14th Sunday in Ordinary Time @ St. Vincent de Paul Parish

HOMILY - 14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
JULY 6-7, 2019
5:00 PM (SAT), 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM (SUN) ORDINARY FORM MASSES



The Temple of Concordia in Agrigento, Sicily, is the best preserved Greek temple, of the Doric style, in the world next to the Parthenon, in Greece.

For the record, Concordia is the illegitimate love child of the god Mars and the goddess Venus.



Many of the stories about the Greek gods and goddesses seem to have filled the role in the ancient world of modern day soap operas. The goddess Venus was married to the god Vulcan, but was having an affair with the god Mars. So, the children of Venus and Mars were Phobos and Deimos – the gods of fear and terror, respectively – as well as Concordia, the goddess of harmony; and the Cupids – winged deities representing the many facets of love.



She was thus often associated with the “Pax Romana” – representing a stable and harmonious society.

The Temple of Concordia was built in the 5th century BC, and nearly 1,000 years later in the 6th century AD was converted into a Christian basilica dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul.
Twelve hundred [1200] years later, it was the Christian refurbishments were removed, and the original temple restored.

Today is the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time.



In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear the Lord God say, through the prophet:

I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.

The word translated as “prosperity” is the Hebrew word “shalom” which is often translated as “peace” – which, indeed, it is; both in the King James translation and the Douay Rheims as well.

In the Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, he tells them – and us as well, to:

never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And to “all who follow this rule” he prays that they receive “[p]eace and mercy”.

St. Luke’s Gospel is the story of the sending of the seventy-two [72] “others” … “whom” … “the Lord appointed … [and] sent ahead of him in pairs”. They are instructed to go forth and upon entering a house to say:

'Peace to this household.'[And i]f a peaceful person lives there,
[their] peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to [them]. 

Now this word “peace” for us as 21st century American elicits thoughts of “peace talks,” “peace and love,” and perhaps “world peace.”



And this reflects as distinctly Western view of peace. Our culture is descended from the Roman empire, and in the language of the Romans – Latin – the word for peace is “pax,” which while meaning “peace” also carries the meanings of “truce” and “treaty.”



The letter of St. Paul was written in Greek, and the Greek word for peace is “eirene,” which while meaning “peace” also can mean “peace of mind,” “unity,” “quiet,” and “rest.”



And in Isaiah, we hear the Hebrew word, “shalom” which means “peace,” but also means “prosperity,” “completeness,” “soundness,” and “welfare.”

This presents us with many layers, and many flavors of “peace” which we can contemplate and digest. And perhaps, the best admonition is found in the Gospel Acclamation – sandwiched between the Alleluias we hear:

Let the peace of Christ [rule in] your hearts;
[and] let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

As we approach this altar to receive the Sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, let us pray to receive the graces of peace – many layered and with many meanings – so that this Fruit of the Holy Spirit may rule in our hearts, and in our minds, and in our souls.