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8/14/2016

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle C
 
We are destined, in this life, to be divided from at least some people, and today’s readings urge us to be divided for the right reasons.
 
Prejudice continues to raise walls between people. That is the division that happens all too naturally, and the conflict between the culture of life and the culture of death is largely a problem of prejudice against the unborn, the elderly, and the disabled.
 
None of the reasons offered for abortion would be tolerated as reasons to kill the born; it is only because the victims are unborn that they become victims.
 
Similarly, none of the reasons for killing the less functional people would be tolerated as reasons to kill the functioning; hence again, prejudice is revealed as the real problem. 
 
When we stand against that prejudice, however, we get treated like Jeremiah. He was accused of “demoralizing the soldiers” because he was saying that the Babylonians, who were about to attack Jerusalem, could not be stopped because they were being used by God to punish his people.
 
The problem was not military or political, Jeremiah said, but rather moral. In our day, when we point out the moral problems that stand at the foundation of so many other societal ills, we too will be rejected and mocked. 
 
Moreover, issues like abortion will divide family members, as the Gospel promises, and will require us to resist sin even “to the point of shedding blood,” as the second reading says.
The blood to be shed, in other words, is our own, as we stand against the opposition that others will launch against us.
 
The fact that so many people will say, “The opposition against me isn’t that bad and I don’t foresee that it will be” becomes in fact a good reason to stop worrying about what will happen to us when we fight for what is right.


20º Domingo de Tiempo Ordinario - Ciclo C
 
Estamos destinados en esta vida a estar divididos de algunas personas, y las lecturas de hoy nos exigen que estemos divididos por razones Justas. 
 
Los prejuicios siguen construyendo muros entre la gente.  Es una división que surge casi naturalmente, y el conflicto entre la Cultura de la Vida y la Cultura de la Muerte es meramente un problema de prejuicios contra los no nacidos, los ancianos, y los incapacitados.
 
Ninguna de las excusas que ofrecen para justificar el aborto se tolerarían para justificar el asesinato de una creatura nacida; es solo porque las víctimas son no nacidas que se convierten en víctimas. 
De igual manera, ninguna de estas razones para matar a los menos productivos se tolerarían para matar a los productivos; así otra vez, el prejuicio es el verdadero problema.
 
Pero cuando le damos frente a estos prejuicios, se nos trata al igual que Jeremías.   Se le acusó de “bajar la moral de los soldados” porque él les decía que los babilonios, que estaban a punto de atacar a Jerusalén, no se los podía detener ya que Dios los estaba utilizando para castigar al pueblo. 
El problema no era de poder militar ni era político, dijo Jeremías, era un problema moral.  Hoy en día, cuando señalamos los problemas morales que son la base de nuestros males sociales, también nos harán burla y seremos rechazados.
 
Más aún, problemas como el aborto van a dividir a miembros de familias, como lo promete el Evangelio y nos exige que resistamos el pecado al “punto de derramar nuestra sangre”, como nos dice la segunda lectura.  La sangre derramada, en otras palabras, es nuestra sangre, al oponernos y ser atacados. 
El hecho que muchos dirán, “La oposición contra mí no es tanta, y no creo que lo vaya a ser” es una buena razón para dejar de preocuparnos de lo que vaya a pasar cuando luchemos por lo justo.

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    Fr. Rafael
    Fr. Giopre
    Dcn. Alan
    Dcn. Antonio
    Dcn. Joe
    Dcn. Frank

    St. Anthony Catholic Church Clergy

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  • Home
    • Our Patron Saint >
      • About us
      • Parish History
    • Contact Us
    • Sunday Bulletin
    • Upcoming Events
    • Links & Resources
  • Clergy & Staff
    • Clergy Corner
  • Mass, Liturgy & Sacraments
    • Sacraments >
      • Baptism
      • Confirmation
      • Holy Eucharist (First Communion)
      • Reconciliation (Confession/Penance)
      • Anointing of the Sick
      • Holy Matrimony
      • Holy Orders
    • Mass Times
    • Liturgy >
      • Liturgy Committee
      • Altar Server Society
      • Lectors
      • Eucharistic Ministers
      • Art & Environment
      • Sacred Music
      • Liturgia Hispana
  • Faith Formation
    • CCD English
    • CCD Spanish
    • Youth Confirmation
    • Adult Confirmation
    • RCIA - RICA
    • SPRED
  • Ministry
    • Minister Registration Form
    • Committees >
      • Parish Pastoral Council
      • Finance Committee
    • Parish Ministry >
      • Vocation Cross
      • Senior Luncheon
      • Respect For Life
      • Social Justice
      • Grief Ministry
      • Couples for Christ
      • Familia de Maria
      • Annulments
    • Social Services
    • Group Ministry >
      • Youth and Young Adult >
        • Daughters of Mary
      • Knights of Columbus
      • Parish Community >
        • Filipino-American Community
        • Sociedad de Guadalupana
      • Living the Eucharist
      • Grupo de Oracion El Buen Pastor
    • Multi-Cultural Community >
      • Hispanic Community
      • Portuguese Community
      • Nicaraguan Community
    • FORMED
  • St. Vincent de Paul
  • Gallery
  • Old Events
    • Diocesan Campaign 2015
    • St. Anthony's 90th Celebration
    • Marian Festival
    • Polynesian LUAU
    • Parish Festival