June 26, 2025

Building Our Life on the Word of God Calling Us to Holiness, 12th Thursday (I), Memorial of St. Josemaria Escrivà, June 26, 2025

16 minutes

Msgr. Roger J. Landry

Acton University, Grand Rapids, MI

Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I

Memorial of St. Josemaria Escrivà, on the 50th Anniversary of his Death

June 26, 2025

Gen 16:1-12.15-16, Ps 106, Mt 7:21-29

To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/6.26.25_Homily_1.mp3

The following outline guided the homily:

Two things in the Gospel in summary of the Sermon on the Mount:

Doing the will of God

Building our life on the rock.

It’s not enough to give God lip service or even being his instrument for great miracles. He wants us growing into his image and likeness, becoming more like him.

Similarly it’s not enough for us to listen to his words. He wants us to build our life on him.

The analogy of building houses is illustrative. In the ancient world some would build on sandy creek beds. Seemed easy. But wouldn’t last. Jesus wants us to build on his word.

Sara didn’t. God had spoken clearly to Abram and to Sara, but Sara grew impatient. She ceased to trust. She took matters into her own hands. Then it led to problems for Hagar, Ishmael and Abraham.

James called us to be doers of the word, not just idle listeners. Like Mary, let the word take on our flesh. To be a true member of his family, by hearing the Word of God and doing it.

Gregory the Great said, vita bonorum viva lectio.

Today the Church celebrates St. Josemaria Escriva. on the 50th anniversary of death. He was someone whose life was a commentary on Sacred Scripture. He responded to his vocation as a priest. Then to found Opus Dei. To take seriously our being made in God’s image and likeness. Be holy. Be perfect. This is God’s will for you, your sanctification. Not just in his own life but in everyone’s particularly the laity, particularly in one’s work.

Act on God’s call. To do his will. To build our life and all our work on his ongoing work of forming us to be more and more his image.

Today is the 26th anniversary of my priestly ordination. Priests are men of the word. Receive the Gospel. Most important thing is that they can help people hear the Word of God and act on it. To help people live the word of God.

Today we hear the word of God. We build on it. We don’t just cry out, but we seek to do his will as he says, “Do this in memory of me.”

The readings for today’s Mass were:

Reading 1

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children.

She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.

Sarai said to Abram:

“The LORD has kept me from bearing children.

Have intercourse, then, with my maid;

perhaps I shall have sons through her.”

Abram heeded Sarai’s request.

Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,

his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian,

and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine.

He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.

When she became aware of her pregnancy,

she looked on her mistress with disdain.

So Sarai said to Abram:

“You are responsible for this outrage against me.

I myself gave my maid to your embrace;

but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy,

she has been looking on me with disdain.

May the LORD decide between you and me!”

Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power.

Do to her whatever you please.”

Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness,

the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked,

“Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from

and where are you going?”

She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.”

But the LORD’s messenger told her:

“Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment.

I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger,

“that they will be too many to count.

Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her:

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son;

you shall name him Ishmael,

For the LORD has heard you,

God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man,

his hand against everyone,

and everyone’s hand against him;

In opposition to all his kin

shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son,

and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,

or proclaim all his praises?

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed are they who observe what is right,

who do always what is just.

Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Visit me with your saving help,

that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,

rejoice in the joy of your people,

and glory with your inheritance.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia

John 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever loves me will keep my word,

and my Father will love him

and we will come to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

will enter the Kingdom of heaven,

but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day,

‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?

Did we not drive out demons in your name?

Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’

Then I will declare to them solemnly,

‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them

will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came,

and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine

but does not act on them

will be like a fool who built his house on sand.

The rain fell, the floods came,

and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,

the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

for he taught them as one having authority,

and not as their scribes.

The post Building Our Life on the Word of God Calling Us to Holiness, 12th Thursday (I), Memorial of St. Josemaria Escrivà, June 26, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

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By Father Roger Landry

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June 26, 2025

Building Our Life on the Word of God Calling Us to Holiness, 12th Thursday (I), Memorial of St. Josemaria Escrivà, June 26, 2025

16 minutes

Msgr. Roger J. Landry

Acton University, Grand Rapids, MI

Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I

Memorial of St. Josemaria Escrivà, on the 50th Anniversary of his Death

June 26, 2025

Gen 16:1-12.15-16, Ps 106, Mt 7:21-29

To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/6.26.25_Homily_1.mp3

The following outline guided the homily:

Two things in the Gospel in summary of the Sermon on the Mount:

Doing the will of God

Building our life on the rock.

It’s not enough to give God lip service or even being his instrument for great miracles. He wants us growing into his image and likeness, becoming more like him.

Similarly it’s not enough for us to listen to his words. He wants us to build our life on him.

The analogy of building houses is illustrative. In the ancient world some would build on sandy creek beds. Seemed easy. But wouldn’t last. Jesus wants us to build on his word.

Sara didn’t. God had spoken clearly to Abram and to Sara, but Sara grew impatient. She ceased to trust. She took matters into her own hands. Then it led to problems for Hagar, Ishmael and Abraham.

James called us to be doers of the word, not just idle listeners. Like Mary, let the word take on our flesh. To be a true member of his family, by hearing the Word of God and doing it.

Gregory the Great said, vita bonorum viva lectio.

Act on God’s call. To do his will. To build our life and all our work on his ongoing work of forming us to be more and more his image.

Today we hear the word of God. We build on it. We don’t just cry out, but we seek to do his will as he says, “Do this in memory of me.”

The readings for today’s Mass were:

Reading 1

Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16

Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children.

She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.

Sarai said to Abram:

“The LORD has kept me from bearing children.

Have intercourse, then, with my maid;

perhaps I shall have sons through her.”

Abram heeded Sarai’s request.

Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,

his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian,

and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine.

He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.

When she became aware of her pregnancy,

she looked on her mistress with disdain.

So Sarai said to Abram:

“You are responsible for this outrage against me.

I myself gave my maid to your embrace;

but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy,

she has been looking on me with disdain.

May the LORD decide between you and me!”

Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power.

Do to her whatever you please.”

Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness,

the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked,

“Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from

and where are you going?”

She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.”

But the LORD’s messenger told her:

“Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment.

I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger,

“that they will be too many to count.

Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her:

“You are now pregnant and shall bear a son;

you shall name him Ishmael,

For the LORD has heard you,

God has answered you.

This one shall be a wild ass of a man,

his hand against everyone,

and everyone’s hand against him;

In opposition to all his kin

shall he encamp.”

Hagar bore Abram a son,

and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,

or proclaim all his praises?

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Blessed are they who observe what is right,

who do always what is just.

Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Visit me with your saving help,

that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,

rejoice in the joy of your people,

and glory with your inheritance.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia

John 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Whoever loves me will keep my word,

and my Father will love him

and we will come to him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 7:21-29

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’

will enter the Kingdom of heaven,

but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

Many will say to me on that day,

‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?

Did we not drive out demons in your name?

Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’

Then I will declare to them solemnly,

‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them

will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.

The rain fell, the floods came,

and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

And everyone who listens to these words of mine

but does not act on them

will be like a fool who built his house on sand.

The rain fell, the floods came,

and the winds blew and buffeted the house.

And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

When Jesus finished these words,

the crowds were astonished at his teaching,

for he taught them as one having authority,

and not as their scribes.

The post Building Our Life on the Word of God Calling Us to Holiness, 12th Thursday (I), Memorial of St. Josemaria Escrivà, June 26, 2025 appeared first on Catholic Preaching.

...more