Smile!

Disabling Jesus

SUNDAY HOMILIES FOR YEAR B

By Fr Munachi E. Ezeogu, cssp

Homily for 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time - on the Gospel

Home > Homilies > Year B > Sunday 14 Epistle

Ezekiel 2:2-5

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Mark 6:1-16

An old man is wondering if his wife had a hearing problem. So one night, while his wife is sitting in her lounge chair, he goes behind her and says softly to her, “Honey, can you hear me?” He gets no response. He moves a little closer and says again, “Honey, can you hear me?” Still, he gets no response. Finally he moves right next her and said, “Honey, can you hear me?” This time she looks up with surprise in her eyes and replies, “For the third time, Henry, Yes, I can hear you!” Who has the hearing problem now, the man or his wife? We are all too ready to blame the other person for a breakdown in communication when all the time we ourselves might be principally responsible for the situation. In today’s gospel we read of a serious breakdown in communication between Jesus and his townspeople. It was so serious that Jesus was literally unable to perform any miracles there. “And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.” (Mark 6:5).

This is one of the most shocking statements in all the Gospels – that Jesus could not perform miracles. Not that he would not but that he simply could not. Is anything impossible with Jesus? Today’s gospel says yes. It is impossible for Jesus to perform miracles in a situation where there is no faith. Jesus could do all things and wants to do all things for his people. But he needs our faith to release his power. Remember last week’s gospel of the woman with the flow of blood. Many people were touching and pushing against Jesus. Nothing happened because they did not touch with faith. But as soon as the woman of faith touches him, healing power comes out of Jesus. As all-powerful as Jesus is, we have the capacity to disable him by our lack of faith. Faith is like a switch that turns God on, lack of faith turns God off.

The people of Nazareth took offence at Jesus for his inability to perform miracles among them. Do you sometimes wonder at God’s silence and apparent inactivity in a world or corruption and injustice? But the really amazing thing, as far as Jesus is concerned, is the lack of faith among his people. “And he was amazed at their unbelief” (Mark 6:6). When we blame God for doing nothing while we suffer all things here below, does God perhaps blame us for our unbelief that has made it impossible for Him to act?

Why did his people not believe in him? Jesus says it is because “Prophets are not without honour, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house” (Mark 6:4). An equivalent modern saying would be, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” The people of Nazareth thought they knew everything there was to know about Jesus. They knew his family and educational background, and they were not impressed. People who are late converts often do better than old timers in the faith because there is a tendency among old timers to think that they know everything there is to know about the faith. This becomes an obstacle hindering us from experiencing the mercy and power of God, which is offered anew each day through the same old pastor, the same old preaching, the same old sacraments. Familiarity does indeed breed contempt. But today’s gospel challenges us to strive everyday to discover the new something that God is offering us through the same old and familiar channels.

Finally, a word about the brothers of Jesus who are here mentioned by name. For Catholics and other Christians who believe in the perpetual virginity of Mary before and after the birth of Jesus, this may raise a problem. Briefly we can say that (1) in Aramaic as in most African languages, the word “brother” has a much wider usage than in the English language, designating not only siblings but also half-brothers, cousins and other close blood relationships. (2) Scripture in no place refers to these “brothers of Jesus” as sons of Mary. If Mary had other children why would the dying Jesus bequeath her to his disciple John (John 19:26-27). (3) Some of the people mentioned here as brothers of Jesus – James and Joses – are elsewhere mentioned as sons of another woman, also called Mary, who provided for Jesus (Mark 15:40). Remember that Mark is trying to show us how mistaken the people of Nazareth were in thinking they knew everything about Jesus when in fact they did not really know him. We should know better.

Today’s gospel is a sad story of people who met Jesus and left without a blessing. As we meet Jesus today in his word and in the sacraments let us resolve not to leave without a blessing. Let us renew our faith in him.

Reference: http://www.munachi.com/b/sundayb14.htm

The Good Shepherd

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

“The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” John 10:11-18

Happy Independence day!

