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14th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Please join us in this prayer, which unites us to Christ and to each other at Saint Hubert.
Opening Our Heart to God
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Lord, I know you are with me, always.
As I prepare my heart and soul for this time of prayer and spiritual communion, I acknowledge my sins and seek your forgiveness.- Lord have mercy.
- Christ have mercy.
- Lord have mercy.
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth, peace to people of good will!
Opening Prayer
Father, through the obedience of Jesus,
your servant and Son, you raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin and bring us the joy that lasts forever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, forever and ever.
Amen.
The Word of God: The Words of Life
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB
First Reading: Isaiah 66:10-14c
Through Isaiah, the Lord rejoices in Jerusalem as a mother rejoices in her children.
Responsorial: Psalm 66
Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Second Reading: Galatians 6:14-18
Paul reveals the intimacy he shares with Christ.
Gospel: Luke 10:1-12, 17-20
Jesus appoints 72 disciples and sends them in pairs to ready the people in the towns he intends to visit.
A Reflection by Fr. Mike
After 2000 years, the 72 in today’s gospel has exploded to over a billion baptized Catholics around the world! We’re the new 72. And each Sunday, we’re sent into the world into our ordinary lives, with an opportunity to make it a bit more extraordinary. That’s because we’re not spectators in our faith, we participate in it; we practice it. So, we realize that our faith isn’t just about one hour a week, it’s 24/7. It’s a way of life; a way of being.
And just like the 72, we’ve been given the opportunity to participate in Jesus’ mission, which is the very thing that makes it extraordinary. We know that because we’ve been baptized into it with fire and the Holy Spirit. As St. Paul says today, a life in Christ makes us a new creation. But what exactly are we sent to do?
In the Jewish faith, there’s a beautiful understanding of how to live out God’s desire for the world. It’s been instilled in Christianity, too. It’s called kedusha, the Hebrew word for “sacredness” or “holiness.” It’s to be conscious that in all we do, we can see the common and ordinary things of life as unique, meaningful and sacred.
So kedusha isn’t a feeling, rather it’s a purpose. It’s that very principle we’re looking for that can actually help us move into the world—sent to be a witness that God ‘s goodness and care are real. As we heard in the first reading, God is a mother who comforts her children and holds them in her arms. That’s what we can share because God wants people to know that. In sending the 72, and now us, Jesus encourages us then to see the ordinary as sacred; to find meaning in it—and to find it in everything we do. And it’s realizing that we actually play a part in being able to see God’s holiness in the world--because it's all around us. And it needs to see it right now and to feel it because there is a lot of brokenness out there, a lot of hurt. We need healing. We need comfort.
There is another way to translate kedusha, too. It can also mean “separate.” God initially called Israel to be separate from the world around them. God called them to be different. God called them into his holiness to be a holy nation; a people set apart. That's because there is a circle of holiness around God. And whatever God touches that becomes holy, too…like people, and places, and things. In other words, God’s holiness is contagious. And so, we’re empowered to bring it out into the world in how we live and interact with others. It’s in who we are, what we do and how we live. It's in what we're blessed to see.
This separateness, though, isn’t an exclusiveness, but just the opposite. It’s a separateness that allows us to be different from the way others in our world treat people. It’s basically living the Golden Rule: to treat and respect others the way we want and expect to be treated. It's about doing things differently instead of the way we see people choose around us, which can lead to war, violence, death, hate and bigotry, prejudice and greed. Jesus reminds us today to be aware of it keep our eyes open to it. We’re sent, but sent like lambs among the wolves, who love to devour. The separateness is the difference between knowing God and not knowing God. Having God in our life brings us wholeness—holiness--kedusha.
And that’s what Jesus was inviting the 72 into; to share in his holiness. And so, he empowered them to do the kinds of things he did. They were very capable of doing it, including sharing the good news that the kingdom of God is at hand for them.
The holiness the 72 had from being with Jesus, could be given to those they encountered. It comes through a comfortable inner peace. The circle of holiness is contagious. It’s meant to spread. Two thousand years later, it spreads through us. We’re involved in the circle of holiness. And that’s particularly profound when we realize we receive the Eucharist. The holiness of God comes within us and it’s meant to be brought out into the open.
It’s not about perfection, which is why forgiveness is one of the most important things Jesus wants us to realize we can receive. Instead of perfection, it’s about living the way Jesus shows us will give our live deep meaning. Because in it living it, goodness comes out of it. So does kindness, generosity, self-control and even peace. The simple things can be sacred things.
We don’t necessarily have to cure the sick like the 72 did, but we can take care of them and visit them. We can find opportunities to help people with basic needs, to be present and available to our spouse, our family, our parents during a time when there is so much disconnectedness. We can connect. We can talk, discuss, listen, affirm, discipline when needed, and bring the best out of those around us instead of the worst. We can appreciate what we have instead of what we don’t have. We can focus on what completes us instead of what we think we're missing. We can build people up instead of tearing them down; we can smile, we can forgive, we can be agents of healing and hope. We can bring comfort.
