In today’s second reading, the apostle James challenges us to express our faith through works. He stresses the “corporal works of mercy”: feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, welcoming the stranger. Without such concrete action, “faith by itself, without works, is dead.” Strong and uncompromising words, which echo Jesus’ invitation in the Gospel to take up our cross each day and follow him!
The readings this weekend share as their common theme God’s invitation: “Be opened!” The prophet Isaiah foretells a time in which God will open the eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf, the tongues of the mute, and the dry desert springs. The apostle James invites us to be open to the needs of the poor, and to open our eyes to the ways in which we show favoritism to the rich and powerful. Finally, in the Gospel, Jesus opens the ears and loosens the tongue of a man born deaf and mute, and invites those who witness this healing to a deeper faith in God’s power to save.
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This weekend, we celebrate Fathers’ Day. As the Church prepares for the Synod on the Vocation of the Family in the Church and the World this coming October, Pope Francis has been dedicating the catechesis at his Wednesday general audiences to different challenges facing the family today. Let us listen to Pope Francis’ words on the essential role of fathers:
On this 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we also mark World Environment Day, celebrated globally on June 5th each year. In our liturgy, prepared by our Faith and Justice Committee, we are reminded of Pope Francis’ recent words on climate change: “The effective struggle against global warming will only be possible with a responsible collective answer that goes beyond particular interests and behavior and is developed free of political and economic pressures. On climate change, there is a clear, definitive and ethical imperative to act.
St. Monica's Parish