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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C, 17 July 2022 Note: Homilies & Angelus / Regina Caeli of Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI & Pope Francis I had been compiled for you after the Mass Readings below. Happy Reading! Liturgical Colour: Green.
Mass Readings from EWTN, USCCB, Universalis. See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-273. 8-) First Reading: Genesis 18:1-10, Responsorial: Psalms 15:2-5, 2nd Reading: Colossians 1:24-28 & Gospel: Luke 10:38-42, Gospel Video, CCTNtv.
Others:
Acknowledgment: We thank the Publisher for allowing us to publish the Mass Readings to be used as reference for Homilies & Angelus / Regina Caeli of Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI & Pope Francis I as a source of God’s encouragements to all of us around the World.
COVID-19 Protection in Singapore. New!
1. Criminal Investigation Department, Singapore Police Force harassed Law-abiding Citizen. Latest! https://twitter.com/Michael65413248/status/1510086218851270658 (2 April 2022) #Singapore Police Force harassing the same law abiding business owner again from 92298844, 97397514, 83487591, 96645914, 63914706, 82825465, 97378102, 90360045, 92981234! They can’t perform to contain COVID, so they bully to appear busy? Shameless? You decide! 2. See another Police case to frame against the Innocent! Please spread the News to help them who commit no crime. Many Thanks. Till this day, the harassment continues and there is no apology from the Rulers and no compensation paid for damages inflicted. 3. See the Bloggers went MISSING before / after the Singapore General Election on 10 July 2020. Please pray for their safety as we search for them actively. Many Thanks.
Homilies, Angelus / Regina Caeli
1. My most cordial greetings to you all! From this restful place amid the marvellous scenery of the Cadore, I wish to return to the theme of the Apostolic Letter Dies Domini published last Tuesday. I would especially like to reflect on one aspect of Sunday which links the Christian holy day to what the Bible says about the “Sabbath”, the Lord’s Day in the Old Testament, still celebrated today by our Jewish brothers and sisters.
As it concludes its account of the week of creation — an account which blends deep religious sentiment with sublime poetry — the first chapter of Genesis says that “on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done” and “blessed the seventh day and hallowed it” (Genesis 2:2-3). The “shabbat”, the biblical Sabbath, is linked to this mystery of God’s rest. If we Christians celebrate Sunday as the Lord’s Day, it is because it was on this day that Christ’s Resurrection occurred; it is the fulfilment of the first creation and the beginning of the “new creation”. God’s “rest” reaches its full achievement in the risen Christ.
2. With the image of God resting, the Bible indicates the Creator’s joyful pleasure in the work of his hands. On the “seventh day” God turns to look at man and the world with admiration and love, a sentiment that is confirmed throughout salvation history, when the Creator, especially in the Exodus events, becomes the saviour of his people.
Thus, the “Lord’s Day” is the day that shows God’s love for his creatures. The prophets are not afraid to extol this relationship of love in marital terms (cf. Hosea 2:16-24; Jeremiah 2:2, etc.): from being the Creator, God became the “bridegroom” of humanity, and the Incarnation of his Son would be the high point of this mystical union.
On Sunday Christians are invited to rediscover God’s joyful gaze and to feel in a way surrounded and protected by it. In this technological age, our life is at ever greater risk of becoming an anonymous function of the productive process. Man thus becomes unable to enjoy the beauties of creation and, even more, to see the reflection of God’s face in them. Christians pause every Sunday not only because they need legitimate rest, but especially to celebrate the work of God, the Creator and Redeemer. From this celebration flow joy and hope, which give everyday life a new flavour and are a vital antidote to the boredom, lack of meaning or desperation to which they can sometimes feel tempted.
3. My soul magnifies the Lord! We praise the Lord with the words of the Blessed Virgin, whom the Church considers tota pulchra, “all fair”, the woman in whom the beauty of the first creation and of the new creation come together. May she enable us to be aware of God’s gifts and may Sunday become more and more the day when individuals and families gather for the Eucharist and spend a restful time filled with Christian joy and solidarity, singing the Lord’s praise with the same sentiments in Mary’s heart. Pope Saint John Paul II (Angelus, 12 July 1998)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-273. 8-)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-273. 8-)
In these days of rest which thanks to God I am spending here in Cadore, I feel even more acutely the sorrowful impact of the news I am receiving about the bloodshed from conflicts and the episodes of violence happening in so many parts of the world. This prompts me to reflect once again today on the drama of human freedom in the world.
The beauty of nature reminds us that we have been appointed by God to "tend and care for" this "garden" which is the earth (cf. Genesis 2: 8-17), and I see that you truly tend and take care of this beautiful garden of God, a true paradise. So, when people live in peace with God and one another, the earth truly resembles a "paradise".