In simple things, the ordinary can become sacred because we dare to make it so. And we’re blessed when we are able to see it and experience it. It’s a reason to give God thanks and praise. And so, we're blessed because we have a place to return Sunday after Sunday rejoicing in the simple but meaningful ways we found meaning in life during the week. In the simple things we saw that became sacred right in front of our eyes. We come back here to share it with Christ and with each other. And then, we’re inspired and fed and sent out to do it all again, which is how we glorifying the Lord with our lives.
Consider sharing some of your own perspectives or spend some time in personal reflection.
All I Believe
As an alternative to the Nicene Creed, the Church also encourages Catholics around the world to profess the most ancient creed of our faith, The Apostle’s Creed.
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son Our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body
and life everlasting.
Amen
The Prayers of the Faithful
Good and gracious God, in union with my brothers and sisters at St. Hubert, we bring our prayers to you.- For all Christians that we embrace the work of proclaiming the Gospel in our time and place, knowing that it may be difficult but lifegiving, we pray to the Lord.
- For our nation, that undivided under God, we remain dedicated to the principles and liberties set forth by the founding fathers of our United States and the generations who have served them with their lives, we pray to the Lord.
- For those who challenge God's inclusive loving care for all, or who do not see the connection between the Gospel and everyday life, that they may open their hearts and minds to God’s wisdom, we pray to the Lord.
- For those struggling with illness, injury, or addictions; for those awaiting test results, or in recovery, that they may be comforted, healed and strengthened, including: Hilda Schmidt, Joyce Zito, Samantha Freehling, Declan Bronk, Eddie Fong, Bonnie Hindenburg, Agnes O’Donnell, Olga German, Bob Jaworski, Eugene Zaleski, JoEllen Hommowun, Kris O’Brian, and for your intentions, we pray to the Lord.
- For those who have died, that they know delight at God’s right hand, including those who have died in war or other violent acts, and including: Mary Bissell, Michael Scanlon, Isabelle Mills, Angela Cardone, for those who have lost their lives in defense of our country’s freedoms, and for those you would like to remember, we pray to the Lord.
- For your needs, for the prayers in our Book of Intentions and for those for whom we are offering Masses this weekend: Edward John Shoro, Maria Arlinda Peet, Jay Dolezal, Ralph Ruiz, Nancy Hogan, Ruth Howe, Frank Ostrega, Helen Moffett, and our Saint Hubert Parishioners, we pray to the Lord.
A Spiritual Offering
During the Mass, we bring up gifts of bread and wine and thank God for them, because he gave them to us. Those gifts are then returned to us. God gives himself to us through Jesus Christ. What do you offer to God today of yourself that can be returned as a gift to others? Who would you like to remember or offer this time of prayer for?
Longing for Communion
As we contemplate our desire to have Jesus Christ in our life, we prepare our hearts—knowing the angels and the saints are in communion with the One we long to be with. Let us lift up our hearts to the Lord.
It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God
through Christ our Lord.
For in you we live and move and have our being,
and while in this body
we not only experience the daily effects of your care,
but even now possess the pledge of eternal life.
For having received the first fruits of the Spirit,
through whom you have raised up Jesus from the dead,
we hope for an everlasting share in the Paschal Mystery.
And so, with all the Angels we praise you,
as in joyful celebration we acclaim:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
The Prayer that Unites Us
United with my brothers and sisters at St. Hubert and with Catholics around the world, with one voice we pray the prayer Jesus teaches us to pray together.
Our Father, who art in heaven…
A Time for Peace
Lord, Jesus Christ,
You said to your apostles, “Peace I leave you, my peace I give you”.
Please graciously grant peace to all of us,
to those in our family
and to everyone in our parish.
Allow us to be of one mind and heart.
Allow us to be an instrument of your peace.
(If praying with others, offer a sign of peace to one another.)
A Time for Spiritual Communion
As we long for the Eucharist, we long to be with Christ and share in his life. Let us spend some moments now in prayer uniting our life to the life of Jesus Christ. (You may even want to look upon a crucifix or hold it, or look upon an image or statue of Jesus Christ.)
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament.
I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there,
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.
Peace Within
A prayer for you by St. Therèse of Lisieux and St. Teresa of Avila
May there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God.
Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.
Pastoral Note:
For those who may want to experience a more contemplative form of prayer, allow the Holy Spirit to pray within you. One way is to center ourselves by being conscious of our own breathing. Slowly breathe in. As you hold your breath for a second or two, picture Jesus Christ or even his name in your mind. Then slowly breathe out. You can repeat this type of spiritual exercise until you are ready to close in prayer. This can be done as easily with children as with adults. It can be very comforting, peaceful and a way to find communion with God by feeling His presence.
A Closing Prayer
Lord,
As we seek this spiritual communion and desire Your presence,
we pray that You will continue to protect us in uncertain times.
Please give us the hope we need day by day,
strengthen our desire to help one another,
and keep our Saint Hubert Parish community close to You.
We long to be together to worship You
at your altar of praise.
We ask all our prayers, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Going Forth
Thank you, God, for this time we have shared.
I know You are with me.
Send me as an instrument
of Your peace
to glorify You by my life.
In the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
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