Readings for June 8-9, Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Lyn Zahorik | For On Mission
In 1993, the movie “Groundhog Day” was released. It was the story of a man who woke up each morning, to not be in today, but always yesterday. As the church begins summer Ordinary Time, we, too, will experience a touch of “Groundhog Day.”
Just a few weeks ago we celebrated the Ascension of Our Lord. With the Apostles, we witnessed Jesus leaving this world and ascending into heaven to reign eternally with the Father and Spirit. However, our Gospel for this Sunday has Jesus right back on earth, teaching and sharing the Good News.
The church recognizes that Good News cannot be heard too many times, so it makes sense that during Ordinary Time, we again focus on the ministry and teaching of Jesus.
Each day we have the opportunity to gain experience in our faith and conversion. Hopefully then, each time we hear Scripture proclaimed, even if we have heard that same passage many times before, we hear it with a different heart and ears.
In the Gospel, Jesus makes the bold statement, “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” The idea of a “divided kingdom” was very poignant for the people hearing Jesus’ words.
Israel, once united and strong, was beginning to see a weakening within her structure and unity. For many people in the United States it feels as if we are in a similar position as was the divided ancient Israel. Our nation (and church), it seems, have become fractured along political and ideological lines — Republican/Democrat, liberal/conservative, red/blue, black/white, rich/poor, American/any other culture, pre-Vatican II/Post Vatican II, hierarchy/laity. How will our house be able to stand?
I have a favorite T-shirt I wear that says, “I stand with Jesus Christ, always have, always will.” Therein is the answer to the division in our world. If we claim the name Catholic/Christian, then we must be subject to Jesus’ teaching that all believers in Christ are united in Christ. We are in a relationship that unites us with him and with every other believer.
In my family we had “Sunday church clothes.” It is an honorable gesture to dress up to go to Mass, but our faith cannot be one of Sunday church clothes. At our baptism each of us put on Christ, and so there is no such thing as a Sunday Catholic who is all about Jesus and a weekday Catholic who is all about themselves and keeping their place in the world.
We are all members of one body, we need to live like it. It is living in this conviction that the world will know that we are Jesus’ disciples.
Zahorik is director for spiritual engagement at St. Mary Parish, Omro, and St. Mary Parish, Winneconne.
The readings for Sunday, June 9, can be found at Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time | USCCB.
