ORDINARY TIME 23 | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 | PHILEMON 9-10, 12-17 | LUKE 14:25-33

Reflection by Sr. Theresa Fox, OP

Behind today’s second reading are three people who were confronted with a difficult decision.  Because they had decided to become a follower of Jesus they had to face the reality of what his words really meant in their lives.  Jesus’ teachings forced them to face issues that they probably would not have chosen.

Paul wrote the letter to Philemon when he was in prison.  It is about a runaway slave Paul met and converted.  Onesimus wasn’t just any slave.  He was a slave to Philemon; Philemon was a friend of Paul’s and a Christian.  Paul is sending Onesimus back to his owner.  Paul must have thought and prayed long and hard before making that decision.  Read the Letter to Philemon and you can see the love Paul has for Onesimus.  Why would he have him go back to his slave owner?

Then there is Onesimus.  He had escaped from a life of slavery.  He was free from physical bondage.  Now Paul is challenging him.  Don’t be on the run.  You will always be looking over your shoulder.  To be true to Christ means you have to be true to yourself.  Did being a Christian mean that he had to give up his freedom and own up to his past?  He had no idea what he would encounter when he returned to his master.  By law Philemon could do whatever he wished with a runaway slave – even have him executed.

Then there is the struggle Philemon had.  Slavery was acceptable in his world.  It wasn’t until 1800 years later that Christians and society really began to see slavery as evil.  Paul encouraged Philemon to accept Onesimus not as a slave but as a brother.  According to the social order Philemon had lost a valuable possession and could use it any way he wished when it was returned.  Now Paul wants him to treat Onesimus not as a possession but as a brother.  It was unheard of.  Then what if his other slaves wanted to be baptized?  Shouldn’t they be freed too?  What does it mean to follow Jesus?

Each of us is called to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to help others to do the same.  That and only that is our purpose as Christians.  Yes, we have chosen to do that in this community, within the context of the Catholic Church, but it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that must be central to everything we do and say.

What about you?  How is Jesus calling you to live the Gospel?  What is the hardest thing to accept about the teachings of Jesus – not the hardest thing to accept in the church – but the most difficult Gospel teaching.  What is getting in the way of accepting that teaching?

Today’s Gospel tells us to sit down and consider the cost of being a follower of Jesus. A couple of examples of people calculating the cost of a venture are used.  Only after the cost is calculated should the project begin.  Even then there will be unforeseen problems.  Each time we encounter a new issue or a nagging problem we know we have to recommit ourselves to the project.  We have already committed ourselves to living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Where are we in this project?  Are there some issues that we ignore hoping they might go away?  Or we’ll deal with them next year?

Living out the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for the faint hearted or the weak.  It is only for those who will face life head on and grapple with the Gospel.  And that’s not easy.  But that is what we have been called to do by our baptism.  That is what being a Christian really means.

Posted in News, Weekly Word

Celebrate the Season of Creation: A Prayer Service for September 11

September 1 begins the annual celebration of the Season of Creation, a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home. As part of our observance of the Season of Creation, the Eco-Justice Committee is providing special services that you can use in your own parish or private worship. We are grateful to Sister Barbara Kane, OP, for writing this week’s service.

Season of Creation
Second Sunday – September 11, 2022

Introductory Comments
The scriptures of the second Sunday challenge the idolatry of wealth and consumption in today’s world while assuring us of God’s forgiveness and readiness to welcome our return, what Pope Francis has called our “Integral ecological conversion.” And they point us toward the mission that God is offering us despite our past destructive lifestyles.

A reading from Exodus (32:7-11, 13-14)

  • The golden calf is an apt symbol for the destructive sinfulness of these times that threatens the planet and all who call it home. What is it that we ‘worship’ that might disregard and sacrifice poor and marginalized peoples, nature, and the web of life?

Responsorial Psalm 51:3-4,12-13,17,19

R I will rise and go to my Father.

  • Can we trust that God will accept our broken and contrite hearts?

A reading from St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy (1:2-17)

  • Paul acknowledges his destructive actions before his conversions but thanks God for God’s mercy and that God chose him for mission to show how great God’s patience and mercy are for us. Can we acknowledge what we have done to hurt creation? What mission might God be calling us to?


A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (15:1-32)
 

  • The Pharisees criticize Jesus because he “welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Jesus does that because his mission is to embody God’s love and forgiveness. How do we embody God’s love and forgiveness for creation and all marginalized people?

