Monday, 16th Week in Ordinary Time July 24, 2023

Fr. Rick’s Two-Minute Homily for Monday, 16th Week in Ordinary Time
July 24, 2023, Matthew 12:38-42
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072423.cfm

Go for the Gold.

Once a year, our parish Knights of Columbus hold a golf tournament to benefit the school. Like all tournaments, there is a prize for the first-place team. Everyone goes for the gold, first place. Some teams know they won’t make it, so thank the Lord, they play in the tournament to have fun and donate to the school. However, no one says, “I hope we come in second or third place.”

That is what the Pharisees were doing. They opted for something less than the best. Their gold was the Mosaic Law, with no exceptions. Jesus gave a few examples that He was more significant than the Law. You can’t have a personal relationship with a law, but you can with a person.

We can pat ourselves on the back if we keep all the laws. But we raise the bar by sharing everything with our Lord and Savior. In good times and bad, we are always in first place with Jesus, who defeats every enemy, even death.

Gospel Challenge:

Are you settling for anything less than the Best? Talk to Jesus about it; you are always in first place.

Ignite the Fire

Fr. Rick Pilger, IC 
pastor 

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