{"id":1702,"date":"2015-10-18T12:21:43","date_gmt":"2015-10-18T16:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=1702"},"modified":"2015-10-18T12:21:43","modified_gmt":"2015-10-18T16:21:43","slug":"29th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b-homily","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/29th-sunday-in-ordinary-time-year-b-homily\/","title":{"rendered":"29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – Homily"},"content":{"rendered":"

29th<\/sup> Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B<\/a>
\nIsaiah 53:10-11
\nPsalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22
\nHebrews 4:14-16
\nMark 10:35-45
\nOctober 18, 2015<\/p>\n

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.<\/em><\/p>\n

We know God is merciful.\u00a0 We count on His Mercy.\u00a0 Because we know we can count on God\u2019s Mercy, we can <\/em>place our trust in Him.<\/p>\n

Recognizing the importance of God\u2019s Mercy to all people, Pope Francis has declared a Year of Mercy that begins on our parish feast, December 8th<\/sup>, the Immaculate Conception of Mary.\u00a0 Fitting as Mary\u2019s yes to being the mother of Jesus began a new era in God\u2019s Mercy.<\/p>\n

In declaring this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis has called us to be a people of mercy<\/em>.\u00a0 Our prayers for Mass include repeated references to God\u2019s mercy.\u00a0 Near the beginning of Mass, in our Penitential Rite we cry out Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy<\/em>.\u00a0 In our Gloria we cry out have mercy on us<\/em>.\u00a0 In the prayer I say after the Our Father includes by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress<\/em>.\u00a0 In the Lamb of God, we say again have mercy on us<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Without a doubt, mercy<\/em> is central to who we are as Catholics but what comes to mind when you hear the word \u201cmercy\u201d?<\/p>\n

I suspect the first thing that comes to people\u2019s minds is the forgiveness of sins.\u00a0 Without a doubt, we count on the forgiveness of our sins, not just our own but others as we pray in the Lord\u2019s Prayer, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is all about God\u2019s mercy as forgiveness of our sins.\u00a0 The Penitential Rite near the beginning of Mass is about our sins.<\/p>\n

The ultimate example of God\u2019s mercy is to look at Jesus crucified on the Cross.\u00a0 Isaiah prophesizes about this as he writes about the one crushed in infirmity who will justify many.\u00a0 The Crucifix shows us that there is no limit to God\u2019s mercy.<\/p>\n

We all find ourselves in need of God\u2019s mercy for our sins at times in our lives.\u00a0 It might for pride, like James and John as they sought positions of honor at Jesus\u2019 side.<\/p>\n

However, we need to realize God\u2019s mercy is not just about the forgiveness of sins.\u00a0 Remember the words I quoted from the prayer after the Lord\u2019s Prayer, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It refers to our sins but also asks God to keep us safe from all distress.<\/em>\u00a0 In His Mercy, God helps us in other ways, preserving us in time of famine, helping us in our needs, and protecting us in danger and distress.\u00a0 Jesus shows His Mercy in serving our needs.<\/p>\n

In the Papal Bull Misericordiae Vultus (<\/em>http:\/\/w2.vatican.va\/content\/francesco\/en\/apost_letters\/documents\/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html<\/em><\/a>) <\/em>declaring the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis frequently talks about our need for forgiveness but he also speaks of the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy as ways of showing mercy to others.<\/p>\n

The Corporal Works of Mercy can be found in scripture, most explicitly in Matthew 25:31-46 where Jesus tells us that we will be judged by how we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the sick.\u00a0 To be merciful here is to help others in their physical needs as we ask God (and thank Him) for helping us in our own physical needs.<\/p>\n

The Spiritual Works of Mercy are about helping people in, of course, spiritual need.\u00a0 They include counseling the doubtful, helping the sinner, comforting the sorrowful, and praying for the living and the dead.<\/p>\n

Our living out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy is really about us showing mercy to others as we ask God to do for us.\u00a0 How is it that Jesus says we become the greatest?\u00a0 By serving others.<\/p>\n

We will begin the Year of Mercy in a little less than two months.\u00a0 How are you in need of God\u2019s mercy?\u00a0 Do you need to be forgiven?\u00a0 Do you need to be feed or consoled?<\/p>\n

How can you show God\u2019s mercy to others?\u00a0 Who needs your forgiveness?\u00a0 How might you help the hunger, the homeless, and those in distress?<\/p>\n

Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Isaiah 53:10-11 Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22 Hebrews 4:14-16 Mark 10:35-45 October 18, 2015 Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. We know God is merciful.\u00a0 We count on His Mercy.\u00a0 Because we know we can count on God\u2019s Mercy, we …<\/p>\n

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