Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

As you know it’s the year of Mark and now we are back onto the readings of Mark – after 5 weeks of being on John and his Eucharistic teachings.

So today we hear about another encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees. The words Pharisee means the separatists because they segregated themselves from other Jews. They saw themselves as above the rest.

They try and put Jesus down and make him look like a bad Jew for not observing all the minutia of the laws they had made. So Jesus calls them Hypocrites. Or actors. In other words they wore a mask and were not authentic.

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Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

You rarely get a straight answer with Jesus. And quite often he will answer your question with another question.

Or else he won’t answer your question directly but answer the deeper question that you really should be asking - and that you know you really are asking if you think about it.

“Rabbi – when did you come here?” They were expecting him to say something like “Oh about half an hour ago actually” But instead he says:

“I tell you most solemnly, you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat. Do not work for food that cannot last, but work for food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you, for on him the Father, God himself, has set his seal.”

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Sixteenth Sunday on Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

This passage is set after the disciples returned from their mission of preaching and healing. They were eager to share their experiences with Jesus but were also exhausted from their strenuous work. Jesus recognised their need for rest and invited them to come away with Him to a quiet place.

This setting helps us understand two aspects of Jesus' ministry: His compassion and His recognition of our need for rest.

The disciples were so busy with their ministry activities that they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus’ invitation to "come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" is a gentle reminder that we need to take time to rest and recharge.

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Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

Today Jesus instructs his disciples how to travel in order to be able to spread his word and message of the kingdom of heaven.

It’s as if he is preparing them for a flight somewhere. He says don’t take any extra baggage. He wants them to be unhindered. Or pay the price.

He describes to them what they should and shouldn’t take. He wants them to trust in his providence. To take extra luggage is to show a lack of faith in the one who sent you - in God.

This reminds all of us that we are not actually permanent residents here on earth. We all have a Visa from God for a certain period of time.

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Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

Jesus had been home for a few days and as was the family tradition attended synagogue on the Sabbath. It was not permitted for just anyone to teach. You have to have had some training.

Normally a trainee Rabbi would be an apprentice of a well known and respected Rabbi. However Jesus was recognized as competent and allowed to speak for a few minutes.

The people in the synagogue were amazed at Jesus teaching. They all thought they knew who he was. What he said appeared to them to have genuine insight; it would have been clear and straight forward, honest and open. Those who listened did so with their hearts and were open to Jesus words. Yet many still didn’t accept him.

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Solemnity of Ss Peter and Paul, Apostles

Fr Dominic’s Homily

Today we remember the Apostles Peter and Paul. Both were martyred in Rome in the first century it is thought on the actual same day. They worked for the spread of the gospel, not only to the people of Israel, but to all the nations as well. They risked their lives in the process for which they were eventually martyred. As Paul stated in his second letter to Timothy, they courageously fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

So were St Peter and St Paul heroes? Let’s start with Peter. St Peter is not really the model of a wise and noble hero. He professes faith in Jesus one minute and then blunders into error the next. He refuses to have his feet washed, and then, when the purpose is explained to him, wants to be washed all over. He walks on the water – but then panics and starts to sink. And, of course, he betrays Jesus soon after promising that he never will.

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Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

The Sea of Galilee is actually a freshwater lake and is about thirteen miles long, seven miles wide but only 150 feet deep, and because it is surrounded by mountains, it is susceptible to sudden storms. So it can be calm one minute and violent the next.

That’s the way life is too! One minute you can be enjoying fair weather and the next minute you find yourself in the middle of a terrible storm. But this shouldn’t surprise us. The Bible says that the storms will always come our way.

The disciples were frightened by the severity of this storm. The boat is rocking and is full of water and they are afraid it is about to sink.

It was a violent storm and it was night time too so they could not see how close they were to the shore or the other ships around them. They were in great danger, and they feared for their lives.

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Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

Today we have two short parables from Jesus that are as ever not easy to understand. They are enigmatic in nature – in other words they conceal more than they reveal.

The first parable is about the mysterious seed. It slowly germinates overnight and starts to sprout leaves.

The farmer needs to have patience and wait. He has no real control over how it grows. All he has done is to have planted the seed and given it the right conditions. In other words it is a mysterious process. The seed seems to have an innate power that is invisible and incomprehensible.

Jesus is using this parable to explain what the kingdom of heaven is like to the crowds around him. The seeds are sown in the hearts of people and then time is needed.

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