Today's readings: meaning?

[PeterJohn]

Ezekiel 2:2-5
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Mark 6:1-6

The readings of each Sunday are supposed to go together. What do today’s readings mean to you?

My take is that doubt in God, and His providence and grace, as well as disobeying Gods laws lead to lack of miracles as shown in the gospel reading.

 

[acadian]

Rejection is the theme that runs through all three.

Ezekiel, Paul, Jesus…all eventually killed because people didn’t like the message they preached.

How often do we reject God’s message when we pick only the things we “agree” with? Father used the term “cafeteria” in his homily. When we meet God with a closed mind and obstinate heart (from the first reading) we limit what He can do through us and in our lives (from the end of tne Gospel). Because we have free will, even God can not penetrate a closed mind or a hardened heart.

We are called to let go of our opinions, arrogance, and ignorance. We surrender ourselves to God’s truth and what He wants to do in our lives.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the Life…not the way, the opinion and the life…

Our homily, more or less…

 

[pgnat1]

My take is that doubt in God, and His providence and grace, as well as disobeying Gods laws lead to lack of miracles as shown in the gospel reading.

 

[PeterJohn]

Our homily was about prayer, and about a personal relationship through prayer, and how Catholics shouldn’t fear being posed the questions Protestants ask about us having personal relationships with the lord because we have the Holy Eucharist, how more personal could it get then that?! Our deacon presided over this Sunday’s service because our priest was called away in an emergency. So we did not have a mass, just the liturgy of the word, and a communion service.

I read the readings before we went to church and had a different take on them then our deacon did.

 

[just_came_back]

Rejection is the theme that runs through all three.

Ezekiel, Paul, Jesus…all eventually killed because people didn’t like the message they preached.

How often do we reject God’s message when we pick only the things we “agree” with? Father used the term “cafeteria” in his homily. When we meet God with a closed mind and obstinate heart (from the first reading) we limit what He can do through us and in our lives (from the end of tne Gospel). Because we have free will, even God can not penetrate a closed mind or a hardened heart.

We are called to let go of our opinions, arrogance, and ignorance. We surrender ourselves to God’s truth and what He wants to do in our lives.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the Life…not the way, the opinion and the life…

Our homily, more or less…

Not bad. Our priest spoke on rejection listed in all 3 readings and how we are not to be surprised because as followers of Christ, we can expect to be rejected by family, friends, the world and even other Christians for our defending of God’s faith. Awesome homily!

 

[acadian]

Not bad. Our priest spoke on rejection listed in all 3 readings and how we are not to be surprised because as followers of Christ, we can expect to be rejected by family, friends, the world and even other Christians for our defending of God’s faith. Awesome homily!

That is more what I got from it when I read the readings before Mass. Probably because I kind of feel like I’m living that right now with a husband who feels it is his job to “pull me back”. Our priest just decided to approach it from a different perspective, and I bet he made a few people think…

 

[johndoe100]

That is more what I got from it when I read the readings before Mass. Probably because I kind of feel like I’m living that right now with a husband who feels it is his job to “pull me back”. Our priest just decided to approach it from a different perspective, and I bet he made a few people think…

Yes, your husband can be a burr under your saddle, but it’s probably for your own good? Paul called it, “a thorn in the flesh”, and taught that, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” You will just have to work it out with your husband in weakness.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

I was somewhat puzzled by the reading from 2Corinthians…
It’s not really about rejection in the way that Ezekiel and the Gospel was.
“My power is made consummate in weakness” was the central idea of the passage read;

I suppose that St. Paul was being rejected by those he came to, but that part wasn’t read today. I wonder why…

Is the idea more like: power is consummate in weakness and rejection?

 

[Huiou_Theou]

And for our double Jeapordy answer of the day,

“The gift of the Holy Spirit which is needed when things go wrong for a long time.”



The prize, ultimately, is wisdom should you tread this path.

 

[kkollwitz]

Out of love for us, God may limit his own power to circumstances where we cooperate with him.

 

[acadian]

Yes, your husband can be a burr under your saddle, but it’s probably for your own good? Paul called it, “a thorn in the flesh”, and taught that, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” You will just have to work it out with your husband in weakness.

Oh, it’s a thorn, alright. I know good will ultimately come from it. The pain in the meantime sucks. But it is practice in trust.

Send a prayer our way. We are scheduled to attend Retrouvaille at the end of August.

 

[teeboy]

True wisdom.

 

[jmcrae]

What I got out of it was that regardless of the circumstances, we are to continually proclaim the Gospel - when it isn’t going to be well-received (Ezekiel), when it amazes us just how badly it’s being received (Jesus), and when we really are not feeling our best (St. Paul).

Our pastor talked about being known, and how we can live with someone for decades without ever really coming to know the person, and looking at them through our lens of stereotypes and expectations, instead of at their true self.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Oh, it’s a thorn, alright. I know good will ultimately come from it. The pain in the meantime sucks. But it is practice in trust.

Send a prayer our way. We are scheduled to attend Retrouvaille at the end of August.

Retrouvaille is very good. I know.
And without prayer it still can fail – and I do recall feeling jealous of those already divorced who were coming there to work things out.

…But it can’t be that way for me; I am only one half the marriage – and without honesty, there can be no trust. You do have my prayers.