Unfortunately, sin ruins ever anew this divine project, causing division and introducing death into the world. Thus, humanity succumbs to the temptations of the Evil One and wages war against itself. Patches of "hell" are consequently also created in this marvellous "garden" which is the world. In the midst of this beauty, we must never forget the situations in which our brothers and sisters at times find themselves.
War, with its aftermath of bereavement and destruction, has always been deemed a disaster in opposition to the plan of God, who created all things for existence and particularly wants to make the human race one family.
I cannot avoid here calling to mind a significant date: 1 August 1917 - exactly 90 years ago - on which my venerable Predecessor, Pope Benedict XV, addressed his famous Note to the Heads of Belligerent Peoples, calling for an end to the First World War (cf. AAS 9 [1917], 417-420). While that inhuman conflict was raging, the Pope had the courage to call it a "senseless slaughter". His words are engraved in history. They were justified in the actual situation of that summer of 1917, especially on this Venetian front.
But these words, "senseless slaughter", also contain a broader, more prophetic value and can be applied to many other conflicts that have struck down countless human lives. These very regions where we are, which themselves speak of peace, harmony and the Creator's goodness, were the theatre of the First World War, as so many testimonies and several moving Alpine songs still recall. These events must not be forgotten! We must remember the negative experiences our forebears unfortunately suffered in order not to repeat them.
Pope Benedict XV's Note was not limited to condemning the war; it also pointed out in a juridical perspective ways to build a just and lasting peace: the moral force of law, balanced and controlled disarmament, arbitration in disputes, the freedom of the seas, reciprocal amnesty for the costs of war, the restitution of occupied territories and fair negotiations to settle problems.
The Holy See's proposal was oriented to the future of Europe and the world. It complied with a project that was Christian in inspiration but could be shared by all since it was based on the rights of peoples. This was the same structure to which the Servants of God Paul VI and John Paul II adhered in their memorable Discourses to the United Nations Assembly, repeating on the Church's behalf: "War never again!".
From this place of peace, where one is even more vividly aware of how unacceptable the horrors of "senseless slaughters" are, I renew my appeal to adhere tenaciously to the path of law, to consistently ban the arms race and, more generally, to reject the temptation to tackle new situations with old systems.
With these thoughts and hopes in my heart that this may always be, as it is now thanks be to God, a place of peace and hospitality, let us now raise a special prayer for peace in the world, entrusting it to Mary Most Holy, Queen of Peace. I wish you all a good Sunday and good vacation. Thank you for everything! Pope Benedict XVI (Angelus, 22 July 2007)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-274. 8-)
See our compilation with Pictures in Encouragements-274. 8-)
In today’s Gospel the Evangelist Luke writes about Jesus who, on the way to Jerusalem, enters a village and is welcomed into the home of two sisters: Martha and Mary (cf. Luke 10:38-42). Both welcome the Lord, but they do so in different ways. Mary sits at Jesus’ feet and listens to his words (cf. v. 39), whereas Martha is completely caught up in preparing things; at a certain point she says to Jesus: “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me” (v. 40). Jesus responds to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things; one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the good portion, which shall not be taken away from her” (vv. 41-42).
In bustling about and busying herself, Martha risks forgetting — and this is the problem — the most important thing, which is the presence of the guest, Jesus in this case. She forgets about the presence of the guest. A guest is not merely to be served, fed, looked after in every way. Most importantly he ought to be listened to. Remember this word: Listen! A guest should be welcomed as a person, with a story, his heart rich with feelings and thoughts, so that he may truly feel like he is among family. If you welcome a guest into your home but continue doing other things, letting him just sit there, both of you in silence, it is as if he were of stone: a guest of stone. No. A guest is to be listened to. Of course, Jesus’ response to Martha — when he tells her that there is only one thing that needs to be done — finds its full significance in reference to listening to the very word of Jesus, that word which illuminates and supports all that we are and what we do. If we go to pray, for example, before the Crucifix, and we talk, talk, talk, and then we leave, we do not listen to Jesus. We do not allow him to speak to our heart. Listen: this is the key word. Do not forget! And we must not forget that in the house of Martha and Mary, Jesus, before being Lord and Master, is a pilgrim and guest. Thus, his response has this significance first and foremost: “Martha, Martha why do you busy yourself doing so much for this guest even to the point of forgetting about his presence? — A guest of stone! — Not much is necessary to welcome him; indeed, only one thing is needed: listen to him — this is the word: listen to him — be brotherly to him, let him realize he is among family and not in a temporary shelter.
