Sermon preached
Year 1, Epiphany 3 (3rd week in ordinary time), Tuesday, Mass:
Psalm 40:1-11*; Hebrews 10:1-10; Mark 3:31-35
The week for Prayer of Christian Unity continues today. Unlike most "weeks" that begin on Sunday and end on Saturday, this week is determined by the date of two feasts: the Confession of St Peter (Januray 18) and the Conversion of St Paul (January 25). Paul and Peter were somewhat notorious for not always getting along. In his Letter to the Galatians Paul writes about a certain visit to Antioch where Paul opposed Peter to his face and Peter stood condemned for his behavior towards Gentile Christians. The church has been praying for unity since the days of the early church.
Today's Gospel speaks on family. Jesus offers a striking statement that his family is made up of those who do will of God. In my own family, and I suspect in every family, there are arguments, there are disagreements, and there are even fights. But one of the things I always try to do is to make sure the disagreements I have had with my sister or my mother or my father or my wife do not end up dividing us. There is an saying that going to bed angry only sows the seeds of discontent.
One of the great tragedies in family life is the fact that sometimes disagreements do indeed lead to division. There are families where brothers refuse to speak to sisters, mother's to daughters, and so forth. There are even families where members of the family refuse to recognize each other as family. Likewise, one of the great targedies in the church is that we are divided over our disagreements. Christians fight, often refuse to speak to each other and sometimes go so far as to refuse to recognize Christ in other Christians.
Our Gospel today reminds us that we are made sons and daughters of God through our Baptism into the one Body of Christ. Peter and Paul had disagreements, but they agreed that they had faith in the one Lord Jesus Christ who died for all of our sins and who rose again so that each of us can have eternal life in him. This week our prayers are asked of the church for the church to help each of us recognize that we are all children of the one God and that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Year 1, Epiphany 3 (3rd week in ordinary time), Tuesday, Mass:
Psalm 40:1-11*; Hebrews 10:1-10; Mark 3:31-35
The week for Prayer of Christian Unity continues today. Unlike most "weeks" that begin on Sunday and end on Saturday, this week is determined by the date of two feasts: the Confession of St Peter (Januray 18) and the Conversion of St Paul (January 25). Paul and Peter were somewhat notorious for not always getting along. In his Letter to the Galatians Paul writes about a certain visit to Antioch where Paul opposed Peter to his face and Peter stood condemned for his behavior towards Gentile Christians. The church has been praying for unity since the days of the early church.
Today's Gospel speaks on family. Jesus offers a striking statement that his family is made up of those who do will of God. In my own family, and I suspect in every family, there are arguments, there are disagreements, and there are even fights. But one of the things I always try to do is to make sure the disagreements I have had with my sister or my mother or my father or my wife do not end up dividing us. There is an saying that going to bed angry only sows the seeds of discontent.
One of the great tragedies in family life is the fact that sometimes disagreements do indeed lead to division. There are families where brothers refuse to speak to sisters, mother's to daughters, and so forth. There are even families where members of the family refuse to recognize each other as family. Likewise, one of the great targedies in the church is that we are divided over our disagreements. Christians fight, often refuse to speak to each other and sometimes go so far as to refuse to recognize Christ in other Christians.
Our Gospel today reminds us that we are made sons and daughters of God through our Baptism into the one Body of Christ. Peter and Paul had disagreements, but they agreed that they had faith in the one Lord Jesus Christ who died for all of our sins and who rose again so that each of us can have eternal life in him. This week our prayers are asked of the church for the church to help each of us recognize that we are all children of the one God and that we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
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