First Reading – Exodus
17:8-13 ©
Responsorial Psalm -
Psalm 120(121) ©
Second Reading – 2
Timothy 3:14-4:2 ©
Gospel Acclamation – Ephesians 1:17,
18
Alternative Acclamation –
Hebrews 4:12
The Gospel According to Luke
18:1 - 8 ©
Listen,
and be mindful, all you people of the way.
God,
the creator of the universe, God is not a miracle worker. God does not
intervene in human events. God did not speak to Moses (Moses did not even
exist), God did not cause water to flow from a rock in Horeb. God did not lead
the people in the desert. God is not a warrior, God does not grant victory in
battle. God does not favor one nation over another, or one tribe or one man. There
is no such thing as magic. Moses had no special powers, there were no powers
imbued in the object he called the staff of the Lord. God did not give Joshua
the victory over Amalek.
Listen!
God
had nothing to do with any of these events. None of these events even happened.
This
myth does a disservice to the teaching of Jesus; Jesus of Nazareth who taught
us to pray for those who persecute you, to love you enemy, and to care for the
stranger.
Pay
close attention to what is written in the sacred text. It is instructive even
in its errors.
The
Psalmist here is wrong.
God
will not intervene in this world, either to help you or to hurt you. God has
made us free; our life in this world is free from God’s coercion.
God
will not guard you while you live this life.
God
will not help you or hinder you in any way.
God
has made us all subject to chance, of random events and the intentions of
people who or may not wish us well; who may or may not wish us harm, who may or
may not know us at all or ever considered us in the choices they made.
Follow
the will of God, the voice of God that speaking in your heart. Be at peace,
known that our story here on earth is no the end of our story. There is refuge
waiting beyond this world.
There
is a final refuge in God, a place where ww will see God face to face and where
God will take direct action in our healing.
Consider
the world of the epistle.
The
basic premise of this teaching may be true:
That
the person who is dedicated to God is fully equipped and ready for any good
work.
Of
course it begs the question; what God? Who’s God are you dedicated to?
We
are all sinners, we all live in error, even those closest to Jesus failed to
understand his mission, sold him to the Roman’s rejected him and denied him.
It
would be unwise for us to suppose that we can do better.
Dedication
is not enough, your fervent love for God, for the Church, for the sacred text
is not enough; it is can never be enough if your understanding of those things,
and if your understanding of God is in error.
All
of us live in error.
Be
mindful of the things you say and do in the name of God. Serve the spirit of
truth with the spirit of love, be humble and merciful in the name of justice.
This
is the way Jesus taught us.
Remember
his life of Jesus and what he taught us of God; whom he called Abba.
Is
God glorious?
God
is the creator of the universe, and the creator perceives the most exalted
state as being in relationship to us; of caring for us as a parent would..
God
desires that all of us come to this knowledge and live in its light.
There
is hope in the knowledge of God, and remember: the hopes you have for yourself and those you
love are meant to be extended to everyone; even those you do not love, for that
is the way.
If
you think that God has promised riches and glories as a reward for the saints; remember
that the first will be last and the last will be first, and that riches are not
counted in gold and silver and precious things.
The
divine riches are counted as love and friendship and the opportunity for
service.
Be
mindful!
The
real presence of God is with you. God knows you, even as you know yourself.
You
dwell with the God, and God dwells with you, there is no distance between us.
Endeavor
to persevere.
Do
not lose heart, or hope; trust in the goodness of your actions, even if they do
not bear fruit; what is good is never wasted.
Justice
may come from people who have no interest in it. Nevertheless, a just result is
a just result.
Do
not wait for justice but strive for it. Persistence is its own reward.
Do
not wait for God to deliver you from your troubles here on earth; be patient, in
keeping with the way of Jesus, seek justice through mercy, through love and
kindness.
This
may not change your circumstances, but it will change you. You will find
salvation therein.
First Reading – Exodus 17:8-13
©
As Long as Moses Kept His
Arm Raised, Israel had the Advantage
The
Amalekites came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, ‘Pick
out men for yourself, and tomorrow morning march out to engage Amalek. I,
meanwhile, will stand on the hilltop, the staff of God in my hand.’ Joshua did
as Moses told him and marched out to engage Amalek, while Moses and Aaron and
Hur went up to the top of the hill. As long as Moses kept his arms raised,
Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage went to
Amalek. But Moses’ arms grew heavy, so they took a stone and put it under him
and on this he sat, Aaron and Hur supporting his arms, one on one side, one on
the other; and his arms remained firm till sunset. With the edge of the sword
Joshua cut down Amalek and his people.
Responsorial Psalm - Psalm
120(121) ©
Our help is in the name
of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
I
lift up my eyes to the mountains;
from where shall come my help?
My
help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth.
Our help is in the name
of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
May
he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No,
he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard.
Our help is in the name
of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The
Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By
day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night.
Our help is in the name
of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The
Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The
Lord will guard your going and coming
both now and for ever.
Our help is in the name
of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Second Reading – 2 Timothy
3:14-4:2 ©
The Man who is Dedicated
to God Becomes Fully Equipped and Ready for Any Good Work
You
must keep to what you have been taught and know to be true; remember who your
teachers were, and how, ever since you were a child, you have known the holy
scriptures – from these you can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and can
profitably be used for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives
and teaching them to be holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God
becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.
Before
God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living and the dead, I
put this duty to you, in the name of his Appearing and of his kingdom: proclaim
the message and, welcome or unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct
error, call to obedience – but do all with patience and with the intention of
teaching.
Gospel Acclamation – Ephesians
1:17, 18
Alleluia, alleluia!
May
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten
the eyes of our mind,
so
that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
Alternative Acclamation –
Hebrews 4:12
Alleluia, alleluia!
The
word of God is something alive and active:
it
can judge secret emotions and thoughts.
Alleluia!
The Gospel According to Luke
18:1 - 8 ©
The Parable of the Unjust
Judge
Jesus
told his disciples a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose
heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of
God nor respect for man. In the same town there was a widow who kept on coming
to him and saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time
he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear of God
nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I must give this widow
her just rights, or she will persist in coming and worry me to death.”’
And
the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say? Now will not God
see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day and night even when he delays
to help them? I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done
speedily. But when the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’
29th Sunday in
Ordinary Time (Year C)
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