Leave the Mountain O - Macoupin Countymacoupincatholicchurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/...01 Liguori ublications Liguori, MO 3057-9999 he wants to stay, listen, and learn, Christ

© 2017 Liguori Publications • Liguori, MO 63057-9999

he wants to stay, listen, and learn, Christ touches him and tells him to not fear, get up, and get going. We need to go down the mountain and into our lives. That is where the faith and love we learn from Jesus in prayer is needed. He lets us see his glory so we can go down and bring that glory into a needy world.

—Fr. Mark Haydu, LC

Leave the Mountain

Our walk with Jesus is full of contrasts: human and divine,

grace and nature, sin and mercy. The Transfiguration by Raphael Sanzio, like the Scripture that inspires it, is also full of contrasts. The composition is in two registers. Up above we have the heavenly glory of Christ enveloped in a fantastic aura of divine light symbolizing his divine Sonship. The power of the experience leaves the disciples prostrate while the two Old Testament figures of Moses and Elijah float in suspended adoration. Down below, we have the other apostles, dealing ineffectively with a possessed boy. There is obvious chaos, with fingers pointing everywhere and faces turning in all directions. There is the serenity of heavenly white against the diabolic and earthly darkness.

This contrast is present in our own lives. We feel a call to the beauty of God’s life, we want it wholeheartedly, and we resolve to make that beauty a reality. But we also know that when we come down the mountain and into our daily lives, we struggle with confusion, temptation, and earthly concerns. It is easy in Christ’s glorious presence, but when we get into traffic, our offices, or the trials of raising toddlers or teenagers, it isn’t so simple.

Here is where we need the power of God’s mercy and love. Peter wanted to stay in Christ’s presence and enjoy it, soak it up, remain, and never go down the mountain again. He heard the Father’s voice, knew he should listen to the Son, and was resolved to do so! Although

August 6, 2017Transfiguration of the Lord (A)Dn 7:9–10, 13–142 Pt 1:16–19 Mt 17:1–9

“‘This is my Son, my beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain” (2 Peter 1:17–18).

For Reflection Do you spend enough time in prayer to face your daily activities with serenity? Are there days when you would rather stay in prayer than face your earthly commitments?

Piece: The Transfiguration, circa 1518Artist: Raphael SanzioLocation: Pinacoteca, Vatican Museums

© 2017 Liguori Publications, Liguori, MO 63057-9999. Printed in USA. Imprimatur: “In accordance with CIC 827, permission to publish has been granted on February 1, 2017, by the Reverend Monsignor Mark S. Rivituso, Vicar General, Archdiocese of St. Louis. Permission to publish is an indication that nothing contrary to Church teaching is contained in this work. It does not imply any endorsement of the opinions expressed in the publication; nor is any liability assumed by this permission.” No part of this work may be used in any form without the prior written permission of Liguori Publications. Scripture texts in this work are taken from New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. All Rights Reserved. Design: John Krus. To order Liguori Sunday Bulletins, call 800-325-9521, or visit Liguori.org.

Now that I’m retired and my kids are grown I’m feeling directionless. Even my faith life doesn’t feel like it used to. How can I recapture a feeling of purposefulness in my faith?

People may long for liberation from their job and for an “empty nest” at home; yet, when some find it, they lose a clear sense of identity, purpose,

or fulfillment. This loss can lead to depression, but many people are unable to name it or cope with these life-changing realities.

Is getting through the day more exhausting than a full day’s work before your retirement? Do you prefer to live in the past? Are you burdened with lingering feelings of guilt or regret that need healing? Do you feel like a burden? What are your reasons for living?

Faith and spirituality are connected to the physical, mental, and emotional dimensions of our life. It is often easier to recapture vitality in faith when we

recapture a purpose in other dimensions of life. Volunteer for a worthy cause. Balance your active outreach with introspection. Go on a retreat and reflect on what you’re grateful for. Your relationship with the Lord in prayer may be affected by your lack of direction and purpose, but even a persistent emptiness in prayer can be an opportunity to have God fill the void—by focusing more on God than on what’s presently lacking in your life.

Fr. Byron Miller, [email protected]

CalendarMonday August 7 Weekday

Nm 11:4b–15 Mt 14:13–21

Tuesday August 8

St. Dominic, Priest

Nm 12:1–13 Mt 14:22–36 or 15:1–2, 10–14

Wednesday August 9Weekday

Nm 13:1–2, 25—14:1, 26–29a, 34–35

Mt 15:21–28

Thursday August 10

St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr

2 Cor 9:6–10 Jn 12:24–26

Friday August 11St. Clare,

VirginDt 4:32–40

Mt 16:24–28

Saturday August 12Weekday

Dt 6:4–13 Mt 17:14–20

Sunday August 13

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

1 Kgs 19:9a, 11–13aRom 9:1–5

Mt 14:22–33

A Word From Pope Francis “By [Jesus’] Transfiguration he invites us to gaze at him. And looking at Jesus purifies our eyes and prepares them for eternal life, for the vision of heaven. Perhaps our eyes are a little sick because we see so many things that are not of Jesus, things that are even against Jesus: worldly things, things that do not benefit the light of the soul. And in this

way, this light is slowly extinguished, and without knowing it, we end up in interior darkness, in spiritual darkness, in a darkened faith: darkness, because we are unaccustomed to looking and imagining the things of Jesus.”

—Homily, second Sunday of Lent, March 16, 2014

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Walk in Faith

L anfranco’s Christ Saves Peter From Sinking in the Water is placed in a

rather hidden place in the Vatican—on purpose. When a newly elected pope walks out of the Sistine Chapel, he processes across the Sala Regia (royal hall) and into the Loggia della Benedizione (blessing hall) to step out onto the façade of St. Peter’s and greet the world for the first time. Along the way he passes this painting of Peter sinking in the water. It speaks to that sinking feeling he probably experiences at that time!

This Gospel passage holds a great lesson for us all, even the pope. When Jesus comes walking on the water, he scares the disciples; they think he is a ghost. Sometimes Jesus scares us by what he asks, by how he wants to bless and shape us if we say “yes.” Jesus tells us not to be afraid, but Peter says, “Lord if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” That the ghostly figure responds doesn’t prove it is Jesus; it just proves whoever it is has heard Peter and answered.

To really know if it is Jesus, Peter has to get out of the boat. He has to walk in faith and take a risk. Only once he steps out on the water, can he do the impossible? Even then, his faith falters and he notices the waves. Such is our experience. Even when we trust, step out, and Jesus does great things, we are still weak! But no need

August 13, 2017Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)1 Kgs 19:9a, 11–13aRom 9:1–5Mt 14:22–33

“At once [Jesus] spoke to them, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter said to him in reply, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you

on the water’” (Matthew 14:27–28).

For ReflectionWhen have you felt Jesus’ presence most strongly in your life? Did it coincide with a difficult task or time of trouble?Which winds distract you from Jesus?

Piece: Christ Saves Peter From Sinking in the Water, 1626–28Artist: Giovanni LanfrancoLocation: Pinacoteca, Vatican Museums

to worry: Jesus loves our effort and will always reach out and grab us. In the end, that is what we want, isn’t it? To touch Jesus, to know it is him.



CalendarMonday August 14

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

Dt 10:12–22Mt 17:22–27

Tuesday August 15

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Rv 11:19a; 12:1–6a, 10ab1 Cor 15:20–27

Lk 1:39–56

Wednesday August 16 Weekday

Dt 34:1–12Mt 18:15–20

Thursday August 17Weekday

Jos 3:7–10a, 11, 13–17Mt 18:21—19:1

Friday August 18Weekday

Jos 24:1–13Mt 19:3–12

Saturday August 19Weekday

Jos 24:14–29Mt 19:13–15

Sunday August 20

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 56:1, 6–7Rom 11:13–15, 29–32

Mt 15:21–28

A Word From Pope Francis “We all know that when water stands still it stagnates. There’s a saying in Spanish that says: ‘Standing water is the first to go bad.’ Do not stand still. We all have to walk, to take a step every day, with the Lord’s help. God is Father, he is mercy, he always loves us….He welcomes us and forgives us….He never

tires of forgiving….He makes us rise and fully restores our dignity. God has a memory, He is not forgetful. God does not forget us, He always remembers.”

—Address to detainees in a penitentiary in Isernia, Italy, July 5, 2014

I look at what’s going on in our world today and I start to lose faith. How can I keep my faith strong in a time that seems faithless?

E vil isn’t a new phenomenon. The Book of Judges, for example, presents a faithless time that may rival what’s happening in our world today.

Judges’ twenty-one chapters are so filled with vandalism and war, murder and assassination, fratricide and suicide, that it makes a grim statement on the worst of humanity. Judges reminds us of humanity’s need for salvation. “Left to itself, humanity degenerates into a frightful caricature of what we ought to be. We see such lessons repeated in recent history....In the Book of Judges, we see our need for God” (Oscar Lukefahr, A Catholic Guide to the Bible, Liguori Publications, 1998).