July 4th is Independence day in the USA. A lot of fireworks today.

Beautiful Wisdom

When you were born, you were crying, and everyone around you was smiling.

Live such a life so that when you die, you are the one smiling and everyone around you crying.

Blessings

Bro Stan

Posted by Bro. Venance

Mental Illness workshops

NCPD (National Catholic Partnership on Disability) Council on Mental Illness will be holding awareness workshops at three locations in July: Hyattsville, MD (July 11); Chicago, IL (July 21); Portland, OR (July 24).
The Mental Illness Workshops will introduce Catholic diocesan personnel, pastoral leaders, and parishioners to the issue of severe and persistent mental illness and will provide them with tools and resources to further the welcome, support, and involvement of individuals with mental illness and their families in the life of the faith community.

For more information on how to attend click here

By J.C

Bumper Sticker Qoutes

"Growing old is Mandatory; Growing up is Optional."

"I may be slow but I'm ahead of you!"

Amazing Grace

Perpetual Vows Course And Retreat

The Retreat House: Griya Samadhi Vinsensius (GSV) Jl. Raya Gemplak 2 – Prigen – 67157, Jawa Timur - Indonesia
Telp: 0343-881516, Fax: 0343-880984. Contact Person: Rm. Antonius Sad Budianto CM (antonsad@gmail.com), Bro. Philemon Sunarto CM (Batang_tarang@yahoo.com), & Sr. Sebastiana KYM (Sebastina_kym@yahoo.co.id)

A Nice Grotto

Evening Prayer & Mass

Evening Prayer & Mass

Conference

Group’s Discussion & Sharing

We’re One Big Happy Family

As a long tradition in our Rama Sandjaja Region, a brother who will make his perpetual vows, in a normal condition, has to go through a long retreat. Bro. Bartolomeus and I joined 21 others religious women and men from various congregations and secular institution. We’re seven congregations and one secular institution in total, which belong to The Vincentian Family Tree (http://famvin.org/). The retreat house, located in Pandaan District of East Java Province, is run by “Congregatio Missionis”, the congregation which was founded by St. Vincent De Paul. So we were there for the whole month of May.

Probably, by thinking of thirty-one days retreat, for some, can cause early psychic. Gee….what do those people do? The retreat was not just about seating and listening a conference and then meditating, but more fun than that—enjoyable in Bere’s term.

We had so many activities going on over there, such as following conferences, meditating, experiencing several types of prayers, group’s discussion, sharing, outing, live in and social analysis, personal guidance, social evening, sport, and of course without forgetting our basic needs: eating and sleeping. There’s enough time for everything.

We had five main formators from different educational backgrounds and different congregations, as well. Besides them, we had also various guest speakers both from religious background and lay people.

Our main focus on conference was deepening our understanding regarding St. Vincent’s spirituality; and using the information to question ourselves in the matter of our position in this vocation we have been going through for several years. We say: the poor is our master, but then we question ourselves, what do we mean by the poor? How is our relationship to the poor? What’s the best way to bring Christ’s good news to the poor in our real situation? I could create a long litany of questions until I ended up questioning myself: what’s the purpose of I’m being created, and for what reason I’m still staying in this congregation?

I found something which makes me stronger, and I will not tell you for now. Still inside “On Going Formation Suitcase.” Thank you for reading. God Bless Us All.

Sport

Togetherness In Any Style

Togetherness With Free Style

Social Evening

Outing

Social Evening - Farewell

Farewell Mass At The Grotto

For More Interesting & Funny Pictures, Just Click:

http://picasaweb.google.co.id/Bere.Scott

Or Album

http://picasaweb.google.co.id/Bere.Scott/KursusRetreatPersiapanKaulKekalKevin#

Peace & Love,
Bere Scott

The Joy of Restored Friendship!

Discalced Carmelite Friar on Mission in Africa.

