Be Ready
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Luke 9:58
What does it mean to follow Jesus? The Gospels show us that Jesus called each person individually, recognizing the things that stood in the way for each. He looked into the person’s heart and saw the true desires of the person standing before him. Each of us experiences Christ’s call uniquely as the persons we are. For some, following requires us to take stock of our lives and of the obstacles that keep us from the way of true discipleship. For others, the call may lead us to deepen the way that faith directs our lives, with more intentional time in prayer, regular participation in Mass, renewed attention to family, involvement in our parish, or new acts of service.
It is easy to say we want to follow Jesus, yet most of us feel competing desires that stand in the way of discipleship. We may be distracted by the constant swirl of activity so prevalent in our surrounding culture; we might be lured by worldly wealth and the status that often accompanies it; we may simply be comfortable with the way things are and find it difficult to risk changing anything. In today’s Gospel, Jesus makes it clear that we must stop putting off making the changes that will bring us closer to him and to God’s way of life. We must trust in the Lord, knowing that what he most deeply desires is that we be close to him. If you encountered Jesus today and said you were ready to follow him, what would he see in your heart, what obstacles or hesitations would he perceive? Go to Jesus in prayer this day. Listen to him say, “Follow me.” Prayerfully place your life in the Lord’s hands and be ready to follow.
Readings for the Week
Monday: Am 2:6-10, 13-16; Ps 50:16bc-23; Mt 8:18-22
Tuesday: Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12; Ps 5:4b-8; Mt 8:23-27
Wednesday:
Vigil: Acts 3:1-10; Ps 19:2-5; Gal 1:11-20; Jn 21:15-19
Day: Acts 12:1-11; Ps 34:2-9; 2 Tm 4:6-8, 17-18; Mt 16:13-19
Thursday: Am 7:10-17; Ps 19:8-11; Mt 9:1-8
Friday: Am 8:4-6, 9-12; Ps 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40,131; Mt 9:9-13
Saturday: Am 9:11-15; Ps 85:9ab, 10-14; Mt 9:14-17
Sunday: Is 66:10-14c; Ps 66:1-7, 16, 20; Gal 6:14-18; Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 [1-9]
Saints & Special Observances
Sunday: Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday: St. Cyril of Alexandria
Tuesday: St. Irenaeus
Wednesday: Ss. Peter and Paul
Thursday: The First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
Friday: St. Junípero Serra; Canada Day; First Friday
Saturday: First Saturday; Blessed Virgin Mary