Catholic Preaching Father Roger Landry

Fr. Roger J. Landry

Conversations with Consequences Podcast

Homily for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, B, Vigil

June 15, 2024

 

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* This is Fr. Roger Landry and it’s a privilege for me to be with you as we enter into the consequential conversation the Risen Lord Jesus wants to have with each of us this Sunday as he gives us two parables on the Kingdom of God by which he speaks to us about the way the Church grows and have a chance to apply the lessons we learn to two important celebrations we are marking during these days.

* The first image Jesus gives us is of a farmer who scatters seed on his farmland. Without his knowing how and without effort on his part, day and night, the seed begins to grow, yielding the blade, the ear, and the grain until harvest time. The seed does this, Jesus notes, “of its own accord.” This teaches us that the growth of the kingdom, the growth of the Church as a spiritual reality, is not fundamentally our work, but God’s. Imperceptibly, patiently, constantly, it grows. The second image is the more well-known one of the mustard seed, which is very tiny as it is sown in the ground, but through that process of growth, springs up and can become one of the largest of plants where the birds can come to dwell. The kingdom can seem and be at times very small, apparently insignificant, but, Jesus says, it contains within the power of God to grow to be enormous.

* Taken together these images convey to us a sense of the wonder we should have with regard to the Church as a spiritual reality and God’s role in its growth. We’re tempted to look at the Church sometimes too much as an institution, as a human organization, that we must build, like entrepreneurs build a business. We sing songs like, “Let us build the City of God,” which, materially, is similar to the ancients’ saying, “Let us build the Tower of Babel.” Jesus is saying by these images that we don’t build it; God does. The farmer certainly does some of the occasionally arduous work, sowing the seed and tilling the soil, but most of the work happens by what is contained in the seed, what is contained in the soil, and the water and sunshine that God provides. So it is with growth in the Church. God gives the seed of faith, he provides the water of the sacraments, the sunshine of various blessings, the nutrients in the soil like teaching and formation necessary. And because God is involved, we should have confidence in every age.

* For me, the Parable of the Mustard Seed is a great source of hope. Even though the kingdom begins very small, in the heart of one faithful person, over time, it can grow huge. This is, of course, what we see in how the Kingdom began in the Annunciation, when out of Mary’s yes, the Seed (with a capital S) conceived within her by the power of the Holy Spirit, began to grow and eventually all nations would be embraced in the branches of his arms on the Cross. We saw that this is what happened on Pentecost, when out of this small band of apostles, the Church began and soon experienced extraordinary growth. We’ve seen this happen in the founding of parishes out of a few committed families, of religious movements and orders that began only with the founder, and in families when one person’s conversion led to the conversion of so many other generations. We witness it in what is now occurring in so many African countries and even in the South and Southwest of the United States. We see it in the history of the Benedictines, the Franciscans, the Dominicans, Jesuits,

Fr. Roger J. Landry

St. Patrick’s Church of Mary, Mother of God Parish

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II

Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, Doctor

June 13, 2024

1 Kings 18:41-46, Ps 65, Mt 5:20-26

 

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The readings for Mass were: 













Reading 1

1 Kgs 18:41-46



Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink,

for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”

So Ahab went up to eat and drink,

while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel,

crouched down to the earth,

and put his head between his knees.

“Climb up and look out to sea,” he directed his servant,

who went up and looked, but reported, “There is nothing.”

Seven times he said, “Go, look again!”

And the seventh time the youth reported,

“There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.”

Elijah said, “Go and say to Ahab,

‘Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.'”

In a trice the sky grew dark with clouds and wind,

and a heavy rain fell.

Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel.

But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah,

who girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab

as far as the approaches to Jezreel.























Responsorial Psalm

Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13



R. (2a) It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

You have visited the land and watered it;

greatly have you enriched it.

God’s watercourses are filled;

you have prepared the grain.

R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

Thus have you prepared the land:

drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods,

Softening it with showers,

blessing its yield.

