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Sunday Reflection for August 01, 2010
Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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Sunday Summary

Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 All the things we thought would bring us happiness are revealed to be empty.

Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 Teach us wisdom because our days are short and time moves quickly.

Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 Christ is all and in all, so take off the old self and put on the new.

Luke 12:13-21 A rich man comes up with a great plan for tomorrow. Trouble is, he dies tonight.

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18th Sunday
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Exploring the Word
Things to do with your time
"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart." Beautiful if somewhat lacquered words from today's Psalm 90. What that means in plain English: Because we’re not going to live forever, let's learn to live wisely and well. It's a far cry from that other, more famous biblical phrase: "Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!" (Ecclesiastes 8:15; Isaiah 22:13). That was the song of soldiers reveling on the night before a battle—which many were not expected to survive. Both phrases are frank about our chances of getting out of here alive: nil.
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Weekday Homily Reflection for July 30, 2010
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Not exactly what they had in mind
When the prophet Jeremiah stood up to speak in the Temple, he attracted a crowd. And when Jesus taught in the synagogue of Nazareth, the people were amazed—at first. In both cases, however, things turned hostile pretty fast. Those around Jesus could not believe one of their own could speak and act with such authority. For Jeremiah it got even worse: His audience wanted to kill him. The message of faith may not always be what we want to hear, but we are called, nonetheless, to listen and follow God’s word in all its forms.
Today's readings: Jeremiah 26:1-9; Matthew 13:54-58
“Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?”

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World news in light of the Good News
for Sunday, August 01, 2010
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Preaching the News
» Immigration law crossed the line, judge rules – “Who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?” Jesus responds when asked to step into a legal dispute in this Sunday’s gospel. Then he makes a pronouncement that gives all parties pause. . . More...
» Flood of leaked war documents leaves questions in its wake – “Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart," prays the psalmist this Sunday. Whether we have counted our days properly in Afghanistan . . . More...
» BP’s Hayward finally gets his "life back" – This Sunday’s “vanity of vanities” lament from the Book of Ecclesiastes asks, “What profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun?” BP CEO Tony Hayward . . . More...
» Sea-worthy recycling effort raises awareness – “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth,” counsels Letter to the Colossians in this Sunday’s second reading. With their eyes on the night sky but their thoughts on land far ahead, an environmentally conscious group of friends . . . More...
Quote of the Week

“There are some traditions that can't remain frozen in time as society changes.”

—Josep Rull, a member of the Catalonian parliament in Spain, on the decision to ban bullfighting in Catalonia

Source: TIME

Fact of the Week
The average worldwide temperature for the first six months of 2010 was 57.5 degrees F, the highest since record-keeping began in 1888. Average temperature records have been set the past two years.
Source: Associated Press

Pastoral Trends
Practice, practice, practice
Why do we “need” to go to church? Putting theological questions aside for a moment, it is reasonable in our time to look at regular religious practice with new eyes. In a time of concern for efficiency, we know why we go to work or why we go to the grocery store. But why do we need to go to church when we effectively find ourselves doing the same thing, week after week?  Read more...