Thursday, June 13, 2019 – Back to ordinary time … back to work

After 7 weeks of non-stop Easter … welcome back to work!

We are now firmly into the first week back in Ordinary time — ordinary, not like ho-hum, but rather “ordinal” or counted time to the next season.

Some Catholics, myself included, find it hard to be in full-blown celebration mode for 7 weeks.

It’s time for some sorrowful mysteries, for penance, for the humility that comes with self-examination and somber moments of deep reflection.

Not that we need to forego our sense of Easter joy. We have that every Sunday.

But it’s nice to change things up a bit … a “seasonal change” to embrace.

And, frankly, it’s nice to grab our time cards, punch our spiritual clocks and get back to work.

Our Gospel today (for the Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua) guides us in this direction.

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.  Go on your way;

First, we labor on ourselves. Always. We can’t go out into the world and evangelize, preach the Good News, without first focusing on our own sinfulness and need for God’s love and forgiveness.

Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.  Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’  If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

There is no time to waste. Time is not to be taken for granted. The Lord could come calling for you today. Don’t wait … get going now.

Jesus tells us time after time to get rid of the baggage that keeps us away from doing his work here on earth. Stop clinging to earthly things.

Are we to sell everything we have? Well, that depends on how we use our things. Money, possessions, “stuff” are not sinful by themselves, rather, it is the nature of how we treat these things in our own lives that can lead us away from God.

If you are skipping Mass because of work … then you are working too hard.

If you are too busy to pray … then you are too busy.

If you are not recognizing the poor and the needy in your community … then you are not opening your eyes.

If you are not giving alms to those in need … then you are not opening your heart.

And if you are not sharing God’s eternal love … then you are not being.

The message today is quite clear. Examine your conscience, take stock of how your time is spent. Where does your heart lie?

Don’t waste another minute chasing after things that mean nothing. Chase after our Lord. He wants you to catch him!

Punch that clock and go … now!

About the Author

Dan McFeely is a Carmel, Indiana, writer, communications business owner, book editor and a former professional journalist. Dan also works as an Adult Faith Formation Minister, currently serving as a spiritual director for the men's and women's Christ Renews His Parish program at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Carmel. He is a graduate of the Ecclesial Lay Ministry program offered by the Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana and has studied theology at Marian University.

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8 Comments

  1. Thanks Daniel, your message should be being said at every homily in every church today..

  2. I like the motivation Dan. We all need a little push to get back to work…and good work it is. Hi Ho, Hi Ho its off to work we go ………..you know the rest. Thanks

  3. Fabulous Dan.
    Thank you so much! I enjoy life. But my heart is always pointed to Heaven and the awesome life to come with Our Father. I truly believe it is in this life we must run to him.
    God bless you always.

  4. Great reflection Dan. I especially like “Don’t waste another minute chasing after things that mean nothing. Chase after our Lord. He wants you to catch him!”. My mental image of this was Jesus riding a bike, robe flapping behind him, hair is windswept with a bunch of kids and adults behind him trying to catch him on their bikes. Jesus’ playfulness would ease our minds and his words would fill our spirits.

  5. Thank you Dan for reflecting on the alternate Gospel of Luke on the feast day of St. Anthony. The Gospel for ordinary time of Matthew 5:20-26 is an ominous one, but a stronger warning than Luke.

    “Jesus said to his disciples:
    (…)
    Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.”

    Perhaps these two gospels go hand in hand, as you say “We can’t go out into the world and evangelize, preach the Good News, without first focusing on our own sinfulness and need for God’s love and forgiveness.”

    I like to think of Orindary time as a time to be thankful …. Even as as we struggle with daily ups and downs. And because today is St. Anthony’s feast day, we can appeal to the Saint of miracles to help us achieve the grace to work through these daily struggles. Amen

    ????????????
    Blessings
    ………………………………………………………………………
    Thou hast given me so much. Give me one more thing – A Grateful Heart. – George Herbert

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