Understood in this light, hospitality, which is one of the works of mercy, is revealed as a truly human and Christian virtue, a virtue which in today’s world is at risk of being overlooked. In fact, nursing homes and hospices are multiplying, but true hospitality is not always practised in these environments. Various institutions are opened to care for many types of disease, of loneliness, of marginalization, but opportunities are decreasing for those who are foreign, marginalized, excluded, from finding someone ready to listen to them: because they are foreigners, refugees, migrants. Listen to that painful story. Even in one’s own home, among one’s own family members, it might be easier to find services and care of various kinds rather than listening and welcome. Today we are so taken, by excitement, by countless problems — some of which are not important — that we lack the capacity to listen. We are constantly busy and thus we have no time to listen. I would like to ask you, to pose a question to you, each one answer in your own heart: do you, husband, take time to listen to your wife? And do you, woman, take time to listen to your husband? Do you, parents, take time, time to “waste”, to listen to your children? or your grandparents, the elderly? — “But grandparents always say the same things, they are boring...” — But they need to be listened to! Listen. I ask that you learn to listen and to devote more of your time. The root of peace lies in the capacity to listen.
May the Virgin Mary, Mother of listening and of service and of attentive care, teach us to be welcoming and hospitable to our brothers and our sisters. Pope Francis I (Angelus, 17 July 2016)
Extracts: In this Sunday’s Gospel passage Luke the Evangelist narrates Jesus’ visit to the house of Martha and Mary, Lazarus’ sisters (cf. Luke 10:38-42). They receive him, and Mary sits at his feet to listen to him; she leaves what she was doing in order to be close to Jesus: she does not want to miss any of his words. Everything is to be set aside when he comes to visit us in our lives; his presence and his words come before all else.
The Lord always surprises us: when we truly focus on listening to him, clouds disappear, doubts give way to truth, fears to serenity, and life’s various situations find the right placement. When the Lord comes, he always puts things in order, even us.
In this scene of Mary of Bethany at Jesus’ feet, Saint Luke shows the prayerful attitude of the believer, who is able to be in the Teacher’s presence to listen to him and be in harmony with him. It means pausing a few minutes during the day to gather yourself in silence, to make room for the Lord who ‘is passing’ and to find the courage to stay somewhat ‘on the sidelines’ with him, in order to return later with serenity and strength, to everyday matters. Commending the conduct of Mary, who “has chosen the good portion” (v. 42), Jesus seems to repeat to each of us: “Do not allow yourselves to be overwhelmed by things to do, but first and foremost listen to the Lord’s voice, in order to properly carry out the tasks that life assigns to you”.
… Thus, today’s Gospel passage reminds us that the wisdom of the heart lies precisely in knowing how to combine these two elements: contemplation and action. Martha and Mary indicate the path to us. If we want to savour life with joy, we must associate these two approaches: on the one hand, ‘being at the feet’ of Jesus, in order to listen to him as he reveals to us the secret of every thing; on the other, being attentive and ready in hospitality, when he passes and knocks at our door, with the face of a friend who needs a moment of rest and fraternity. This hospitality is needed. Pope Francis I (Angelus, 21 July 2019)
Angelus, 17 July 2022 Video, Video (American Sign Language). Text. Extracts: …The Gospel says Mary “sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to what he was saying” (v. 39). Note: she did not listen while standing, doing other things, but she sat at Jesus’ feet. She understood that he is not like other guests. At first sight it seems that he has come to receive, because he needs food and lodging, but in reality, the Master came to give himself to us through his word.
The word of Jesus is not abstract; it is a teaching that touches and shapes our life, changes it, frees it from the opaqueness of evil, satisfies and infuses it with a joy that does not pass: Jesus’ word is the better part, that Mary had chosen. Therefore, she gives it first place: she stops and listens. The rest will come after. This does not detract from the value of practical effort, but it must not precede, but rather flow from listening to the word of Jesus. It must be enlivened by his Spirit. Otherwise, it is reduced to fussing and fretting over many things, it is reduced to sterile activism.
… In particular, let us ask ourselves: When I start my day, do I throw myself headlong into the things to be done, or do I first seek inspiration in the Word of God? At times we begin the day automatically, we start doing things … like hens. No, We must start the day by first of all looking to the Lord, taking his Word, briefly, but let this be the inspiration for the day. If we leave the house in the morning keeping a word of Jesus in mind, the day will surely acquire a tone marked by that word, which has the power to orient our actions according to the wishes of the Lord. Pope Francis I (Angelus, 17 July 2022)
Daily Blessings to You from Emmanuel Goh & Friends
Note: This webpage has many hyperlinks to the Vatican Webpage. The above extracts were compiled for your easy reading. This Publication is aimed to encourage all of Goodwill around the World. It is not for business or profit purposes but it is our way to thank our Creator for His continuous blessings!
Compiled on 14 July 2019 Last updated: 17 July 2022, 20:08 SGT
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