ChiRhoRob Newsletter - Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Jul 27, 2025 8:26 pm
July 27, 2025 - Volume I, Issue 8
"Trust in God’s Providence, interfering–as it always does–for our own good." - St. Mary MacKillop
Editor’s Note
This week's gospel from Luke follows Christ's discussion last week with Martha about how she should slow down and spend more time "being" and less time "doing". It was a call to contemplation. The next logical question to Christ is how, and that's where one of his disciples picks up.
The mystery disciple at the beginning of chapter 11 asks Christ how to pray, and Luke's gospel gives us a shortened version of what we can find in Matthew 6:9-13, the Our Father we are all familiar with. In this week's contemplative corner, I found a deep dive by Bishop Barron on the Our Father. The kernel I'd like to point out is that Christ is asking us to pray together and for one another. Notice that the singular "I" is never used. It's always "we" or "our" or "us", never "me". One of the beauties of Catholicism is a realization that we aren't alone in our prayers, so please pray for me and know of my prayers for you!
The next section of our Gospel reading recounts a story of a friend being annoyed at another friend for bugging him with persistence for loaves of bread in the middle of the night. Eventually the friend gives in and Christ comments "if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence" which is so true. Sometimes we'll do something for someone annoying us just to "shut them up". This is a message to be persistent in prayer. Don't ask once, don't ask twice, don't ask seven times seventy times, but ask unceasingly.
In providing a fraternal correction to abbot Joachim during the Fourth Lateran Council, the Council states, "[f]or between creator and creature there can be noted no similarity so great that a greater dissimilarity cannot be seen between them." With this in mind, Christ is not saying that God will say "yes" to our prayers to make us shut up. What this persistent, unceasing prayer does, is changes us.
What I've noticed is that over the years, as I've continued to grow closer to God, my wants have changed. What I was asking for even three years ago is vastly different than what I'm asking for today. Take some time today to reflect on how your prayers have changed over time. If it hasn't changed much, maybe you need to shift from Martha to Mary a bit.
Christ wraps up the narrative telling us to trust in God's response - ask, and it will be given to you. But Christ seems to qualify what God's response will be. Remember, God is good and can't do evil. God will give us what we REALLY desire, not necessarily what we're asking for, similar to a child who says they are hungry and want cake for dinner. The parent would likely give them some fruit, chicken, and rice. The child tells the parent that they are hungry, so the parent addresses the hunger, but not necessarily how the child wanted to solve it.
In summary: Pray Together, Pray Unceasingly, and Trust in the Answer.
Sunday Readings
Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time - Link
First Reading – Genesis 18:20-32
Second Reading – Colossians 2:12-14
Gospel – Luke 11:1-13
Headlines
A few headlines that caught my eye this week:
Judiciary Committee: FBI spied on Catholic priest for not divulging info on parishioner
Vatican court rejects auditor’s wrongful dismissal lawsuit, again
James Hitchcock, Church Historian and Popular Author and Professor, Dies at 87…
Ozzy Osbourne, Heavy Metal, and the Sound of Searching Souls…
Reformed and Renewed: US Catholic Seminaries Enter a ‘Golden Age’...
LA archbishop, joined by business leaders, starts fund to help families affected by ICE raids
Philadelphia Archbishop in Pastoral Letter Tells Immigrants: ‘You Are Not Alone’Pope
Leo XIV Marks 56th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing With Call to Buzz Aldrin…
Body of Blessed Frassati, relic of Blessed Acutis will be in Rome for Jubilee of Youth
Miami archbishop presses for pastoral visitation at Alligator Alcatraz
Priest gives details on surviving the Gaza church attack
EWTN launches EWTN Studios and EWTN Digital to expand global reach
Artificial Intelligence, wholeism and prayer
He’s a real American: Bill aims to protect pope’s US citizenship
Tattoo shop in Times Square is a ‘ministry for the Miraculous Medal’
Contemplative Corner
Bishop Barron on The Lord's Prayer
Bishop Robert Barron offered this reflection on The Lord's Prayer in 2010 - Click Here
Apostolate Spotlight
Lay Dominicans
Lay Dominicans are lay men and women who live out the Dominican charism while fully engaged in the world. They may be single, married, or widowed. Rooted in prayer, study, community, and mission, they seek to proclaim the truth of Christ in everyday life. Through regular formation, fraternity gatherings, the Rosary, and the Liturgy of the Hours, they grow spiritually and support one another. In union with the Dominican Order, Lay Dominicans preach through their daily lives at home, at work, and in public. Learn more at laydominicans.org.
The Liturgical Week Ahead
Links included below, coloring indicates Liturgical Color
7/28/2025 - Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ex 32:15-24, 30-34/Mt 13:31-35
7/29/2025 - Tuesday - Memorial of Sts. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus
Ex 33:7-11; 34:5b-9, 28 /Jn 11:19-27 or Lk 10:38-42
7/30/2025 - Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ex 34:29-35/Mt 13:44-46
7/31/2025 - Thursday - Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Ex 40:16-21, 34-38/Mt 13:47-53
8/1/2025 - Friday - Memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37/Mt 13:54-58
8/2/2025 - Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lv 25:1, 8-17/Mt 14:1-12
Community Prayer Intentions
For Strength and Comfort
- Sia Krog and the Krog Family
- Mystery New Arrival to SCI Phoenix
- Pope Leo XIV
Eternal Rest
- Emma Niese
- Pope Benedict XVI
- Pope Francis
Saints in Progress, pray for us!
Thank you!
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Please know of my prayers for you, and please continue to pray for me and my family. I’ll see you next time, but in the meantime, God Bless!
–☧ Rob