Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

We celebrate this morning, besides the day of the Lord, the 2009 Catechetical Sunday, a wonderful opportunity to recognize the effort of our catechists here at St. Vincent de Paul, and also a good opportunity to invite more members of our parish to help us in our catechetical activities[1].

The other day I heard a conversation that comes to my attention, “In the primitive Church there were few preachers, but they were so good that they converted the whole world. Now there are preachers too many to count, but they achieve little”.

Each one of us is called to teach, to proclaim the word of God. Of course in the liturgy only the priest should read the gospel and preach about it; however every Christian fellow has the responsibility to spread among the earth the word of God.

Since the beginning of the Church the Lord calls us to be his disciples, His true followers. He calls us to set aside our own desires for the sake of others. He calls us to seek the greatness of humble generosity, to “rank first” among our families, friends and communities by taking on the spirit and role of being their servant: If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and the servant of all.

Every day, every moment of the day you and I are called to consider others over ourselves and to give our time and talent in service of all those around us. The needs of the children, the sick, the poor and the elderly call us away from ourselves and call us into Jesus.

There is a very touching passage in the letter of St. Paul to the Romans: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”[2]

Every day we have to resist the temptation to selfishness, the temptation to put ourselves before others. Every day we are called to greatest by conquering a mountain much more difficult than Everest. We have to conquer ourselves and give our time because the goal of our lives is union with God. Just it.

The strength to achieve this union comes from Jesus Christ on the cross. He made Himself weak so we could be strong. We pray today for this strength, the strength to reach out to others in charity, the strength to ascend the Mountain of God ■

[1] http://www.usccb.org/catecheticalsunday/welcome_letter.shtml; Sunday 20th September, 2009, 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20. The Lord upholds my life—Ps 53(54):3-6, 8. James 3:16 – 4:3. Mark 9:30-37 [Ss Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang & Cc].
[2] 10: 14.