Pastor’s Pen
St. Augustine Catholic Church
Sunday, August 16, 2020
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Times
Dear Church family,
Oh, Wonderful Blessed Mother! Yesterday we celebrated your great feast of your Assumption, body and soul into Heaven and so we know that as we continue our journey as disciples, which seems to be so many of the readings during this time after Pentecost, there are Many Sundays of special messages. So, Blessed Mother, we are hearing today with your intercession and your help that we are called all the more in our baptism to be commissioned and anointed to really give our lives. So, Blessed Mother, we listen to the first reading which seems to be, as scripture scholars say, the third part of the long book of Isaiah. In this reading we see the prophet challenging the people to serve the Lord with all their hearts and souls. And Blessed Mother, we also hear from St. Paul today that his mission to the Gentiles is so important and maybe it will be a way to reach out to his own people. Then Blessed Mother, we hear about a woman of great faith, like yourself, who was not of the Jewish background, is challenging your Son to have real faith. The result of this real faith is that you have your Son curing her daughter of a demonic possession of evil spirits. So, Blessed Mother, we give you honor today and we talk and pray and reflect, especially on the Gospel of seeing this Canaanite woman really asking with all her heart for a good result of healing for her daughter. Maybe, Jesus, we see You changing your direction of first coming to the Jewish people but then, all the more, being sent out to everybody. Maybe this was a little nudge from an ordinary woman who is so extraordinary. So, Blessed Mother, in this summertime, we thank you for being anointed at baptism and thank you for being challenged to live our discipleship. Like in the first reading, which says to serve the Lord with sincere hearts and to make our house a house of prayer so that we can say ‘my house is a house of prayer for all people.’ Finally, Blessed Mother, we thank you also for telling us that like St. Paul, the wonderful commission of being called to be your followers. This is also open to all the people who are not of the Jewish faith. So, broadening and widening Our Lord challenges us to be your special people, Blessed Mother. Amen!
So, Church, I have just decided to make this Pastor’s Pen into a prayer. As you read these sacred readings, you can also make it into a prayer too. Strive to have deep, deep faith like this Canaanite woman. Jesus will reward you. Alleluia!
Love,
Fr. Bob
No comments yet.