Sunday Sermon - 7.14.24
LATIN MASS: EIGHTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
EPISTLE: Romans 8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die: but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. 14 For whosoever are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For you have not received the spirit of bondage again in fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry: Abba (Father). 16 For the Spirit Himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God. 17 And if sons, heirs also; heirs indeed of God, and joint heirs with Christ: yet so, if we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified with Him.
Something that always has to be kept in mind when reading Scripture, especially the New Testament books, is that these books were written to those who were ALREADY SAVED. These were not written to unbelievers. These were written to Christians who had been baptized, confirmed and received the Eucharist.
Yet over and over again, the books of the NT warn the readers that they must live holy lives and avoid sin. They warn that they must do good deeds. And they are explicit what happens if you do not. You are sent to hell.
“If you live according to the flesh, you shall die.”
St Paul is not beating around the bush here. He’s giving a very blatant warning to those who are already saved believers that their eternal salvation still depends on them continuing on the narrow path to Heaven. Obeying Christ isn’t optional.
So no matter how many times a Protestant tries to claim we are saved by faith alone, you show them this passage. The word “if” is the biggest word in the Bible. IF you live by the flesh you will die. IF you live by the Holy Spirit you will live. IF you suffer with Him, you will be glorified.
IF.
GOSPEL: Luke 16:1 And He said also to His disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. 2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer. 3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed. 4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. 5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord? 6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty. 7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. 9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
To really understand this parable, remember the teaching from Christ to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves”. The steward was in charge of the king’s household and kingdom, especially when the king was away. Notice in this parable that the steward is not accused of stealing but instead mismanagement. So he is being removed but he cuts very shrewd deals with the debtors of the king so that they will shelter him when he is kicked out as steward.
Christ wants us to be wise as serpents. He wants us to accept the ways of the world and deal shrewdly with it. He doesn’t want us squandering the blessings that He gives us. He doesn’t want us making silly errors or blindly trusting anyone. And the last verse, to make friends of the mammon of iniquity, that doesn’t mean to make unethical wealth or to do anything unethically. It means to take our temporal wealth and to use it for God’s glory so that we will be rewarded in Heaven.
Jesus longs for His followers to at least act as diligently as the sons of satan. They do their father’s will. He wants us to do our Father’s will. Too often we are only interested in our comfort. We only want what is easy. Paraphrasing Archbishop Sheen, the sons of the devil have no trust and all zeal while the sons of God have all truth and no zeal.
NOVUS ORDO: FIFTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OLD TESTAMENT: Amos 7:12 And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; 13 but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”
14 Then Amos answered Amaziah, “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, 15 and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’
Amos was not born nor raised to be a prophet. He was happy in his life tending to his fields and trees. But God wanted him for another purpose. Listen for God’s voice. Be open and God will show you where He wants you and what He wants you to do. It may be that you are right where you need to be. And no matter where you are right now, do the good works of God and tend to your responsibilities and your family.
NEW TESTAMENT: Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as His children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of His glorious grace that He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 that He lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 He has made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure that He set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in Him, things in Heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of Him who accomplishes all things according to His counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and had believed in Him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of His glory.
You were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit. St Paul is talking about the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. These are our royal inheritance and how we become sons and daughters of God. We are welcomed and enrolled in the family of the Holy Trinity. This is why, if you’ve never realized it before, that the formula for Baptism is being baptized in the NAME of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. When you are baptized in their NAME, you are becoming part of the family of God. Just as a newborn baby receives their own first and middle name, they receive their family’s name because they are part of the family. Never forget that you always carry the NAME of God with you wherever you go. Do not sully the Holy Name of God and always keep yourself pure and in God’s grace. If you have done so, go immediately to Confession to be made pure again.
GOSPEL: Mark 6:7 He called the Twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13 They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.
Our Lord has all authority over everyone and everything. He grants different levels of authority to us humans. Bishops have authority over their diocese. Priests have authority over their parish. Both have authority over sin. Bishops have authority over even the demons in their diocese. Fathers have authority over their home, their family, their wife and their children. Wives have authority over their home and children. They even have some authority over their husband’s body, just as he has over hers. People have authority over their homes and their possessions.
Always be aware of the rightful authority you have been granted by God. You must use that authority with charity in union with God’s love and the will of the Father. You must give an account for any souls under your authority. You must tend and care for them with diligence and love. How you treat them will be how Our Lord treats you.
This is my weekly “thank you” for your Sunday Sermon. I have never had such a clear explanation of authority as it is handed down from God. This is a keeper. 🙏📿 🇺🇸God bless America.