“How Great Is Our God”

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of Chris Tomlin singing “How Great Is Our God”:

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Isaiah 66:10-14; Galatians 6:14-18; and Luke 10:1-12, 17-20. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 66 (Psalm 66:1-7, 16, 20).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “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; 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. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand. I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”

Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Reflections on this day and on these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 7, 2013)

Msgr. Charles Pope: Practical Principles for Proclaiming the Kingdom – A Homily for the 14th Sunday of the Year (6 JUL 13)

A Concord Pastor Comments: Homily for Sunday, July 7 (7 JUL 13)

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: Sign of the Cross - Sign of Our Faith?

The Deacon's Bench: Homily for July 7, 2013: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (6 JUL 13)

Word on Fire: Sermon 652: Boasting in the Cross: 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Sacred Page: Gathering the New Jerusalem: 14th Sunday of O.T. (6 JUL 13)

Dr. Scott Hahn: Harvest Time (July 7th 2013 - 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Catholic World Report Blog: Proclaiming the Kingdom in the splendor of the Son (6 JUL 13)

The Word Engaged: Blessed Assurance (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time C)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You touch the hearts of Your people through the outward signs of Your Church.

Deacon Richard Ballard on a Nun’s Religious Habit Leading to His Conversion

“I grew up in Western North Carolina, an area dominated by Protestants and not known for having plentiful numbers of Catholics. For the first several years of my life I had never met a Catholic and didn’t even know what one was. My first brush with the Catholic Church occurred late in 1965, when I was seven years old. This encounter is stamped indelibly on my memory because it was the most unusual sight that I had ever witnessed to that point in my life.  It happened in the lobby of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina.  I had gone to the hospital with relatives to visit my grandfather who was recuperating from surgery.

“At that time, children were not allowed to visit the rooms of patients, so I was relegated to the lobby with strict instructions to behave myself and not get into trouble.  It was a different age then, when parental worries centered much more around what mischief one’s child might perpetrate, rather than what mischief some perpetrator might make with one’s child.  So, with a variety of comic books in hand, I was ensconced in the corner of the lobby to idle away the time awaiting the return of my family.  It was then that I saw her: Sister Mary Regina Harriss, RSM. She was a religious, a Sister of Mercy, and I was astonished.”

In a recent commentary, Deacon Richard Ballard (Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on  how the habit worn by this Sister of Mercy helped lead to his conversion.

To access Deacon Ballard’s complete post, please visit:

Standing on My Head: A Habit, A Nun and a Conversion (25 JUN 13)

Reflection Starter from St. Cyril of Jerusalem

“The Spirit comes gently and makes himself known by his fragrance. He is not felt as a burden, for he is light, very light. Rays of light and knowledge stream before him as he approaches. The Spirit comes with the tenderness of a true friend and protector to save, to heal, to teach, to counsel, to strengthen, to console.” – Saint Cyril of Jerusalem

James Cagney : “You’re a Grand Old Flag” (from “Yankee Doodle Dandy”)

As we continue on our year’s journey after our Independence Day celebration, I offer this audio version of James Cagney singing “You’re a Grand Old Flag” (from Yankee Doodle Dandy):

On Religion in America at the Time of the Declaration of Independence

“When the Declaration of Independence was drafted on July 4, 1776, religious practice in the 13 colonies of the United States was colorful and varied. The quest for independence -- as well as loyalist resistance to the cause -- permeated church life and teachings across denominational lines. Patriots argued that their fight was God-ordained, while many Anglican clergy were bound by oath to pray for the King and the royal family.

“Benjamin Franklin depicts God's role in the revolution in his design for the Great Seal of the United States. Circling an image of Moses parting the Red Sea and leading the Israelites out of Egypt is the inscription, ‘Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.’ Cast in 1752 in Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell bears the words of Lev. 25:10, ‘Proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all inhabitants thereof.’ And the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence cite God as the author of the quest for freedom: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’”

A recent Huffington Post article, Maria Mayo, M.Div., Ph.D., offered a look at some of the religious influences in the Thirteen Colonies during the period leading up to the American Revolution.

To access this report, please visit:

Huffington Post: Religion in America on July 4, 1776 (4 JUL 13)

Related information:

Catholic Answers Magazine: America’s Catholic Colony

CatholicHistory Spotlight: Catholics and the American Founding

Marian T. Horvat, Ph.D.: The Catholic Church in Colonial America

Reason Foundation Releases Report on Performance of State Highway Systems

The Reason Foundation recently released its 20th Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems, a report that is designed to track the performance of state-owned highway systems of the United States.

Eleven indicators make up each state’s overall rating, including highway expenditures, interstate and primary road pavement condition, bridge condition, urban interstate congestion, fatality rates and narrow rural lanes. The study is based on spending and performance data submitted by the state highway agencies to the federal government.

The rankings of the six New England states were:  #18 – New Hampshire, #28 – Vermont, #29 – Maine, #43 – Massachusetts, #44 – Connecticut, and #49 – Rhode Island.

Media report:

Burlington Free Press: Vermont jumps from 42nd to 28th place in national road ranking (4 JUL 13)

To access a copy of the complete report, please visit:

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Report on the Performance of State Highway Systems

To access copies if the individual state reports for the New England states, please visit:

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Highway Report: State Summary: Connecticut

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Highway Report: State Summary: Maine

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Highway Report: State Summary: Massachusetts

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Highway Report: State Summary: New Hampshire

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Highway Report: State Summary: Rhode Island

Reason Foundation: 20th Annual Highway Report: State Summary: Vermont

Background information:

Reason Foundation

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your presence in each person we encounter each day.

Pope Francis on Encounter the Living God Through His Wounds

“To meet the living God we must tenderly kiss the wounds of Jesus in our hungry, poor, sick, imprisoned brothers and sisters. Study, meditation and mortification are not enough to bring us to encounter the living Christ. Like St. Thomas, our life will only be changed when we touch Christ’s wounds present in the poor, sick and needy. This was the lesson drawn by Pope Francis during morning Mass . . . as he marked the Feast of St. Thomas Apostle.”

A recent Vatican Radio broadcast reported on this reflection of Pope Francis on how Christians find Jesus’ wounds in carrying out works of mercy and, in so doing, entering into a deeper worship of the living God.

To access this Vatican Radio report, please visit:

Vatican Radio: Pope at Mass: We encounter the Living God through His wounds (3 JUL 13)

Reflection Starter from John Tyler

“We are all called upon by the highest obligations of duty to renew our thanks and our devotion to our Heavenly Parent, who has continued to vouchsafe to us the eminent blessings which surround us and who has so signally crowned this year with goodness.” – John Tyler (in his first annual message to the Senate and House, 7 December 1841)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord for the many blessings You poured on the various family and community celebrations during the observance of Independence Day and for the many reminders of the blessings You have poured upon the United States of America.