On Parenting

In a small town in Spain, a man named Jorge had a bitter argument with his young son Paco. The next day Jorge discovered that Paco's bed was empty-he had run away from home.
Overcome with remorse, Jorge searched his soul and realized that his son was more important to him than anything else. He wanted to start over. Jorge went to a well known store in the center of town and posted a large sign that read, "Paco come home. I love you. Meet me here tomorrow morning."
The next morning Jorge went to the store, where he found no less than seven young boys named Paco who had also run away from home. They were all answering the call for love, each hoping that it was his dad inviting him home with open arms.
© A 3rd Serving of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Posted by Br.Venance

BRUMI FC United & RKY

I couldn’t post this sharing on time. I was covered with so many things. So here we are with this late news. Hope you can still enjoy it

BRUMI FC United & RKY

The gathering of Indonesian Young Brothers (BRUMI FC United, 25-26 April, took place in Yogyakarta community. Seven young brothers were present, except Bro. Jodianus who couldn’t come due to his school business. Yogyakarta community has nine brothers and three postulants. They take care for a Kindergarten, an Elementary school, a Junior High School, and a Drug Addict Rehabilitation Center (Rehabilitasi Kunci Yogyakarta: RKY). RKY is the youngest unit in this community.

First Session: Bro. Apolonaris as the moderator explained to guest brothers the process of administration work in RKY

We started our gathering at 04.30 p.m. The topic of our Saturday gathering was “A Good Administration” This topic was the continuation of our previous gathering in Purworejo community last month. The first session of our activities was visiting RKY office. Bro. Apolonaris Setara is the Director of this Rehabilitation Center. He works together with Bro. Honorius, Bro. Patrisius Candra, Bro. Nicholas Rio Alyandu, and other lay-workers. Among the four brothers in RKY, Bro. Apolonaris is the only full-time working brother, because the three other brothers are still studying at University. (Bro. Honorius for Nursing; Bro. Rio for Special Education Teacher; and Bro. Candra for Philosophy) During this first session, all young brothers in RKY explained in detail whatever they do daily, especially regarding administration. For instance: how do they file each letter? How do they deal with resident’ files? How do they manage incoming fund and the whole expenses? and so forth. They even allowed us to see their bank account. As we promised at the first meeting some months ago, we try to be open to each other. Every guest brother is free to question the brothers who work in RKY. The host brothers are still far from perfect, but they try their best toward better administrators.

Bro. Polykarpus Manao asked for a clarification

It’s a very good thing if we try to be open at least to our brothers who work together with us regarding administration. There are so many advantages we can get by using this system. For example, imagine if the director of one unit of our apostolic dies suddenly, or he lefts the congregation; in this case the other brothers can have clearer view to handle the apostolic. This system also can reduce unacceptable behavior of some tempters in using money. Above all, it’s good in accordance to an administration manner. Reducing unilateralist or single-fighter, indeed!

Second Session: Sharing & giving feedback

After our evening meal and prayer, we continued the session with sharing. The first part of this session was letting the host brothers shared their experiences dealing with their daily life in RKY. Then the second part was our turn to give comment regarding their work. We could give them our fraternal insides, advices, or even critics. We closed our Saturday gathering with community recreation and then night prayer at 10.30 p.m. (Saturday night schedule. Other days brothers in Yogyakarta community say their night prayer at 10.00 p.m.)

Following Mass at Wonosari Parish Church

The next day, we hit the road at 5.30 a.m toward Wonosari-Gunung Kidul Parish Church. Gunung Kidul is one of left-behind regencies in Yogyakarta Province, economically. We don’t have our apostolic in this regency. We took one hour driving to reach this hilly-place. After Mass, we greeted some parishioners and introduced ourselves as the BRUMI FC. Bro. Candra was busy giving FC stickers to some young parishioners. We hope by spreading those stickers more and more young people know our congregation; thanks to God if one day, one or two of them choose to live with us. Amen. Can somebody shout a great Alleluia, please? Thanks for doing so.

