Possessions are necessary for life. Money and possessions are very much needed to continue our life. Money or possessions play an important role in our lives. We need money to feed a family, we need money to clothe and educate children. We need a lot of money to go to college. We need money to live a healthy life. Therefore, we need to work hard and plan our future and educate our children. But possessions can assume such an importance in one’s life that they become obsessions. When one is so consumed with the things that one could have, so much so, that one no longer hears the urgent call of God, then one has indeed got one’s priorities all mixed up.

 The Word of God on this 18^th Sunday in Ordinary time invites us to “look for the things that are in heaven”. It’s an invitation to focus on God rather than material things of this world. It invites us to look at life beyond all these material things which pass away, because everything and everyone is “here today and gone tomorrow” because, life does not consist in having possessions and increasing possession. Rather the purpose of life is to become rich in God’s sight.

 The first reading, taken from Ecclesiastes, reminds us that the greedy achievement of goods and the selfish hoarding of them are useless because when the hoarder dies, he goes to eternity empty-handed, and his heir gains, and perhaps squanders, his riches.

 Today’s Gospel warns us against any sort of excessive attachment to riches and worldly pleasures. The rich man’s land yields a great harvest. He takes pleasure in accumulation. The language he speaks is ‘I’ and ‘my,’ highly insulated with selfishness and ego. It is said, “Desire is the root cause of all evil.” Beyond the rich man’s will and wish there is a plan of God which he did not discern, and this failure makes him a ‘fool’. We are called to lay up treasures for God, not for ourselves.

In our second reading St. Paul tells us that one who is raised with Christ will seek the things that are above and not the things on earth. If we are living for sensual pleasures, enjoying every occasion of luxury and passion, then we are not of the new creation and we have not yet died to our old self. On this Sunday let us pray that we may put to death what is earthly in ourselves and raise our hearts to God.

 God bless you. Have a great summer.

Fr. Kishore Battu SAC

Vincent Bocher a Jesuit Brother use to organize social projects helping mission places in India. In 2012, he inspired some  youth in France to raise some funds and come to do mission projects in India. These were students from France pursuing medicine. We were fortunate to have them come down to our Parish for their field mission experience. They spent a month helping the poorest of the poor in missions constructing fresh rooms for families. 

They had themselves trained in the most effective way of communicating the Gospel message. Taking time off from their studies, they travelled to the area chosen and spent a month giving themselves completely to this work. Things like this are happening all over the world. There are indications that we are now in the age of laity. Throughout the church today our lay people are feeling the stirring of the spirit. They are no longer content to be passive members of the church. They want to play an active role in the church. They play a large role in having an effective say in the running of the church affairs. For instance, taking part in decision making, knowing what money is received and how it is spent, having a greater part to play in liturgy, etc.

  In today’s Gospel passage we find Jesus sending out seventy-two of his disciples on a missionary journey. These seventy-two are distinct from the 12 Apostles who had already been sent out on a similar journey (Lk.9). They are committed followers of Jesus but do not appear to have held any position of authority. They belong to the body of Jesus’ followers that today we would call the laity. Later, in the Acts of the Apostles, we find these followers of Jesus leaving Jerusalem during the persecution that broke out after the martyrdom of Stephen. They travel north to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, “Preaching the Lord Jesus”, and a great number believed and are received into the church. 

Friends, this is not surprising for the whole Church is missionary, as we have been reminded so strongly by Vatican II.  Today’s Gospel reminds each one of us that every Catholic is called and commissioned by his baptism and confirmation to be sent forth to spread everywhere the Good News proclaimed by Jesus. As we understand more clearly this truth and respond to it, we can see a glorious period of evangelization opening up for the Church.

 The question for us today: Do I volunteer and participate in Parish apostolate?  

 Fr. Kishore Battu SAC

Sudden Cardiac Arrest /AED Awareness Presentation

Combat Sudden Cardiac Arrest— Help Save a Life!

All are invited to an Awareness Presentation for the AED’s located in the Church and 2 in the School. The presentation will take place on Thursday, July 18th at 7 p.m. in the School Gym.

This presentation provides general knowledge of the lifesaving capabilities of Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) use.

Please contact Bonnie at 313-532-4394 x201 if you will be attending.