It’s easy to lose faith when our focus is on how bad the world is rather than on how we can do our part to make it holy. Pope St. John Paul II wrote: “Awareness of our own sinfulness, including that which is inherited, is the first condition for salvation; the next is the confession of this sin before God, who desires only to receive this confession so that He can save man. To save means to embrace

and lift up with redemptive love, with love that is always greater than any sin” (Crossing the Threshold of Hope, 58, Knopf, 1994). Don’t lose Christian hope! While Christ already triumphed over sin and death, the reality of evil remains until God’s kingdom is fully realized on earth as it is in heaven (1 John 5:18–20).

Fr. Byron Miller, [email protected]

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A Chosen People, A Common Ancestry

A ll of today’s readings have a common theme: how Jesus’ words to his Jewish brothers and

sisters influence our faith. The Catholic Church’s relationship with our

Jewish brothers and sisters has been strengthened dramatically over the last years. This is thanks in large part to Vatican II’s Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate), particularly Judaism.

Our deep connection with Judaism is rooted in the fact it was to these Chosen People God offered the Old Covenant. We are also indebted to them because their history and culture formed the lives of the people of God and the Holy Family, from which the early Church sprung.

Christianity’s firm belief that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah is the reason our Church is like a

shoot sprung from the root of Jesse. This difference was something Paul’s Letter to the Romans dealt with directly—the need for all, both Jews and Gentiles, to accept Jesus.

The key element to this acceptance is the faith shown in the Gospels. Jesus reaches out to his fellow

members of the house of Judah yet also recognizes that a Canaanite (Gentile) woman has faith that leads to salvation. This has key implications for both insiders and outsiders: One can no longer claim salvation by a bloodline or nationality but only by one’s acceptance of Jesus as the Son of God

and active participation in his body, the Church. Jesus broadens the welcome and opens God’s house to all people.


August 20, 2017Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Is 56:1, 6–7Rom 11:13–15, 29–32Mt 15:21–28

“Them I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:7).

For ReflectionHow can you become more united with your ancestors in faith? How can you strengthen your bond with your brothers and sisters in Christ in your parish community or greater public community?

Piece: The Crossing of the Red Sea, 1481–82Artist: Domenico Ghirlandaio, Cosimo Rosselli, or Biagio d’AntonioLocation: Sistine Chapel, Rome


CalendarMonday August 21St. Pius X,

PopeJgs 2:11–19

Mt 19:16–22

TuesdayAugust 22

Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Jgs 6:11–24aMt 19:23–30

WednesdayAugust 23Weekday

Jgs 9:6–15Mt 20:1–16

ThursdayAugust 24

St. Bartholomew, Apostle

Rv 21:9b–14Jn 1:45–51

FridayAugust 25Weekday

Ru 1:1, 3–6, 14b–16, 22Mt 22:34–40

SaturdayAugust 26Weekday

Ru 2:1–3, 8–11; 4:13–17Mt 23:1–12

SundayAugust 27

Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Is 22:19–23Rom 11:33–36Mt 16:13–20

A Word From Pope Francis “Mutual understanding of our [Catholic and Jewish] spiritual heritage, appreciation for what we have in common and respect in matters on which we disagree: all these can help to guide us to a closer relationship, an intention which we put in God’s hands. Together, we can make a great contribution to

the cause of peace; together, we can bear witness, in this rapidly changing world, to the perennial importance of the divine plan of creation; together, we can firmly oppose every form of anti-Semitism and all other forms of discrimination. May the Lord help us to walk with confidence and strength in his ways.”

—Address to the two chief rabbis in Israel on a visit to Heichal Shlomo Center, Jerusalem, May 26, 2014

What are the gnostic gospels and apocryphal books? Is it OK to read them?

In the two earliest manuscripts of the Bible, both of which are in the Vatican Library, one contains the seven apocryphal books of the Old Testament

and the other does not. The Catholic Church includes these apocryphal books and considers them to be the inspired word of God, as is everything included in Catholic translations of the Bible. Selections from these books are included in our Lectionary and proclaimed during Mass.

When Martin Luther left the Catholic Church, he used the Bible manuscript that did not contain the seven apocryphal books, but then he placed these books in a section between the Old and New Testaments, calling them Deutero-canonicals. He did not discard these books entirely but considered them of

lesser importance than the other books. Some Protestant translations of the Bible exclude these books altogether.

