go to the grocery store and I get home and suddenly everybody asks me, “Didn’t you get this or that?” And I say, “It wasn’t on my list, and if you didn’t put it on the list, how could I possibly buy it, right?” I’m sure every family goes through some version of that. But the same is true in our relationship with God. So, we need to turn to God in prayer and ask for what we need so that we in turn can use our gifts and blessings to be Jesus’ hands and feet and help those around us.

Once again in our Gospel today, we receive parable after parable. It is a wonderful sign that Jesus isn’t give up on us! He keeps giving us story after story to see if we get it eventually. It’s also a wonderful sign that God is not finished with us yet. We are called to turn to God in prayer and to ask for a renewed outpouring of the Holy Spirit to help us bring good out of these confusing times. We need to accept that there is no one perfect solution – and that’s ok.

It might be a buried treasure in a field. It might be the most magnificent pearl in history. There is no one perfect solution, and that’s ok. But there are so many ways you and I can help people today. What are you waiting for?

Homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, sometime this week I’d like you to try this exercise which comes to us today from Fr. Robert M. Garrity:<1>

When you experience a moment of joy or wonder, or a moment of anxiety or pain or suffering, turn it into a prayer. You might use words, or you might just want to sit still and be silent. It’s your choice, and it doesn’t matter how long you sit – thirty seconds to minutes. The key is to turn our hearts and our minds to God in that moment.

I think our homework today will help us as disciples implement the practice praying without ceasing for our benefit and that of the whole world. Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May Almighty God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit! +Amen!

Image Credit: Deacon Rudy Villarreal. JPEG file.

Notes:
<1> Fr. Robert M. Garrity, JCL, SThD, “17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – July 26, 2020,” Homilies for July 2020, Homiletic & Pastoral Review, July 2, 2020, accessed July 20, 2020, https://www.hprweb.com/2020/07/homilies-for-july-2020/.

References:
1. Garrity, Fr. Robert M., JCL, SThD. “17th Sunday in Ordinary Time – July 26, 2020.” Homilies for July 2020. Homiletic & Pastoral Review. July 2, 2020. Accessed July 20, 2020, https://www.hprweb.com/2020/07/homilies-for-july-2020/.
2. Hahn, Scott W. and Curtis Mitch. Romans. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2017.
3. Mitch, Curtis and Edward Sri. The Gospel of Matthew. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2010.
4. The Bible: A Study Bible freshly translated by Nicholas King. Buxhall, Suffolk UK: Kevin Mayhew, 2013.

Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. God’s saving plan, 257, 381
2. Divine providence, 313-14, 395
3. Cannot ignore wound of sin in discerning human situation, 407
4. Parables, 546
5. Hell, 1034
6. Predestines no one to hell, 1037
7. Separation of good and evil at judgment, 1038-41
8. Sacraments, 1117
9. Moral decision making in rapport with God’s will, 1777-85
10. Seeking will of God in divine law in difficult circumstances, 1786-89
11. Hope and future glory, 1821, 2016
12. Abraham and the Father, 2572
13. Jesus as intercessor, 2634

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072620.cfm
Lectionary: 109

Reading 1
1 Kings 3:5, 7-12
The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”

The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
“Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.”

Responsorial
Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands.
I have said, O LORD, that my part
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.

Reading 2
Romans 8:28-30
Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers and sisters.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.

Alleluia
CF. Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Matthew 13:44-52 OR 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household
who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”

Jesus said to his disciples:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”

Tag: Romans 8:28-30

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2020

Share this: