Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B
July 14, 2024 – 10:30 AM
Saint Cecilia Catholic Community
Deacon Sharon Kay Talley
Amos 7:12-15 | Psalm 85:9-14
Ephesians 1:3-14 | Mark 6:7-14
+In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Has God called upon you yet to become one of His prophets, to help bring the Word of God to others?
When I was seven years old and in second grade at Burnet Hill Elementary School in Livingston, New Jersey, I was called upon by my teacher, Miss Leroy, to read the Bible every day before the entire class each morning at the start of school. This was done right before we recited the Lord’s Prayer and said the Pledge of Allegiance…some of us remember the good old days of the 1950’s! I was directed by Miss Leroy to read from the Old Testament from the books of Psalms or Proverbs, but never to read from the New Testament since approximately sixty per cent of the students were Jewish and according to Miss Leroy, “they didn’t believe in Jesus.”
This was my first call to ministry and it took another sixty years before I finally achieved my ultimate call to enter the diaconate.
In our Gospel from Mark, Jesus sends out His disciples two by two to proclaim the Good News and heal the sick and suffering. This passage reminds us of our call as Christians to go out into the world and spread the message of God’s love and mercy. Just as the disciples were sent out with only the clothes on their backs and the mission in their hearts, we too are called to go forth with a faith and courage to share the love of Christ with others.
In today’s world, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the challenges and distractions that surround us. We are constantly bombarded with messages of fear, division, and hate. It can be tempting to withdraw into our own little bubble and ignore the suffering and injustices that exist in the world. However, Jesus calls us to step out of our comfort zones and be agents of change in the world. We are called to be like the disciples, trusting in God’s providence and relying on His strength to guide us in our missions.
As we reflect on this Gospel passage from Mark, we are reminded of the importance of community in our journey of faith. Jesus sent our His disciples two by two, emphasizing the need for support and companionship in our mission. We are not meant to walk this path alone, but rather to lean on one another for strength and encouragement in a world that often values individualism and self-sufficiency. We are called to cultivate a spirit of unity and solidarity among our brothers and sisters in Christ.
One of the key messages of this Gospel today is the importance of simplicity and humility in our mission. The disciples were instructed to travel lightly, with only the essentials needed for their journey. This serves as a reminder to us all that material possessions and earthly comforts are not what define us as Christians. Our true wealth lies in our relationship with God and our willingness to serve others with love and compassion. We are called to let go of our attachments to worldly things and focus on what truly matters…spreading the message of God’s love to all those we encounter.
In the Gospel passage, we see that the disciples were given the authority to heal the sick and drive out demons in the name of Jesus. This serves as a powerful reminder of the power and authority that we have as followers of Christ. We are called to be instruments of healing and reconciliation in a broken and hurting world. Just as the disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform miracles, so too are we called to use our gifts and talents to bring about positive change to the world around us.
As we reflect on the Gospel passage, we are all challenged to examine our own lives and consider just how we are living out our call to discipleship. Are we actively seeking opportunities to share the message of God’s love with others? Are we willing to step out of our comfort zones and take risks for the sake of spreading the Word of the Gospel? Are we cultivating a spirit of humility and simplicity in our lives, or are we becoming too attached to material things and worldly comforts? These are questions that we must wrestle with as we strive to live out our faith in a world that so desperately needs the light of Christ.
As we gather on this fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, let us be inspired by the example of the disciples and their willingness to go forth and proclaim the Good News. Let us embrace the call to simplicity, humility, and community as we seek to be instruments of God’s love and mercy in the world. May we be filled with courage and conviction to step out in faith, trusting in God’s providence to guide us on our journey of discipleship.
Amen.