Sunday Sermon - 10.15.23
LATIN MASS: TWENTIETH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
EPISTLE: Ephesians 5:15 See therefore, brethren, how you walk circumspectly: not as unwise, 16 But as wise: redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Wherefore become not unwise, but understanding what is the will of God. 18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is luxury; but be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual canticles, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord; 20 Giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God and the Father: 21 Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ.
When these words were written, the Catholics in Ephesus were being persecuted by both the Romans and the Jews. They had to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves” during this time of persecution. Do not give your enemies any traction and do not fall into their traps. But do not behave sinfully as you do so.
We are in similar times today. Our society is under demonic control and we are surrounded by evil. We must recognize the evil of our day and keep ourselves free from it. Watch the tv shows and internet stuff that you consume. Do not let it be a source of evil pouring into your soul.
GOSPEL: John 4:46 He came again therefore into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capharnaum. 47 He having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went to Him, and prayed Him to come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. 48 Jesus therefore said to him: Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe not. 49 The ruler saith to Him: Lord, come down before that my son die. 50 Jesus saith to him: Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way. 51 And as he was going down, his servants met him; and they brought word, saying, that his son lived. 52 He asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew better. And they said to him: Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him. 53 The father therefore knew, that it was at the same hour that Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house. 54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He was come out of Judea into Galilee.
Believe always. Even when it is hard and when times are tough. Believe in Christ even when your prayers are answered with a “no”. Believe even when others mock you or belittle you for believing. Obey Him. (There is no such thing as belief without obedience.)
God alone has power over life and death. God alone has the power to redeem and save us. Always believe and if you are struggling, remember the pray the prayer from Scripture of “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!”.
NOVUS ORDO: TWENTY-EIGHT SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 25:6 On this mountain the Lord of Hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. 7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of His people He will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, so that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation. 10 For the hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain. The Moabites shall be trodden down in their place as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit.
On that mountain, Calvary, the Lord of Hosts made a feast of rich food, the Eucharist. He gave us heavenly wine in the Eucharist as well. He tore in half the shroud which separated the Holy of Holies from the people in the Temple. He swallowed up death forever by His Resurrection. We can now rejoice and be glad in His salvation that was prophesied by Isaiah almost a millennia before Christ. It also prophesies the Second Coming and Final Judgment, when God will melt away the current earth and heavens and will create a new Earth and new Heavens for us to be with Him forever.
He has promised this to us, if we will believe and obey Him. He will fulfill His promises. Will you fulfill your part of the New Covenant?
NEW TESTAMENT: Philippians 4:12 I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14 In any case, it was kind of you to share my distress.
19 And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
This verse is frequently quoted by many who believe that God will give them everything they want. It is frequently used by prosperity gospel believers who claim that God will make you rich and comfortable if you just believe and pray enough. But look at the verses right before. St. Paul says that he has had plenty and also been hungry. He has been comfortable and poor. And Christ strengthened St. Paul through all of it.
God does not promise us riches in this life. In fact, He promises us a Cross. He also promises us the grace to make it through our crosses if we will just trust in Him. He doesn’t promise comfort. If your life is comfortable, then ask God to send you a cross. Because it is through carrying our crosses that we store up riches for ourselves in Heaven. That is how we will receive riches that are eternal. Ask God to send you a cross to bear. That is a prayer He will answer.
GOSPEL: Matthew 22:1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.”
This parable originally was directed to the Israelites in Jesus’ day. They were promised the Messiah would come to them. Yet when He came, they rejected Him. But today this parable more accurately is directed to Catholics. We were given the Church and the sacraments. We were given the promises of the New Covenant and the promises of salvation from God. The wedding feast of the Lamb of God is ready for us at each Mass. But how many Catholics either ignore or take for granted the gifts of the Mass and the Eucharist? How many skip Mass when convenient or receive the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin because they were too lazy to go to Confession?
Also, how many are too lazy to put on some modest and decent clothing before going to Mass? And don’t even try me with the “but what if they don’t have any nice clothes” excuse. The point is YOU do have nice clothes to wear to Mass. You choose NOT to wear them because you want to be comfortable. Our highest virtue today is our own comfort. We can’t be bothered with doing our best for God because we might be slightly inconvenienced.
Go to Mass!
🙏📿 then to Mass.