 

Music Selections – optional

E – Entrance | O – Offertory | C – Communion | D – Dismissal

E – Sing to the Mountains (OCP)
O – For the Beauty of the Earth (Folliet S. Pierpoint)
C – Shepherd Me, O God (GIA)
D – Canticle of the Sun (GIA)

Click to download and print a PDF of this service.

Posted in News, Peace & Justice Blog

Dominican Sisters of Peace Direction Statements

Every six years, the Dominican Sisters of Peace come together to discern and affirm the commitments of the Congregation – the statements that define who we are and how we will preach within God’s will. We are happy to share our new Directional Statements with you and ask for your prayer as we continue to build peace in our world.

 

To download a PDF of the poster shown above, click here.

To download a PDF of the Direction Statements prayer card, click here.

To download a copy of the Direction Statement Prologue and Statements as an 8.5″ x 11″ flyer, click here. 

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Celebrate the Season of Creation: A Prayer Service for September 4

September 1 begins the annual celebration of the Season of Creation, a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. During the Season of Creation, we join our sisters and brothers in the ecumenical family in prayer and action for our common home. As part of our observance of the Season of Creation, the Eco-Justice Committee is providing special services that you can use in your own parish or private worship.

Season of Creation

First Sunday – September 4, 2022

Introductory Comments

Today is the first Sunday in the Season of Creation, the time set aside by the church to both celebrate the gift of all God’s creation in our Common Home and reflect on our role in caring for it

This year’s theme is a strong call to “Listen to the Voice of Creation”. We know, only too well, that we are at a crucial time for our common home with both climate change and biodiversity loss already impacting the lives of many peoples, their livelihoods and all life.

Let us continue to pray together and ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us as we begin our

Celebration of the Season of creation and take steps, no matter how small, to live in harmony with all of God’s creation, as we learn to walk more gently on God’s ‘holy ground’.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 18:1-11

  • How can we change our ways so as to be more pleasing to God?

 

Responsorial Psalm 139: 1-6; 13-18

R For so many marvels, I thank you!

  • Can we trust in God and pray with joy and thanksgiving?

A reading from the Letter to Philemon 1-21

  • Can you welcome someone once gone but now returned and changed from before?

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke14: 25-33

  • What must I still give up to more fully follow Jesus?

 

Music Selections – optional

E – entrance | O – Offertory | C – Communion | D – Dismissal

E – We Gather Together To Ask The Lords Blessing
O – Fairest Lord Jesus
C – I Am the Bread of Life
D – All Creatures of Our God and King

 

Click here to download and print a PDF of this document. 

 

Posted in News, Peace & Justice Blog

Prove It!

Sr. Pat Thomas, OP
Blog by Sr. Pat Thomas, OP

There was a posting the other day on Facebook and it read, “The Federal Government is not worthy of our trust.” Sooooo, what is worthy of our trust?

Every system and institution that this country has come to rely upon is broken, damaged and dysfunctional on a whole lot of levels. I think I could count on one hand the number of people who would question this assertion. I don’t even think those “1%ers” that we used to hear so much about feel they are really on solid ground anymore.

As Dominicans, we know that looking at the signs of the times helps us to create our ministries and break open the Word more effectively. Today the signs we are seeing are beyond anything we might have ever expected in this “powerful” country. It has become more and more apparent that that “power” has been derived from some pretty disgraceful actions in the cause of expansion and wealth to a few.

I believe that, at least for Dominicans, we must advocate for human dignity if nothing else. If we can be successful in that advocacy, more and more systems will be impacted, broken down and repaired, not with band aids but with solid Gospel teaching. Most of us born before the 60s have leaned heavily on the Judeo portion of our Judeo-Christian foundation. So eye for an eye is the acceptable way to treat anyone who has offended us in some way. The Christian portion is hard to actualize because it seems so weak: love your neighbor, turn the other cheek; that just doesn’t do it for us. We are powerful and those kinds of actions make us look weak. And besides, look what happened to Jesus when he tried to live like that. He died!

Are a lot of us stuck on Good Friday and wallow in the suffering Jesus? We can prove the death, but how do we prove the Resurrection? That’s on us. We can prove it. Our actions could be all the proof that someone needs to believe there is hope; there is possibility; there is life in the midst of all the brokenness.

Posted in News, Weekly Word