I have come to light a fire on the earth... - Luke 12:49

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WOF Radio > Sermons > Sermon Archive for 2011 > Sermon 553 : Strength Through Resistance : 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Sermon 553 : Strength Through Resistance : 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

8/14/2011

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Discipleship is not easy. It takes focus, a strong will, and the willingness to undergo training. Christ is the spiritual master and we must be ready to die to self in order to apprentice to him.

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Comments

Kathy

Fr. Barron, I feel as if i have waited for years for a person of faith to speak of initiation into the walk with our Triune God. When I converted to Catholicism, and said,'Jesus is Lord", I thought in all innocence that God was like majic. I thought the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was some secret sect I haughtily belonged with. I thought unconditional love meant the world was part mine to control.
It has taken many years os resistance, to recognize the Shephard, and become more deeply a part of His Flock. God Speed!

8/10/2011 4:53:15 PM

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Richard Wise

I have in 63 years never understood this Gospel; Father I thank you so much for this wonderful homily, how beautiful is the Gospel when you have it explained in such a wonderful way.This always troubled me that Christ should appear to be so off hand with this woman, never thought of it as a test, a trial of faith, God bless you Father.

8/11/2011 3:59:12 AM

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Cathy R.

Father, Thank you for your insight on this scripture. Yes I believe God tests us in many ways and that is a good way to look at this scripture.
The way I have looked at this was that the messiah was promised to the Jews (God was fulfilling all of his prophesies though Israel in the Old Testament,) Jesus in fulfillment of the prophesy "came to his own" and and began fulfilling the promises made to Israel. Jesus told the women and those present that this was his main mission at that time. The response of the woman about dogs eating the scraps that falls from the master's (Israel's) table was the foreshadowing of the blessings of Jesus which are to be given to all (Jew and Gentile). All are showered with God's blessing in the end- both the house of Israel and the rest of the world. (we now know that this was always his intention anyway!)
Peace
Cathy R. will pray for you at WYD!

8/11/2011 1:57:10 PM

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Fr. Arnaldo pinho

i would like to have your sermon notes

8/13/2011 5:43:30 AM

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Fr. Joe Sanjay OFM Cap

Fr.Barron, Thank you for your thoughtful insights over this gospel passage. I wish to share my reflection too. I feel the the style of Jesus' teaching was mostly through metaphors, parables and lifetime examples. He often related his message with a lifetime event and thus taught his disciples. Through the episode of the women caught in adultery, he taught his disciples to be non judgmental, through zacheus episode, he taught them that he has come for the lost. This is the style of the teaching of zen masters too, where they go through the event along with the disciples without offering them any insight or wisdom and only at the end they they tell the disciples what it really meant and offer the reflection behind. I see Jesus using this style where he tries to see the canaanite women as any other jew (disciples) would look at and relates with her in the same fashion. And at the end he draws the message and teaches his disciples about the idea of persistent prayer! God Bless!

8/13/2011 8:29:36 AM

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Jean

Home run, Father!
(I was worried there for a minute that you were going to agree with the "cranky" or feminist interpretation of this passage, but, as usual, you didn't disappoint!)

8/13/2011 10:21:58 PM

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michael jaffray king

This explains perfectly why we have trials and tests. Ist Peter Ch 4 v 12 and 13
v.12..Dearly beloved, think not strange the burning heat which is to try you, as if some new thing happened to you; 13 But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
ALSO now that we all know that you speak German Fluently, we can soon expect the Catholicism Project in German... How soon!!!???
Your German Ambassador
mjk

8/14/2011 7:07:02 AM

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Sherry

Dear Fr. Barron,

I love it. I was feeling very frustrated, as a writer, as a mom, because I'd had a spout of writer's block coupled with rejections and I have ten children and so there is always so much work to do. But hearing that this is God's way of tempering and testing and growing our faith, revealing it to ourselves, makes it exciting to go and write again, and to do all of this because it is simply what is required.

8/14/2011 8:10:37 AM

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Dan Clark

This made me wonder how the Apostles got off so easy. I am not sure any of them were put to the test like this woman.

8/14/2011 10:36:14 AM

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virginia

Dear Father Barron,

In mass today, our pastor, repeated over and over again "Jesus was wrong" regarding today's Gospel reading. I am grateful to have beautiful and accurate biblical interpretation by you, but worry about my fellow parishiner being lead astray.I wonder if I should approach him or just pray for him.

8/14/2011 8:08:41 PM

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Michelle

In the Kill Bill example, it seems as though the main character put up with mental and physical abuse in order to get elusive praise. I'm sure you didn't intend to make it sound as though victims of abuse should remain in abusive situations, but it comes off that way.

Also, when you discuss how initiations are tests in which we prove our determination, I am reminded of initiation rituals into some fraternities and sororities: hazing. Your reasoning could easily be used to support such deadly rituals.

Don't get me wrong. I know you did not intend for my mind to go where it went, but you seem to be walking a fine line between healthy testing and abusive situations.

8/15/2011 1:01:50 AM

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Karen Genest

Thank you for putting a name on it: resistance training. Now I have more clarity about what God is doing in my life during a time of difficult challenge.

8/15/2011 11:09:30 AM

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Mary Ann Mueller

Awesome! What insight. What faith this woman had that the more resistance she meet the more she clinged to Jesus. That we should be grant such faith through the resistance we meet in our daily life.

8/15/2011 1:44:08 PM

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Kathy

Virginia,know Fr. Barron will provide best guidance. As a reader of this site, I want to encourage you to be open with your priests...they are a big part of your life. God Speed!

8/16/2011 9:55:49 AM

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IG

Fr. Barron,
regardless yours is an interesting exegesis, the disturbing words of the Christ in the above passage echo Mt 10, 5-6:"“Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel".
The recurrent theme,extrapolated from a possible "testing context" in Mt 10, 5-6, cannot be really dismissed so easily

8/18/2011 1:48:00 PM

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FAITH GILL( FORMER ATHEIST)

My story is a long one, english is not my language so I am gointo to make a sintesis.
GOD WAS MERCIFULL TO ME

2/3/2012 4:03:49 PM

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