Sunday Sermon - 7.6.25
LATIN MASS: FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST
EPISTLE: Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us. 19 For the expectation of the creature waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him that made it subject, in hope: 21 Because the creature also itself shall be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that every creature groaneth and travaileth in pain, even till now. 23 And not only it, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption of the sons of God, the redemption of our body.
Even those who are saved, and have the Holy Spirit in their soul, are still groaning and suffering in corruption in our fallen world. That is why we will eventually die and face judgement. It is only at the Second Coming of Christ, when He makes all things new, that we will be reunited back with our bodies. Yet then our bodies will be uncorrupted bodies without the pains or scars of sin. We will no longer groan but be experiencing the joy of glory in the Presence of God.
GOSPEL: Luke 5:1 And it came to pass, that when the multitudes pressed upon Him to hear the word of God, He stood by the lake of Genesareth, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And going into one of the ships that was Simon's, He desired him to draw back a little from the land. And sitting He taught the multitudes out of the ship. 4 Now when He had ceased to speak, He said to Simon: Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said to Him: Master, we have labored all the night, and have taken nothing: but at Thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a very great multitude of fishes, and their net broke. 7 And they beckoned to their partners that were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they were almost sinking. 8 Which when Simon Peter saw, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying: Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was wholly astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken. 10 And so were also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were Simon's partners. And Jesus saith to Simon: Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And having brought their ships to land, leaving all things, they followed Him.
Peter recognizes the Presence of God in front of him. He understands how fallen he is and that he is not worthy to stand before God. Yet these fallen men, who have labored in vain with no success at fishing, are redeemed by God when they obey Him. He provides an overflowing abundance to them when they obey. Without Christ we can do nothing. With Him, we are rewarded with an overflowing abundance of grace. Remember from our first reading that this does not mean we will see temporal prosperity in this life. Our Lord rewards us with His grace in this life and it is sufficient for us. He gives us more than we can imagine in the next life, if we will love and obey Him.
NOVUS ORDO: FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 66:10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her— 11 that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom. 12 For thus says the Lord: I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm, and dandled on her knees. 13 As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. 14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass; and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with His servants, and His indignation is against His enemies.
God promises a New Heaven and a New Earth at the Final Judgment. He promises a New Jerusalem which will be filled with His Presence. We must hold out hope for this future to come, and have faith that Our Lord will do as He promises. He will never fail to uphold His promises. Even through the despair and pains of this world and this life, hold on to that hope and keep your faith in the One who will never fail to uphold His promises.
NEW TESTAMENT: Galatians 6:14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! 16 As for those who will follow this rule—peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. 17 From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body. 18 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.
We must carry the marks of Jesus on our bodies. This doesn’t mean we will all suffer those specific wounds of Christ. But it means that in our faithfulness and obedience to Him, we will suffer our own crosses. We must remain faithful even through that suffering so that it produces the righteousness of Christ in ourselves.
GOSPEL: Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of Him in pairs to every town and place where He Himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the Kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.
13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to Heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. 16 “Whoever listens to you listens to Me, and whoever rejects you rejects Me, and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in Your Name even the demons submit to us!” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from Heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in Heaven.”
We must bring the Gospel to all people in our lives. That doesn’t mean that all people will listen and heed the Gospel. In fact a lot will not. We are only called to carry the message to them. If they reject the Gospel, then that is on them and they must suffer those consequences. After several attempts to let them know about Our Lord, and they still reject you and the Gospel, then shake the dust from your shoes and move on. There are other souls who might listen instead.