Reflection for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2025

Isaiah 66:10-14c; Psalm 66; Galatians:6 :14-18: Luke 10 1-12, 17-20

 Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. (Psalm66:1)

Pure joy overflows from the Mass readings for this Sunday. Try reading them again slowly.  What emotions is the Holy Spirit stirring up in your heart?

As a mother comforts her child, so will comfort you…

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice (Isaiah 66:13,14).

Blessed be God, Who refused me not

My prayer or His kindness (Psalm 66:20).

May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ….

for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body (Galatians 6:14,17).

The seventy-two returned rejoicing….

Rejoice because your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:17,20).

While there will be many answers, “joy” may be one of them.  What brings you real joy?   What makes you smile or your heart sing? Does each morning bring you joy knowing that can walk through Our Lord and His holy Mother?  If not, you can certainly ask for this grace.  The Holy Spirit will help you to delve deeper into your true loves, you only need to ask.

Do you take your troubles to prayer so that you can know the Lord’s comfort and guidance, and experience joy? After the 72 disciples cheerfully returned from their apostolic works, they spoke with the Lord and He told them to rejoice because their names were written in heaven! (Luke 10:17,20).

Since Jesus has won the battle for us, let us show this by joyfully and confidently share our faith with others.  We don’t have to win great spiritual battles or bring to conversion hundreds of people, although we might, it is not impossible… Sharing your faith can be simple.  Through small kindnesses and in day-to-day conversations others can come to recognize the joy of knowing Christ and having Him in their lives.

People who are lonely or in pain need the smiles that we can offer.  As Spring 2025 flowers into summer in a world which in many areas are divided, we want to be strong witnesses to the victory of Christ. His love has cast away the sin that separates us, and it has brought us together for a holy life, to be lived with joy.

Saint “Mother” Theresa said that loneliness is our great poverty in the Western world.   Perhaps each of us is the only person who ventures to share our faith or our concern with a particular person. Our good words may inspire joy and hope in that person’s heart.

Like each piece of a jigsaw puzzle, or one bit of colored glass in a mosaic, just your one moment of presence in someone’s life can help that person to heal and become whole again.  You and I, friends, are part of a much bigger picture than that of our own lives.

Let overflowing joy follow your daily footsteps.  Let each one of your acts be a catalyst for another’s happiness.  Faithfulness plants many seeds that we will only see blossom in the light of eternity.  Let’s scatter them!

Taste and see how good the Lord is;

Blessed the man who takes refuge in Him (Psalm 34:8)