Enjoy a snap with young parishioners

Brumi FC with Parish Priest

Most of land in Wonosari area is covered with stones. The farmers have to remove the stones first, and then planting

After Mass we hit the road toward Tritis Cave. Oh….God, I don’t have enough courage getting closer to You. Help!

We left the Church toward Tritis Cave; just some miles from Wonosari Parish Church. This cave was “rediscovered” by a small boy in 1972. The keeper told us the story of this cave. In December 1972 their parish priest wished to build a place to honor our Lady Mary. While shepherding his goats very deep into forest, the young herdsman saw a cave covered badly with some big trees and underbrush. It was completely covered. He had courage as a small boy peeping through a small space between that luxuriant underbrush. He immediately reported to his parish priest by saying: “You don’t have to build anything, I found a cave” Since then, this place has been crowded by thousands devotees. We said our rosary at this wonderful place. It’s not only Catholic people who come to this cave, but also other followers and believers who believe in our Mother Mary. According to the keeper, an Ustad (a term of address for a male Islam teacher) once came to this cave meditating for three days and three nights because he believes in Mary through their Holy Book.

Tritis Cave – Wonosari

After praying Rosary, we returned to Yogyakarta Community: Some brothers were enjoying the journey and singing all the way back home. Take Me Home Country Roads. Thanks Bro. Rio for being a very excellent driver

What’s next? We drove back toward Yogyakarta city. Of course, we looked for a restaurant on the way to refill our energy. It was Bere Scott’s Traditional Food Restaurant (Dog Meat and Pork cooked with lots of very pungent chili and other types of peppers). Do you agree that Praying-Working-Eating is another form of “trinity”? Then the guest brothers, including Bere Scott, said goodbye around 3.30 p.m. and returned to our each community. Home Sweet Home!

On behalf of all Indonesian Young FC (BRUMI FC United) we say thank you for reading our long story. May God Bless You All.

Peace & Love,
Bere Scott.

Charting With The Constitution Of The Brothers Of Charity - Part II

NUMBER FOURTEEN

There are good people who have seen the work we do. With all sincerity they have decided to work with us without necessarily professing the vows of Chastity, Obedience and Poverty. They want to share in our chrism their life with those of whom we dedicated our lives for, the mentally sick, Deaf and dumb, youths, the old… Their desire to bear witness to God’s love among the poor is a gift from God and as such must be respected and they must be helped to understand that their sentiments are not purely human but that God has spoken to them through the events in their lives. They are not us but they are certainly part of us.

NUMBER FIFTEEN

Belief in the resurrection of every man is the underlying concept of every brother of charity. When we meet people stereotyped by society and condemned to an inhuman life, we have to challenge this injustice by accepting these people in charity and give them a pleasant life. Since every human being whether lame or not, sick or not sick we are of the same origin, we have nothing to fear but can count on the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing whatsoever shall stop a brother of charity from responding to misery. We struggle together with those who struggle with life and give meaning to their lives by uniting their suffering with the passion of Christ but most of all to lift out from where life and circumstances have put. To set the captives free is not to leave them in prison or sit with them in prison. Our Messiah suffered but he triumphed over suffering and this is an aspect we sometimes forget to emphasise. Jesus Christ did not remain in suffering he endured it but he also fought it and won the fight when he resurrected. With the grace of God we get the courage to carry the sufferings of the people of God and offer them to our triumphant messiah. These are not issues to understand with a purely human mind.

SIXTEEN

By serving the most unfortunate, those who are without hope we get closer and closer to the Kingdom of Heaven. Even though some people are not like the majority of the population i.e. mentally, physically, socially, economically they still have a call to live; they can contribute to the world. They have something to teach the world. They can only become a burden if we don’t accept and love them. But once we do accept them and dare to begin loving them, then we can realize how much life is in them. There are things they can not do but there are many other things they can do that some of us can not; this we some of us have witnessed.