R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

You have crowned the year with your bounty,

and your paths overflow with a rich harvest;

The untilled meadows overflow with it,

and rejoicing clothes the hills.

R. It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.























Alleluia

Jn 13:34



R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I give you a new commandment:

love one another as I have loved you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.























Gospel

Mt 5:20-26



Jesus said to his disciples:

“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that

of the scribes and Pharisees,

you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,

You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.

But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother

will be liable to judgment,

and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,

will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,

and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna.

Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,

and there recall that your brother

has anything against you,

Fr. Roger J. Landry

Our Lady of Grace Church

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

June 11, 2024

Acts 11:21-26.13:1-3, Ps 98, Mt 5:13-16

 

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Reading 1

ACTS 11:21B-26; 13:1-3





In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord.

The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,

and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.

When he arrived and saw the grace of God,

he rejoiced and encouraged them all

to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,

for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.

And a large number of people was added to the Lord.

Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,

and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.

For a whole year they met with the Church

and taught a large number of people,

and it was in Antioch that the disciples

were first called Christians.Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:

Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger,

Lucius of Cyrene,

Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,

“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul

for the work to which I have called them.”

Then, completing their fasting and prayer,

they laid hands on them and sent them off.

























Responsorial Psalm

PS 98:1, 2-3AB, 3CD-4, 5-6



R. (see 2b)  The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done wondrous deeds;

His right hand has won victory for him,

his holy arm.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

The LORD has made his salvation known:

in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness

toward the house of Israel.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation by our God.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

break into song; sing praise.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,

with the harp and melodious song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn

sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.























Alleluia

Mt 5:16





R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Let your light shine before others

That they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

























Gospel

MT 5:13-16





Jesus said to his disciples:

“You are the salt of the earth.

But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?

It is no longer good for anything

but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

You are the light of the world.

A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.

Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;

it is set on a lampstand,

Fr. Roger J. Landry

Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament

Altoona, Pennsylvania

June 11, 2024

1 Kings 19:4-8, 1 Peter 1:17-21, Mark 14:12-16.22-26

 

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Fr. Roger J. Landry

Shrine of Our Lady of the Alleghenies, Loreto, Pennyslvania

Votive Mass of the Holy Eucharist (Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

June 9, 2024

Deut 8:2-3.14.16, 1 Cor 11:23-26, Jn 6:51-58

 

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Fr. Roger Landry

St. Patrick’s Church, Washington DC

Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Gen 3:9-15, Ps 130, 1 Cor 4:13-5:1, Mt 3:20-35

 

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The readings for today’s Mass are: 













Reading 1

Gn 3:9-15



After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree,

the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden;

but I was afraid, because I was naked,

so I hid myself.”

Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked?

You have eaten, then,

from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!”

The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me—

she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.”

The LORD God then asked the woman,

“Why did you do such a thing?”

The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”











Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you shall be banned

from all the animals

and from all the wild creatures;

on your belly shall you crawl,

and dirt shall you eat

all the days of your life.

I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will strike at your head,

while you strike at his heel.”













Responsorial Psalm

Ps 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8



R. (7bc) With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;

LORD, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to my voice in supplication.

R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,

LORD, who can stand?

But with you is forgiveness,

that you may be revered.

R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

I trust in the LORD;

my soul trusts in his word.

More than sentinels wait for the dawn,

let Israel wait for the LORD.

R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.

For with the LORD is kindness

and with him is plenteous redemption

and he will redeem Israel

from all their iniquities.

R. With the Lord there is mercy, and fullness of redemption.























Reading 2

2 Cor 4:13—5:1



Brothers and sisters:

Since we have the same spirit of faith,

according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,

we too believe and therefore we speak,

knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus

will raise us also with Jesus

and place us with you in his presence.

Everything indeed is for you,

so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people

may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

Therefore, we are not discouraged;

rather, although our outer self is wasting away,

our inner self is being renewed day by day.

For this momentary light affliction

is producing for us an eternal weight of glory

beyond all comparison,

as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen;

for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.