Day: June 24, 2020

6-24-20 Midweek Musings

12th Ordinary Sunday
June 21, 2020
“Trust Instead of Fear”

Jeremiah 20:10-13
Romans 5:12-15
Matthew 10:26-33

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord –

There is one thing for certain that the Corona Pandemic has forced us to do
and that is to assess our priorities. Everyone has been affected by the virus in some way.
Sooner or later most will be exposed to it in some way before herd immunity is finally
achieved.

The economic consequences of the pandemic have touched everyone even if
the virus has not. Consequently, most of us have had to reflect very seriously upon what is
truly necessary for our physical and economic survival and what is not. Moreover, everyone
must come to grips with the shortness and the tenuousness of our physical life on this planet!

Unfortunately, those without faith, belief in God, or hope in an after-life
probably suffer the greatest anxiety. Life here is all that they believe we have. Thus, they
must live as long as they can and stay alive at all costs.

Those with true faith are in an entirely different position – For they know in their
heart of hearts that they are made for something more. Their belief in God helps them to aspire
to the goodness that brings great inner peace even now! And they also trust that God, who is
the Supreme Good, will, ultimately, triumph over the worst evil in the world!

Jeremiah was a prophet whom God sent to change the hearts of the Chosen
People and their leadership five centuries before the coming of Christ. However, with the
exception of only one king, whose reign was short-lived, those in power resisted Jeremiah
and wanted him destroyed. Jeremiah had to be constantly vigilant wherever he was because
of his unsettling message.

Today, Jeremiah praises God because, somehow, God always protected him
and delivered him. In fact, Jeremiah escaped to Egypt and lived in personal spiritual freedom
shortly before Jerusalem was destroyed and the Chosen People exiled to Babylon!

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches us that God has a purpose and a plan
behind everything that happens in our lives and in our world. God can even bring goodness
and salvation despite the evil that often seems rampant everywhere.

Today, Jesus counsels us to fear no one – and we could add: no thing!

God will ultimately triumph. “Nothing is concealed or secret that will not be revealed!”
We are not to fear the political powers or the viruses that can wreak havoc and even kill
our bodies. God knows all and sees all. Just as He knows what happens to the sparrows
in our trees, so, too, He knows us and what happens to us. Furthermore, we have far more
value than the sparrows themselves!

What is paramount for us is that we never break faith with Jesus or with
the Father who sent him. We cannot let fear of the virus or its economic consequences
overpower us or cause us to despair. Very likely, there could be a second, or even a third,
wave of the virus. This could happen before a vaccine is available or herd immunity is
achieved. Nevertheless, no matter what transpires, we must not give up or begin to lose faith.

St. Paul reminds us that death entered the world through our first parents.

They sinned by wanting to be gods themselves. It was not enough for them to be God-like
and created in God’s image. They wanted divine autonomy – to be free from the Godhead –
And for this they brought suffering and death to all of their children!

This temptation to be accountable to no one is the same temptation to which
much of our modern world has succumbed even before these present troubled times.

Moreover, that self-serving arrogance is far worse than the virus itself, because it can kill
our soul and destroy our relationship with God. This is the reason St. Paul reminds us
that although we inherited death from Adam and Eve – we now have eternal life through the
gift of Jesus himself!

And so, Brothers and Sisters, let us never lose heart – God knows all things.

God can bring goodness and salvation even in the face of the seeming power of evil.

May we continue to walk with Jesus no matter what lies ahead. And may our hearts and souls
always embrace God who continues to give divine life to us!

Amen.

June 21, 2020 Msgr. Russell G. Terra
Msgr. Russell G. Terra, Parish Homilies, February 16, 2020
Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Redding, CA

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Dear KAG: 20200624 Open Thread

Let’s see, how has Q inspired us today….

Well, the singer may not need an F-15, but I wouldn’t mind one.

Okay, some travelling music on this journey we call life.

And now for the obligatory message from our sponsors:

Here at the Q tree we believe in the concept of CIVIL open free speech and the discussion that fleshes out ideas. When commenting and participating in the OPEN discussion on this thread all comments MUST NOT CONTAIN personal threats, baiting, name calling, or other anti-social words fomenting hate, violence or destruction. Our host Wolfm00n has strict rules about that.

Fellow tree dweller Wheatie gave us some good reminders on the basics of civility in political discourse:

  1. No food fights.
  2. No running with scissors.
  3. If you bring snacks, bring enough for everyone.

In addition, it is requested that there be no swinging from the chandeliers, celebratory gunfire, messing around with the nuclear weapons, and, please, everyone wash your hands.

Please, do not forget to apply sunscreen after a sensible amount of time in the sun so as to beef up the level of vitamin D in the system.

Please remember to remain locked and loaded and ready for trouble should the insurrectionists try to invade your space.

Those who have things to say that do not fit the generally accepted limits of “civil” discussion, Wolf has provided a venue known as the UTree which is currently going through its water cooler/canteen phase. Please, venture over there for any such thoughts and comments. This sort of thing is always a possibility on that site:

https://youtu.be/1-5SIOKfJfQ

A few other vital notes:

Please, review these rules that our host Wolfm00n outlined toward the beginning of the growth of the tree itself. it won’t take long.

Ridiculing the other side, on the other hand…well….

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IS 49:1-6

Hear me, O coastlands,
listen, O distant peoples.
The LORD called me from birth,
from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.
He made of me a sharp-edged sword
and concealed me in the shadow of his arm.
He made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me.
You are my servant, he said to me,
Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Though I thought I had toiled in vain,
and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,
yet my reward is with the LORD,
my recompense is with my God.
For now the LORD has spoken
who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him
and Israel gathered to him;
and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,
and my God is now my strength!
It is too little, he says, for you to be my servant,
to raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the survivors of Israel;
I will make you a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

As always, prayers for the fight against that which seeks to enslave us are welcome.

Please include: President Donald Trump, the Q team, our soldiers in the field, special forces, tactical units, members of the Cabinet, first responders and those working behind the scenes.

May you live in interesting times…yeah another thing we got from China, a crappy fortune.