The gnostic gospels, however, are entirely separate from these apocryphal books. Gnosticism is a heresy condemned by the Catholic Church. As part of their false proclamation, gnostics produced stories of Jesus’ life that supported their belief, and these “gospels” contain

teachings that are contrary to our Catholic faith. While the gnostic gospels could be read out of interest in their historical or philosophical context, they are not the inspired word of God and should not be read in that light.

Fr. Patrick Keyes, [email protected]

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Upon This Rock

Saint Peter’s Basilica is built on the tomb of Peter, which literally serves as the rock on which the

church is built. Peter states his faith, acknowledging Jesus as Messiah and Son of God, in the name of the other apostles. In reply, the Lord reveals his intended mission for Peter: to become the visible foundation of the Church.

This account also tells us that Peter’s act of faith did not come through “flesh and blood,” that is, through his human abilities, but through a particular revelation from God. By contrast, right afterward, as Jesus foretells his passion, death, and resurrection, Peter “began to rebuke him,” denying that this would ever happen (Matthew 16:22). Jesus scolds him in return.

Peter shows his human weakness and what he is: a stone along the path on which men can stumble. In this scene, the drama of each soul and the history of the papacy and Church itself are anticipated. There is the joint presence of divine assistance by which the papacy constitutes the Church’s foundation throughout history, and human weakness, which is also evident through the centuries and can be transformed only through abandonment to God’s action.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus clearly promises the forces of evil will not prevail. Prophets such as Jeremiah (1:18–19) were threatened only by human enemies, whereas Peter will have to be defended from a supernatural evil. Jeremiah receives a promise that affects him as a person and his prophetic ministry; Peter receives assurances concerning the future of the Church and the new community founded by Christ “upon this rock.”


August 27, 2017Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)Is 22:19–23Rom 11:33–36Mt 16:13–20

“You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

For Reflection Peter’s mission is to confirm the faith of the other apostles. How willing are you to let the pope, Peter’s successor, confirm your faith today? What are you doing to ensure your faith is built on a solid foundation?

Piece: The Throne of Saint Peter, 1647–53Artist: Gian Lorenzo BerniniLocation: St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City


CalendarMonday

August 28St. Augustine,

Bishop and Doctor of the Church

1 Thes 1:1–5, 8b–10Mt 23:13–22

TuesdayAugust 29

Passion of St. John the Baptist

1 Thes 2:1–8Mk 6:17–29

WednesdayAugust 30Weekday

1 Thes 2:9–13Mt 23:27–32

ThursdayAugust 31Weekday

1 Thes 3:7–13Mt 24:42–51

FridaySeptember 1

Weekday1 Thes 4:1–8Mt 25:1–13

SaturdaySeptember 2

Weekday1 Thes 4:9–11Mt 25:14–30

SundaySeptember 3

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jer 20:7–9Rom 12:1–2Mt 16:21–27

A Word From Pope Francis “Peter knocks at the door. Behold! There is joy, there is fear…. ‘Do we open, do we not?’...Fear paralyzes us, it always paralyzes us; it makes us close in on ourselves, closed to God’s surprises. This detail speaks to us of a constant temptation for the Church, that of closing in on herself

in the face of danger. But we also see the small openings through which God can work….Prayer enables grace to open a way out from closure to openness, from fear to courage, from sadness to joy….from division to unity.”

—Mass and blessing of the sacred pallium for new archbishops, Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29, 2016

I am a huge fan of Pope Francis. However, I know some people feel his messages to be against Church teachings. How can the people criticize the pope when we believe our Lord has put Pope Francis in the chair of St. Peter?

Spoiler alert: I’m a big fan of Pope Francis, too! I believe he’s doing much to bring people back to the Church. If you look closely at the pope’s message,

I think you’ll find the difference is not one of content but of emphasis. Pope Francis has not changed any Church teaching, but he is shining the spotlight on

some areas in particular.Pope Francis has put a great deal

of emphasis on mercy, simplicity, the poor, and immigrants. These things have always been part of the Catholic Church. Our pope has decided that today these things need to be brought to the forefront.

As Catholics, we are free to say things like, “I wish the pope would put more emphasis on doctrine,”

or, “I wish he would talk more about what we need to do to be saved.” There’s even nothing wrong in saying, “I liked Pope Benedict better.” But, because Francis is in Peter’s chair, we must always first ask ourselves, “What is Jesus saying to me through the messages of Pope Francis?”

Fr. Patrick Keyes, [email protected]

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Leave the Mountain O - Macoupin Countymacoupincatholicchurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/...01 Liguori ublications Liguori, MO 3057-9999 he wants to stay, listen, and learn, Christ