20th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 20/8/2017 - Gospel: Mt 15:21-28
Cultures of faith
The culture of faith is the cultures that prophet Isaiah called to care for justice and act with integrity for everyone whether you are male or female, adult or a child, Jew or non Jew or Gentiles. Isaiah 56,1 called justice for all because Israel once misunderstood that they were the chosen people and that justice is just for them not for the rest of the world. Isaiah told them that God's gifts are for all. The chosen race had a mission and their mission is to be light for all the nations and it is reflected in their songs of praise
Let all the peoples praise God. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him psalm. 66, 5-6
God had chosen a race with a universal mission to be the mouth of God- to proclaim God's gift to all, no exception and those who join the chosen race must share the same mission. The Christian cultures are not taking control of other cultures but it calls to sanctify and purify cultures that have been borne out of God's love and mercy and justice for a human life. Cultures are born out of human desires, serve personal greed and self-indulgence. It is God's love and mercy that is the essence of Christian's cultures. Cultures have true values when it promotes life and peace and justice for all and it is the teaching of Jesus. To deny the Christian cultures is to deny the basic of human life. It is to contradict to the will of God for the human race. Through Christian's cultures God communicates to us by means of people's interactions with each other and with the world that we are called to protect and promote life and justice and that should be the way of life. Human interventions of new cultures contradict to God's purposes for men on earth when they call to listen to the voice of the majority. The truth is a clever leader can influence other people mind and that inflicts much pain and suffering for the voiceless and marginalized. The Church has a long list of prophets who gave warning to publics about their appalling behaviours and declined and shocking moral practices. The struggle between the worldly cultures and the Christian cultures is an ongoing battle. The present time shows that the worldly cultures dominate the Christian cultures but eventually the teachings of Jesus about life, justice and peace will prevail.
Christian's cultures help us to look forwards to something which is beyond of this world and that is above of this world. It helps us to open to God's goodness and embrace the teaching of Jesus. The Christian's cultures will change our outlook in life and purpose of life. It changes our relationships to others and to the world and it changes our ways of serving and finally transformed our lives to be more like Jesus.
The Samaritan woman in today's reading was consistence in pleading Jesus to save her daughter. The disciples felt embarrass and asked Jesus to grant what she asked for but Jesus was unmoved. In feeding the five thousand from five loaves and two fish confirmed that Jesus 'himself knew exactly what he was going to do Jn 6,7'. Jesus probable knew that he was going to grant the woman's request but before he acted Jesus wanted the woman to speak out loud what was hidden in her mind and heart. The woman said God's gift is for all and Jesus granted her request.
Let all the peoples praise God. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him psalm. 66, 5-6
God had chosen a race with a universal mission to be the mouth of God- to proclaim God's gift to all, no exception and those who join the chosen race must share the same mission. The Christian cultures are not taking control of other cultures but it calls to sanctify and purify cultures that have been borne out of God's love and mercy and justice for a human life. Cultures are born out of human desires, serve personal greed and self-indulgence. It is God's love and mercy that is the essence of Christian's cultures. Cultures have true values when it promotes life and peace and justice for all and it is the teaching of Jesus. To deny the Christian cultures is to deny the basic of human life. It is to contradict to the will of God for the human race. Through Christian's cultures God communicates to us by means of people's interactions with each other and with the world that we are called to protect and promote life and justice and that should be the way of life. Human interventions of new cultures contradict to God's purposes for men on earth when they call to listen to the voice of the majority. The truth is a clever leader can influence other people mind and that inflicts much pain and suffering for the voiceless and marginalized. The Church has a long list of prophets who gave warning to publics about their appalling behaviours and declined and shocking moral practices. The struggle between the worldly cultures and the Christian cultures is an ongoing battle. The present time shows that the worldly cultures dominate the Christian cultures but eventually the teachings of Jesus about life, justice and peace will prevail.
Christian's cultures help us to look forwards to something which is beyond of this world and that is above of this world. It helps us to open to God's goodness and embrace the teaching of Jesus. The Christian's cultures will change our outlook in life and purpose of life. It changes our relationships to others and to the world and it changes our ways of serving and finally transformed our lives to be more like Jesus.
The Samaritan woman in today's reading was consistence in pleading Jesus to save her daughter. The disciples felt embarrass and asked Jesus to grant what she asked for but Jesus was unmoved. In feeding the five thousand from five loaves and two fish confirmed that Jesus 'himself knew exactly what he was going to do Jn 6,7'. Jesus probable knew that he was going to grant the woman's request but before he acted Jesus wanted the woman to speak out loud what was hidden in her mind and heart. The woman said God's gift is for all and Jesus granted her request.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia