24th Sunday of the Year (c)

Ordinary Season of the Year. (c)

Weekdays – Year 2

 

Sunday 11th September:          24th Sunday of the Year. (c)

The first reading today is from the Book of Exodus. We hear how, despite all the good things he has done for them, the people are disgruntled with God. They have in effect turned away from God. Moses makes no excuses for their behaviour but begs for their forgiveness. The Lord relents and does not punish the people but forgives.

The second reading is from the First Letter of St. Paul tio Timothy St. Paul rejoices because he was a sinner but God has shown him mercy and called him into his service as an apostle.

The Gospel passage from St. Luke contains three parables highlighting the love and mercy of God towards his people. He is a God who wants to be close to us.

 

Monday 12th September:      Monday in the 24th week of the year.

St. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, reminds them of the respect they should show when the gather for the Lord’s Supper. This section is part of the letter where he is reflecting on various aspects of the unity of the Church which is being threatened by various factions building up.

The attitude of the centurion in the Gospel passage is put there as an example of faith. Jesus has been searching for signs of faith amongst the people and for the openness that the centurion possessed. The centurion’s words of humility are a model for us all.

 

Tuesday 13th September:       Memorial of St. John Chrysostom.

John was born in Antioch in 347. He gained a reputation as a powerful preacher. His name means ‘Golden Mouth.’ According to the custom of the time, he was not baptised until he was about twenty. He was a hermit for a number of years before becoming a priest. In 398, he became Archbishop of Constantinople and worked very hard for the poor and for the reform of his clergy. He denounced abuse wherever he found it, including the court of the Emperor. As a result, he was banished and died in exile in 407.

 

Wednesday 14th September:   Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

This feast has its origin in Jerusalem, where from the fifth century the wood of the true cross used to be shown to the people the day after the feast of the dedication of the Basilica of the Resurrection. It was celebrated in Rome by the seventh century and stresses the victory and triumph of the cross of Christ.

 

Thursday 15th September:      Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.

Within the octave of the feast of the birth of Our Lady, we commemorate her sorrows, above all the sorrow of witnessing her son’s death and resurrection on the cross. This feast was first celebrated in the seventeenth century by the members of the Servite Order.

 

Friday 16th September:           Feast of St. Ninian.

          He was born around 360 in Cumbria and was ordained Bishop in Rome in 394. He came to Scotland and made Whithorn in Galloway his base as he preached the gospel in southeast Scotland. He died in 432.

 

Saturday 17th September:       Saturday in the 24th week of the year.

We come to the last reading from the New Testament for the time being. Paul is talking about the Resurrection and we will be new types of being. The call is to be with God and see him face to face.

Jesus uses a familiar parable – that of the seed falling on different kinds of ground to teach about his word and how it has to bear fruit but only if the ground on which it falls – us – is prepared and ready.

 

Lord,

Send us out into our world

To help bear one another’s crosses

And to share one another’s joys

So that we may not simply admire your Son

For having born his cross, suffered and died for us,

But follow him on the road that leads to life and glory

We ask this

Through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

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