FOURTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B
6th & 7th July 2024
Jesus: The Ultimate Prophet and Fulfillment of God’s Promise
A prophet, or a prophetess, is an individual regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God. The mission of a prophet is to communicate God’s will to His people. This mission is not measured by popularity or acceptance but by faithfulness to God’s message. A true prophet proclaims the divine will regardless of whether the message is received or rejected. In today’s Gospel reading from Mark, we see that the people in Jesus’ hometown did not accept Him as a prophet because of their lack of faith (Mark 6:1-6). Despite His wisdom and miraculous works, they were unable to see beyond their familiarity with Him as the carpenter, the son of Mary.
Throughout history, God has communicated with humanity in various ways, including voices, visions, and extraordinary phenomena like the burning bush. Ultimately, God spoke to us through His Son. As the Letter to the Hebrews states, “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:1-3).
Indeed, Jesus is God’s glory, the exact imprint of God’s very being, the Word of God that became flesh and lived among us, the ‘Emmanuel’ – God with us. In Jesus, God humbled Himself to speak to us directly, live among us as one of us, teach us wisdom as our Head, die for us as Savior, and rise again from the dead for our sake. This assures us that God always keeps His promises that He had spoken through His prophets and ambassadors. In Jesus Christ, God has come in person not to abolish the law or the prophets but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17).
Today, we are reminded that everyone who has been baptized and knows the Word of God is also a prophet. As foretold by the prophet Joel, “I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days” (Joel 2:28-29). So, let us remember our noble prophetic mission entrusted to us by God: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18).
Fr. Tien Cao
READINGS AT MASS THIS SUNDAY
THE READINGS AT MASS
FIRST READING • (Ezekiel 2:2-5). The prophet is filled with the power of the Spirit and is commissioned to take a forthright stand in speaking to a troublesome nation.
SECOND READING • (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Paul discloses some of the anguish that plagued him in his personal life under the figure of the thorn in the flesh. After his struggle he is assured of the power of God working in weakness.
GOSPEL • (Mark 6:1-6). The life of Jesus had its disappointments, as his own people refused to entertain the possibility that he had something to say to them
PARISH AND DIOCESAN NEWS AND NOTICES
Hearts Aflame Catholic Summer School: Hearts Aflame is a life-changing experience for young adults aged 18 to 35 who want to know more about their faith, have an authentic encounter with Christ and meet other Catholic young adults from all over New Zealand. Join us this year at Nga Tawa Diocesan School, Marton, from 3rd-12th January 2025! Registrations open 14th July at 2pm: we sell out fast so be in quick! Visit https://www.heartsaflame.org.nz/ to register or find out more.
- Bedding & Linen – Blankets, Sheets and Towels
- Children’s winter clothing
Donations can be dropped to a Vinnies Shop at Stanmore Road, Hornby, or Papanui. Or drop into the Blue Vinnie Bin at one of the Parish Churches https://www.svdpchch.co.nz/cha … or Donate by linking to SVdP give a little page St Vincent De Paul, Christchurch City Area – Givealittle to “Help Us to Help Others
Diocesan Year of Prayer Conference: The Christchurch Diocese is holding a Conference on Saturday July 27th to mark this year. The theme of the conference is “Lord, teach us to pray” and will involve Mass, Prayer, workshops, keynote talks and more. The Conference is being held in Ashburton at the Holy Name Catholic Church and the Sinclair Centre. The cost $59 includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. All are invited to join with Bishop Michael. For more information and to register go to https://cdoc.nz/news-events/pr or contact Matt O’Connell on 366-9869 or moconnell@cdoc.nz
In Twizel: There is a Rosary group that meets at Kathleen and Brian Carpenter’s house every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. Please join them in praying for the parish’s vision: What is the Lord calling OUR Mackenzie Catholic Parish to focus on right now? Spiritual Growth – Community Building – Service and Outreach – Discipleship and Education – Worship and Liturgy – Evangelization – Stewardship?
Please join us in praying for: The happy repose of Fr. Anton McLean, those whose anniversaries occur during this time, especially James Higgins 13th June, Noureen Benzie 17th June, Julie Higgins 26th June, Robert Benzie 5th Oct, and those who have died due to recent natural disasters, and the victims of violence in Gaza and Ukraine.