One thought:
Your husband might feel fear, uncertainty, insecurity, but your statement is about judgment; Still, I enourage you to be strong, be true; and to be aware that there is no wound more damaging to a marriage than betrayal. It can happen in a mere moment, it can’t be erased for a long time.

Shalom
Your brother in Christ, --Andrew.

 

[wiggbuggie]

the priest or was it a deacon who was doing the homily at my church? well anyway asked us if there are any prophets today? and if the priest or we are prophets. The answer is yes we all look up toward Jesus to spread his word after sunday mass during the week.

 

[johndoe100]

Oh, it’s a thorn, alright. I know good will ultimately come from it. The pain in the meantime sucks. But it is practice in trust.

Send a prayer our way. We are scheduled to attend Retrouvaille at the end of August.

Did you get a price? I checked their site for Marriage Encounter, but could’t find their price for a weekend. The wife and I were at the Protestant version called, “A weekend to Remember” by Family Life. The cost was $500, so before you go try to get used to the Christian perspective on the wife’s role in marriage. Submission is the divine call of a wife to honor and affirm her husbands leadership. (Ephesians 5:22-23) Submission means cooperating with him as he seeks to lead your marriage and family. Communicate your loyalty to him.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Did you get a price? I checked their site for Marriage Encounter, but could’t find their price for a weekend. The wife and I were at the Protestant version called, “A weekend to Remember” by Family Life. The cost was $500, so before you go try to get used to the Christian perspective on the wife’s role in marriage.

Retrouvaille isn’t Catholic/but it is christian (believes in God/Jesus); The Catholic church simply sees good in what they do and are typically the ones who aid in providing public places capable of hosting the group. Most of the people in my group weren’t Catholic – and neither were the leaders. The price up where I am was $600; and they aided us since we were too poor at the time to afford the entire cost. Retrouvaille is donation driven.

Submission is the divine call of a wife to honor and affirm her husbands leadership. (Ephesians 5:22-23) Submission means cooperating with him as he seeks to lead your marriage and family. Communicate your loyalty to him.

?

Like the readings of today, Retrouvaille is more about perseverance in adversity. Communication; It isn’t about a particular Christian view of submission – though it IS about the good of marriage.

 

[johndoe100]

Yes, now that you mentioned it, $600 was the cost with Hotel, but meals were extra. The reason why I took the Protestant route is because it was Christ centered rather than the 50/50 performance pattern for a relationship.

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, . . . (Ephesians 5:22, 23)

 

[acadian]

Did you get a price? I checked their site for Marriage Encounter, but could’t find their price for a weekend. The wife and I were at the Protestant version called, “A weekend to Remember” by Family Life. The cost was $500, so before you go try to get used to the Christian perspective on the wife’s role in marriage. Submission is the divine call of a wife to honor and affirm her husbands leadership. (Ephesians 5:22-23) Submission means cooperating with him as he seeks to lead your marriage and family. Communicate your loyalty to him.

The deposit for Retrouvaille was $150. At the weekend they give you a blank envelope and a suggested donation, and you give what you can. It is a Catholic ministry, but is open to all. There is supposed to be a priest at the weekend, but I’ve heard that the religious influence is minimal. I think Retrouvaille focuses on communication and healing past hurts, and believe me, there are plenty.

Leadership (especially spiritual) doesn’t seem to be a role my husband is likely to assume any time soon. If I followed his lead, the most we would do is attend Mass most Sundays and confession once a decade or so. The rest of us need more. I’m sorry if that sounds judgmental. I am a little nervous, but really looking forward to being able to communicate honestly.

 

[Huiou_Theou]

Yes, now that you mentioned it, $600 was the cost with Hotel, but meals were extra. The reason why I took the Protestant route is because it was Christ centered rather than the 50/50 performance pattern for a relationship.

Retrouvaille asks for 100% 100% performance; AND perseverance.

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, . . . (Ephesians 5:22, 23)

And, there is more – “husbands lay down your life for your wives.”
If you have stood in the doorway (literally) to stop a murderer on cocain from getting into the house (as I have), or stepped between a 300 pound dog and your child, and watched as the backend of your thick coat gets slashed in two (as I did), or been to war – and then have your wife refuse to move away from domestic violence in her relatives, get out of poverty – but rather choose it – sue you, etc. etc. etc. and one week after you lay your life down, at the moment you ask her to consider to consider her promise – “submissive to your husband”, only to have her retort “You’re supposed to lay your life down for me” (Read dictator, bully, drama-queen); then you might have a point.

When it is for the good of the family, AND your wife promised during the engagement period is that your headship is what SHE wanted (even if you didn’t ask for it!); Then I suppose you might be justified in such an approach; at least I felt no evil in doing it – but I don’t much care for it; and besides, it doesn’t really work unless the root problem is addressed. The problem merely festers.

A liar, lies… An innocent feels anger at injustice; and eventually an explosion occurs (or a suicide.)

5 years of major depression later, we’re going through divorce; Don’t ge me wrong; Retrouvaille was exemplary – other people healed, other marriages became much better than they had ever been; and yet, for us – when the day came to do problem resolution – and my wife (not me) couldn’t even fill out the hypothetical problem given to us (which didn’t belong to us) as an example.

Truly, Truly, it isn’t 50% 50%, it’s not 100% 0%, it only works at 100% 100%.

I hope your retreat helped you and your wife; there is no condemnation here – I just don’t know where you are getting your information about Retrouvaille.