The kingdom of God is found in the situations of our lives, in the people we meet on the streets and those we live with especially in those whose names and faces have been forgotten because they can not talk, see, walk or do not think the way we want them to think. The kingdom is in the here and now…

SEVENTEEN

In my struggle to share I human existence I realise that I can not do everything there is to do in this world. There are things which I can not do but which can be done by others. I do not have the monopoly of ideas and neither are others. We are a necessary part of each other. When I am faced with a challenge, I can decide to face it and try to solve it or I can simply run away from it. The easiest of course is to run away but as a brother of charity I am compelled to face the challenges and this in an amicable and charitable way. This must always be for the good of humanity and in accordance with the message of the Bible, in the chrism of the congregation and though the congregation. It is only when one begins to obey that he can say he is free.

EIGHTEEN

To say yes to life is to be able to live our life in joy and in sorrow and always optimistic. Moments of despair makes us even stronger in faith. The ups and downs of life are not supposed to lead us into the abyss of self pity instead they must always give us a glimpse of the eternal bliss we are all looking for.

Life is a free gift from the creator; we are to live it freely as it has been given. “You received without paying, give without charge.” There is nothing on earth which has a value which is more than human life, therefore, the primary obligation is to respect and preserve human life no matter how disfigured. This is obeying God, a life of charity not in words. One must be able to let go of his best things and hobbies like our drinking wine in our rooms, gossip, personal computers, refrigerators in our rooms, posts as directors, regional superior, and car mention but a few in preference for human life.

If clinging to these things and habits results in the termination or at least stops one from serving and saving human life then it is only proper to prefer human life to them.

NINETEEN

Since Christ is the visible image of the invisible God, we can say in Christ we find the fullness of God himself. Christ said it simple that “He who has seen me has seen my Father and he who obeys my commands, obeys the one who sent me.”

It is clear that he is a manifestation of God and he is God indeed. His words were always followed with action. What he preached, he lived and what he lived, he preached. In the eyes of Christ people had the same dignity and a right to exist that is why we find him healing the sick, breading the barriers that were built between the poor and the rich, the sinners and those who canonized themselves as living saints the sin into which most of us fall.

What was for Caesar he gave to Caesar and what belonged to God, he gave back to God. Life is of God, therefore, it has to be cared for, served and saved. This is exactly what we see Jesus doing and we can say this is the will of the Father. We do not see Jesus going round telling people how nice and saintly his acts are on the contrary its people who proclaim the good news of Jesus.

For the love of humanity Jesus accepted to carry the bundle of all our iniquities. Who can understand this foolishness? Not with our human mind only.

God has remained faithful even when he was scourged, insulted, belittled; Jesus could only say I love you. He could have avoided this incidence but he proves to us that true liberty sometimes entails shouldering painful responsibilities for the sake of the neighbour.

TWENTY

When we work for the salvation of souls, then it is right to say we are working and doing God’s will. But it is not just doing God’s will; we are doing God’s will within a structured organisation called the church but also with a group of people of God. We are determined to respond to the needs of the people of God and the global village at large.

Through pastoral care those entrusted to us shall be a priority. We are to surround them with nothing but love, limitless loves especially their souls. Why their sours? Because we do not like and love them because they are handsome or beautiful further, we do not hate them because they are ugly, or because they have a human soul. This therefore becomes our reasons for our acts and our motivation.

We can succeed in doing this only when we do this as a community; remain docile to the message of the one we claim to be following and the paraclate. The message of Christ can be in what my confrere is saying. It can also be in what we decide as a community or what the community decides without me. This entails that one must be able to express oneself but most of all, listen actively.

TWENTYONE

Failing to obey or refusing to obey the superior is an insult not only to the community and the congregation as a whole, but also to oneself. Since superiors are entrusted with the responsibilities of safeguarding the values of the community, when we refuse to obey them we refuse to do what the community values most, that which brought one the same community. Laughing at what one believes in is not only an insult to self but also a sign that one does not know what he is doing. Superiors are representatives of the community and above this of God. In obeying them one obeys the community to which he belongs which means he obeys himself at the same time and he obeys God. This is said notwithstanding the weaknesses of our being human. It means there are moments when the superior may be wrong question is how do we correct them? Not easy a task.

