21 Jul
Sun
16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Wis. 12:13,16-19
Ps. 86:5-6,9-10,15-16
Rom. 8:26-27
Mt. 13:24-43
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Often people say, "I don't know how to pray". What they really mean is that their words are not eloquent or fancy. And that is good! God is not impressed by words, but by what comes from the heart. We can speak to God as we would to our best friend. When directed to God, even weeping can be a form of prayer, as can laughter and joy. When we are truly crushed and overwhelmed, we need only place ourselves in God's loving presence and the Spirit will carry our hearts heavenward.

Big things from small beginnings! This string of parables teaches us to be patient and to allow change to occur in God's way. We want results immediately, and we often become disappointed or discouraged when little seems to happen, or when the world seems to continue in its imperfection and misery. But when we begin to apply, the spiritual lessons which we have learned, to our daily lives, we will see quiet but profound changes within us that might not seem evident at first. Patience! One day at a time, one lesson at a time. We must learn to accept that we are not perfect and that we will not have all of the answers to our questions in this life. We are not called to perfection or success, but to fidelity. And by being faithful, we will be the yeast that transforms the world gradually from within.



Lord, help me to meet the challenges of each day with patience.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That artists may do all they can to help the men and women of today to discover the signs of God's providential love in creation.
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : That artists may do all they can to help the men and women of today to discover the signs of God's providential love in creation.

The artist who can sculpt the stones of our heart to bring out the features of Christ is the Holy Spirit. However, he requires our responsiveness and docility. Conversion of heart is a work of an art jointly produced by the Spirit and our freedom.

Artists, accustomed to shaping the most diverse materials according to the inspiration of their genius, know well the daily effort required to improve their life that resembles artistic work. Through his artistic creativity the artist accomplishes the task of shaping the "material" of his own humanity and then having dominion over the universe. There is a remarkable similarity between the art of forming oneself and that which takes place in the transformation of matter.

God lets himself be glimpsed through the fascination of beauty. Artists can perceive a ray of supreme beauty among the many manifestations of the beautiful. It is then that art becomes a way to God and it spurs the artists to combine their creative talent with their commitment to a life of ever greater conformity to the divine law. Living profoundly their Christian faith, artists are encouraged to give birth to new "epiphanies" of the divine beauty reflected in creation.




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