Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • September 13, 2024 5 Compassionate Service 228-374-5650 Bradfordokeefe.com In thanksgiving to the Holy Spirit, Blessed Mother, and St. Jude, for prayers answered. BAB OPENING REMARKS -- IMAGE: Today’s readings fit comfortably in our age of headline news, rollingmessages onTVscreens, sound bites, and limited characters on Twitter . But, in summary, they call us to three specific actions regarding God’s word: Listen, Learn, and Live. WHAT A DISCIPLE DOES: In our first reading from Isaiah, the author offers a first-person account of his experiences as a disciple of the Lord and prophet to the people. Even though his contemporaries oppose and resist the prophetic word, he faithfully and obediently speaks as God prompts. Since the Lord is his help in times of trouble, this disciple is first an attentive listener (not only casually as allowing it to go in one ear and out the other but stay focused to absorb all that is spoken). Attentive listening is a prerequisite for learning. Then, he is a learner, hungering and eagerly absorbing all positive resources to gain wisdom, knowledge, and an improved intellect. (What enters his ear is absorbed by his mind). Finally, as a relentless servant eager, committed, and dedicated to doing God’s will -- he allows God’s bidding to animate the life he lives to bear fruit. LISTEN, LEARN, LIVE: Listen: “The Lord God opens my ears that I may hear” (Isaiah 50: 4c). Many voices vie for our attention. They speak of self-satisfaction as goal number one, choosing personal convenience over service to others, the folly of religious beliefs and practices, and chasing after money, power, and status as normative priorities. They are the voices of enticement and deceit. But the Lord’s voice will persistently echo in the restless ear, the unsettled heart, and the searching spirit. Prayer opens the inner ear canals, humility breaks the din of seductive voices, and hunger for more of God stimulates the complacent spirit. Can anyone say, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3: 1-10). Learn: We hear God’s Word read and preached each Sunday. Do we prepare to come to Mass, know the readings of the Mass, have the Laudate app on our phone, prayerfully reading them before coming to Mass and preparing our hearts to intentionally listen to them proclaimed? At Mass are you easily distracted -- listening only half-heartedly, allowing your mind to wander or get bored easily? The disciple is always a learner, striving to have God’s Word take hold more firmly in our mind and heart. If you do not agree with or understand something, don’t rely on public or popular opinion or the secular media, search reliable Catholic resources for the truth. Live: “Know this; everyone should be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath … Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourself. The one is not a hearer who forgets the word but a doer who acts, such a one is blessed…” (James 1: 19-27). PROVE IT: James squarely takes on the myth that faith alone can save a person. Salvation comes not only by expressing belief but by acting on that belief. Our eternal salvation will be decided at the end of our life, not in advance. “Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2: 17). THE CHALLENGE: In today’s Gospel, Jesus challenges His disciples with the question, “Who do the people say that I am?” They reply. Some say, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asks, “Who do you say that I am?” Their brief silence on the question makes one wonder if they had not yet grasped the full meaning that He is God incarnate. Then, suddenly, Peter breaks the silence, saying, “You are the Christ.” Jesus predicted His passion, death, and resurrection three times in each of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Today’s account from Mark indicates the first time Jesus made the prediction. But to get a deeper meaning of the passage, we must turn to the companion passage in Matthew 16. Here, Jesus acknowledges that Peter, when he declared that Jesus was the Christ, was listening to the Father’s revelation. “Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father.” CLOSING COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS: So now, Jesus puts the question to each of us. “Who do you say that I am?” Your answer defines who you are. If Jesus is the Christ, then we should Listen to His words with higher priority and importance than the words of any other. “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life” (John 6: 68). If Jesus is the Christ, then Learning everything about His teachings, His deeds, and His life should be a life pursuit for the renewal of our minds. “Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12: 2). If Jesus is the Christ, we should mirror what we have heard and learned from Him. Adopt His attitudes as our own, walk in the footsteps of His sacrificial Living , and be of one heart with His compassion, love, forgiveness, life-giving plan, and zeal for the Lord. As we continue with this Liturgy, we pray for the grace to Listen , Learn , and Live as we embrace Jesus as Lord of our lives. Deacon Ralph Torrelli lives in Hattiesburg and is assigned to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish. Visit his website: www.homilypearls.com. 1st Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9a Psalm: 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 2nd Reading: James 2:14-18 Gospel: Mark 8:27-35 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time Three L’s Deacon Torrell i Sunday Scripture Commentaries