TWENTYTWO

One can obey only if he has trust in his superiors and other brothers. This trust is matured trust which entails that one will be able to shoulder the responsibilities of his daily life. Such responsibility asks of one a creative mind, true care, and a presence which is not static but always bringing fresh air in the community. This dynamism entails a watchful eye, always on guard on the challenges of our global village and the needs of the people of God together with our brothers in faith.

In giving ourselves to the world we in turn give the world to God. This makes our gift a perfect sacrifice. In giving our lives to the service of the world, we imitate the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life to save the whole human race.

TWENTYTHREE

The good news is full of images of charity. Love for the neighbour seems to be a theme that is repeated time and again. Adherence to the message of love especially of those who are not able to cope up with the challenges of life, economically, physically, psychologically, socially, intellectually and otherwise entails that we have chosen for God. When we choose to remain with such then we have chosen the Lord, and we struggle to re-live what Christ told us to do and showed us by his way of life. Christ ate with tax collectors, prostitutes, Jews just to mention but a few, society did not expect him to be found with such people but he sat and talked with them anyway. Where he was not expected to be found there he went.

Pharisees did not understand him; sometimes even his own disciples found it hard to accept his ways but for Jesus service and charity were stronger than seeking understanding. This is what we commit ourselves to, serving the ‘poor of Yahweh’ especially where all hope has been lost. We shall face a lot of oppositions but does it matter? ‘The Lord is my shepherd there is nothing I shall fear.’

TWENTYFOUR

Jesus Christ was preoccupied by nothing else than to do the will of the Father. Each and every act that he did was for the glory of God. He found his liberty in doing/obeying the will of the Father. As long as he was able to do the will of the Father, he remained a happy man. Is this not the true liberty we are all seeking?
Only those who are able to obey are truly free.

Since we are the plenipotentiaries of God, like Jesus we must be preoccupied with one thing, to do the will of the Father. Through our superiors the will of the father is expressed. Therefore, when we obey, we are working in solidarity with the risen Lord. Through obedience the spirit takes over and frees us from our pride. We realize that we do not exist for ourselves. We do not come from ourselves and are not going to ourselves. We belong to God and are going to Him through the service of our neighbour.

It’s only when we are able to take the responsibilities set before us that we can dare to utter that we are the envoys of Christ. Our liberty must lead us to a truly happy life. If we are not able to take up our responsibilities, then we shall never be happy.

TWENTYFIVE

He who has God has all. We realize that we have natural abilities in us. When we look around us we see that we have people who can not see, others can not speak, and another group can not think the way we do. They are very slow; still others have no legs, hands etc. Then we realise that we have received much indeed. Sometimes we wonder why we gave been so blessed with all the gifts that others do not have. The have not been given to us for nothing. We have to go and use them. Those who have not hands find help in those who have them; we have to give them a hand. We become eyes, legs, mouth of all those who do not have them.

Those who have been blessed with a rich personality can only build and perfect it through service. Not just any kind of service but always service in charity. In so doing we become fruitful in the world. No one can steal charity from me if I have it its mine and can only share it. No thief can steal my generosity or my virtues. No thief can steal the poor from me and the love that I give them. Since I posses no material things (only what I need) then I can say I posses everything.


The Previous Part I: No. 1-13:
http://brothersofcharity.blogspot.com/2009/04/charting-with-constitutions-of-brothers.html

Peace & Love
Bro. Constantino Kaunda FC

Trivial quotes and prayer

" Life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer it gets to the end the faster it goes." Unknown


“Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.” Unknown

"Oh Lord help me to be the person my dog thinks I am." Unknown

It is not only in Indonesia....!

A young man prepares a dog meat for BBQ in one small village in Tanzania. Globalization?

Posted by Br.Venance.

Peace of mind

A great means to preserve continual peace of mind is to receive everything from the hands of God, both great and small. S. Dorotheus

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Salvation is free,....but discipleship will cost you your life."