DAILY- HOMILY

August 1, 2019 – THURSDAY, 17TH Week in Ordinary Time
St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop,
Doctor of the Church and Religious Founder
Memorial. White.

Ex 40: 16 – 21, 34 – 38 / Mt 13: 47 – 53

From Naples, St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696  – 1787)   founded   the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists, 1732) and was a famed moral theologian.

FROM THE 1ST READING: Ex 40: 34, 37 – 38
Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting and the Glory of Yahweh filled the Holy Tent. . . .

At every stage of their journey, whenever the cloud rose from the Holy Tent the people of Israel would continue their march. If the cloud did not rise, they waited and would not move their camp until it did. For the cloud rested on the Holy Tent by day, and a fire shone within the cloud by night for all the House of Israel to see.

FROM THE GOSPEL READING: Mt 13: 47 – 52
Jesus said, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big fishing net let down into the sea, in which every kind of fish has been caught.  When the
net is full, it is dragged ashore. Then they sit down and gather the good fish in buckets, but throw the worthless ones away. That is how it will be at the
end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just, and to throw the wicked into the blazing furnace where they will weep and gnash their teeth."

Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they answered. So he said to them, "You will see that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple of the kingdom is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old."

REFLECTION
In the first reading we see how Yahweh guided Israel in their long and protracted journey from Egypt to the promised Land.

In the Gospel reading the kingdom of heaven being compared to a big fishing net let down into the sea illustrates the mission of the Church "to catch people." When Jesus called the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew, he told them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." (Mk 1: 17)

"To be caught" means we are given the opportunity to follow Christ. However, it is not enough for us just "to be caught." Hopefully we are like the good fish, good to eat and nourishing for people; hopefully we are not bad fish, not good to eat, which are then just thrown away.

Most of us were baptized as infants: in a way  we have been "caught"   for Christ. The lifelong challenge is to live our vocation and life as true Christians, loyal followers of Christ and his Gospel message. As good fish we are rewarded with eternal life with God; as bad fish we are punished with an eternity without God.

As we go through life, we continue to make choices: we hope we choose responsibly and correctly to be rewarded with eternal life with God.

FINALLY, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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