July 9, 2025 – Wednesday of the 14th week of Ordinary Time

Genesis 41:55-56; 42:5-7, 17-24; Matthew 10:1-7

Homily

The rabbis of Jesus' time surrounded themselves with a few disciples, with whom they lived in a school or at the gates of a city. Jesus chose a very different style. He was an itinerant rabbi who did not wait for disciples to come to Him but went out to meet them. He did not train His disciples with long speeches but simply took them along on His missionary journeys and sent them out on missions as well. He did not follow in the footsteps of the priests of His time (who were preoccupied with sacrifices and the people's money), nor did He follow in the footsteps of the Pharisees (a haughty elite), but rather in those of the great prophets and, beyond them, in the footsteps of Moses Himself.

7 July 2025 – Monday of the 14th week

Gen 28:10-22a; Matt. 9:18-26

Homily

The Gospel story we have just heard is very well constructed. Almost every detail is charged with symbolic meaning, and we will certainly not grasp the full message if we read it simply as a beautiful ‘story.’ The story is only there to support the message, and that message concerns life and its restoration.

08 juillet 2025 – Mardi de la 14^ème semaine

Gn 32, 23-32; Matt. 9, 32-38.

H o m é l i e

          Dans l’Évangile d’aujourd’hui nous voyons d’abord Jésus guérir un sourd-muet. Ce qui suscite évidemment l’admiration de la foule, mais aussi la haine des pharisiens qui prétendent que c’est par le pouvoir des démons que Jésus chasse les démons. Contrairement aux Apôtres qui, un jour, voulaient faire tomber le feu du ciel sur ceux qui n’avaient pas reçu leur message, Jésus ne répond même pas. Il s’éloigne tout simplement et s’en va parcourir les villes et les villages des alentours, donnant la bonne nouvelle dans les synagogues, proclamant l’Évangile du royaume et guérissant les malades.

8 July 2025 – Tuesday of the 14th week

Genesis 32:23-32; Matthew 9:32-38.

Homily

In today's Gospel, we first see Jesus healing a deaf-mute. This obviously arouses the admiration of the crowd, but also the hatred of the Pharisees, who claim that Jesus casts out demons by the power of demons. Unlike the Apostles, who one day wanted to call down fire from heaven on those who had not received their message, Jesus does not even respond. He simply walks away and goes to the surrounding towns and villages, preaching the good news in the synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom and healing the sick.

            He is then seized with compassion for these crowds who are like sheep without a shepherd to lead them to pasture. The Greek word translated here as ‘seized with compassion’ is a very strong word meaning ‘seized in the bowels,’ an attitude of great compassion and mercy that, throughout the New Testament, is attributed only to God.

            Jesus then saw all humanity as a vast field of ripe wheat ready to be harvested, but there were not enough workers for the harvest. Jesus then invited His apostles to pray to the Master of the harvest to send workers for His harvest.

We often hear these words of Jesus as a call to pray for priestly and religious vocations. This is obviously a very good thing to do, but Jesus' words have a much broader meaning. The harvest is in fact the whole of humanity. And we are all called and sent to show this humanity the compassion and love of the Father, manifested in Jesus Christ. Let us pray during this celebration that we may be faithful to this mission.

And we celebrate today the memory of Blessed Pope Eugene III, of our Cistercian Order.

Armand Veilleux

7 juillet 2025 – Lundi de la 14^ème semaine

Gen 28, 10-22a; Matt. 9, 18-26

H o m é l i e

          Le récit évangélique que nous venons d’entendre est très bien construit. Presque chaque détail y est chargé d'une signification symbolique; et nous n'en percevrons certainement pas tout le message, si nous le lisons simplement comme une belle "histoire". L'histoire n'est là que pour servir de support au message; et ce message concerne la vie et sa restauration.

6 juillet 2025, 14^ème dimanche ordinaire "C"

Is 66, 10-14; Ga 6, 14-18; Lc 10, 1---20

H O M É L I E

          Dans l'Évangile, nous avons deux versions de l'envoi en mission par Jésus: la première, commune aux trois Évangiles synoptiques, s'adresse aux douze Apôtres; l'autre, plus longue, que nous venons de lire, et qui est propre à Luc, s'adresse aux soixante-douze disciples.