Parish Social Ministry

 
Reflections and thoughts for your consideration based on the social teachings of the church for Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
 
Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time            July 9, 2017
Catholic Social Teaching:  Rights and Responsibilities
As human beings, we have a right to live and grow in peace.  Because we have that right, we have the responsibility to make sure others enjoy the same opportunity too.
 
The scriptures today seem to have a strong “counter-cultural” message.
The scriptures challenge us to look at our world and its values in a critical way.
The scriptures invite us to move beyond greed and selfishness and to learn from and connect with others.
 
Our culture seems to value power and control and victory over “the enemy.”  However, the scriptures today give us the image of a savior that comes with humility, without military and economic power, “meek and riding on an ass.”
In a society overwhelmed with many examples of greed and large scale corporate abuse, the scriptures remind us of the virtues inherent in simplicity of life and a gentleness of spirit.
Wealth, control, and domination are not the central values of Jesus Christ.
 
In a world that is choking on greenhouse gases, warming the whole planet, killing the life of the oceans, and consuming all kinds of resources, we are invited to respect our planet and cherish the gifts we have been given by living simply and responsibility.
In a world filled with the weapons of war and spending on the ways of violence, the scriptures speak of a savior who banishes the horse, the chariot and the warrior’s bow.  The scriptures certainly challenge our world which invests so many resources into fighting wars and procuring weapons for war.
In a world where the international trade system and the world economy seem to disadvantage those who have little, we are reminded that “if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”  A focus on wealth and money will certainly “kill” the spirit and freedom of God.
 
The gospel reminds us that this counter-cultural message is a message of liberation and life.  As we let go of all the craziness of our culture, we will find “rest” and finally really be alive.  Then, justice and peace can truly take over.
 
 
Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time                        July 16, 2017
Catholic Social Teaching:  Call to Family, Community, and Participation
We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
 
Today’s readings remind us of the possibilities that can happen as God’s gifts are used well.  Abundance and fruitfulness are possible.  Good things are possible.  We can work together toward the common good.  We can work together toward ending hunger and injustice.
 
Isaiah says that the rain and snow will not return to God until they have watered the earth and made it fertile and fruitful.  The parable of Jesus affirms that a 30 or 60 or 100 fold increase is possible.  To use the image of the second reading, there is a purpose to the groaning and struggling of life.  It all leads to something good.
 
We live in a world that has abundant resources.  The world can provide food and shelter for everyone.  However, some people are very rich and some are very poor.  Some people share in the abundance and some people have almost nothing.  Some people live on a dollar a day and some people have millions of dollars to spend.  Some people eat very well and some have trouble eating once a day.  Some people have electricity and some have none.  Some people have two or more homes.  Some people are homeless.
 
In a world of great possibilities, a just distribution of God’s gifts is the challenge.  God invites us to a responsible sharing of the abundance and a renewal of structures that will give everyone a just opportunity to share in the riches of the world.  We can share the abundance or we can hoard the abundance.  We have a choice.
 
In the gospel parable today the image of the sower is that of one who generously, almost recklessly scatters seeds everywhere.  Grace is abundant.  The goodness of God is abundant.  God’s word is abundant.  The possibilities for the world and its people are numerous and wonderful.  The challenge is to share this abundance responsibly and lovingly.  Some close their eyes or ears or hearts and do not respond to the word.  Chocked by wealth and anxiety, we can close ourselves to the reality of the poor and marginalized of our world.  Shocked by the structures and institutions of our world, we can feel paralyzed.  The world today reminds us that something more is possible.
 
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time                        July 23, 2016
Catholic Social Teaching:  Call to Family, Community, and Participation
We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
 
Today’s scripture deal with the mystery of evil:
+ Evil that shows up growing in the midst of all the good in the world
+ Evil that can choke the good things that we would like to see grow and prosper
+ Evil that can tempt any of us toward violence, greed, and selfishness
+ Evil that can move us to be concerned about our group’s good and not the common good
 
Today’s scripture, especially the parable of the weeds and the wheat, reminds us that God looks on this world with all its problems with compassion, love, and patience, not panic, hatred, and violence.  God invites us to look on the world in the same way and act accordingly.
+ Jesus models reconciliation and healing.
+ Welcoming the stranger and refugee is the way of Jesus.
+ Active solidarity with the poor is the way of Jesus.
+ Jesus believes that change, growth, conversion and reform are all possible.
 
People in the wealthier half of the world, can be tempted to look on the other half with an attitude of judgment and even condemnation – much like the servants who want to rip out what they think are weeds right away.  People in one culture can look at people in a different culture with the same critical and rash judgment.  We can condemn and destroy or we can work together toward understanding, reconciliation and peace.
 
We are invited to discover and learn and grow as a community.
 
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time                        July 30, 2017
Catholic Social Teaching:  Call to Family, Community, and Participation
We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
 
What would you ask for if you were Solomon?
Solomon in today’s first reading seems to be free enough not to ask for a long life, or riches, or the life of his enemies.  We hear this prayer of King Solomon, asking for wisdom, compassion, a discerning heart, and good judgment.  He asked for all of this because he desires to be a wise king, loyal to the Commandments of God.  When he does this, God responds and grants his request.  The teachings of Jesus are meant to lead us to liberation from greed, selfishness, and violence.  They are to be a source of life and liberation for the whole world, especially the poor.  The parables of Jesus invite us to focus on what is really most important and not get distracted by all the other desires and confusions.
 
As Christians we realize that God has given us great gifts, and we are called to use them.  In using those gifts, we also understand that God will respond with even more gifts.  Eventually, working together, God giving and our acceptance, we are led to a place prepared for us.
 
In his Letter to the Romans, St. Paul wrote to the community in order to encourage them to ensure that their lives were examples of the gifts that they had received.  The members of the community, surrounded by the paganism of Rome, realized the difficulty up against which they struggled.  At the same time, they must have also realized that the words preached to them brought real power.
 
In the gospel parable today the merchant gets excited about finding the perfect pearl.  The finder of the lost treasure does everything to buy the field.
 
Do we get excited about the social teaching of the church?
 
Some have referred to Catholic Social Teaching as the Church’s “best kept secret.”
 
We could call it a “pearl of great price” and a “found treasure.”
---Education for Justice   Lectionary R eflections   Fr. John Bucki, S.J.
 

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