Fr. Roger J. Landry
Sacred Heart Convent of the Sisters of Life, Manhattan
Friday of the 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I
Mass on the 50th Anniversary of the Marriage of my parents, Roger and Midge Landry
July 5, 2019
Gen 23:1-4.19;24:1-8.62-67, Ps 106, Mt 9:9-13
To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below:
The following points were attempted in the homily:
- Today the Church has us focus on the specificity of God’s call and, on the day after the Fourth of July, the freedom to follow that call for which Christ has set us free.
- In the Gospel, we see Jesus’ calling of St. Matthew. It wasn’t enough for the God-man to allow sinners to come to him. As the Good Shepherd, he not only went out in search of lost sheep, but summoned them to help him go out in search of other strays. Just like he called Peter, Andrew, James and John from their fishing boats, so he called Matthew from his work at the customs table to get up and follow him. Matthew did so and then, we know from the other Gospels, threw a party so that Jesus could similarly change the lives of those he knew.
- In the first reading, we see the vocation of Isaac and Rebekah to be married. On the surface it seems like just a marriage arranged by Abraham and his senior servant based on finding a woman from among Abraham’s brother’s Nahor’s kin who, when being asked for a cup of water would also offer to water his camels, but it was actually arranged by God. Rebekah, when hearing the servant’s story, consented to return with him to marry Isaac, the son of Abraham.
- God calls each of us with similar specificity. He comes to meet us where we are to call us to follow him. He wants us to use our freedom to respond wholeheartedly to his summons flowing from his spousal and shepherdly love.
- Today we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the nuptial vocation of my parents, Roger and Midge. As a family, we had a beautiful celebration last Saturday in the Church where they were married, St. Michael’s in Lowell, Massachusetts. But their marriage is just as much a part of God’s plans as Matthew’s vocation, as Rachel’s and Isaac’s, as yours and mine. In fact, I would obviously never have received my vocation had they not received and responded to theirs. Today, in the words of the Psalm, we “give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.” We also give thanks and pronounce blessed “they who observe what is right, who always do what is just.” We praise God for the blessings he has given my parents over these last five decades and bless him for the graces he gave to help them respond, and continue to respond to their vocation to marriage. We ask him, with the words of the liturgy for the fiftieth anniversary, “for the sake of the good works they have done through their long life together, [to] look kindly on [them] with the children they have brought to life and faith and, as you sealed the beginnings of their love by a wonderful Sacrament, so bless their fruitful old age” and keep them “safe and holy in the years ahead, until you welcome them both, in the fullness of their days, to your heavenly banquet.”
- And we ask him that we may be as faithful in persevering in our vocations as they have been in theirs!
The readings for today’s Mass were:
Reading 1 GN 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67
The span of Sarah’s life was one hundred and twenty-seven years.
She died in Kiriatharba (that is, Hebron)
in the land of Canaan,
and Abraham performed the customary mourning rites for her.
Then he left the side of his dead one and addressed the Hittites:
“Although I am a resident alien among you,
sell me from your holdings a piece of property for a burial ground,
that I may bury my dead wife.”
After the transaction, Abraham buried his wife Sarah
in the cave of the field of Machpelah,
facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
Abraham had now reached a ripe old age,
and the LORD had blessed him in every way.
Abraham said to the senior servant of his household,
who had charge of all his possessions:
“Put your hand under my thigh,
and I will make you swear by the LORD,
the God of heaven and the God of earth,
that you will not procure a wife for my son
from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live,
but that you will go to my own land and to my kindred
to get a wife for my son Isaac.”
The servant asked him:
“What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land?
Should I then take your son back to the land from which you migrated?”
“Never take my son back there for any reason,” Abraham told him.
“The LORD, the God of heaven,
who took me from my father’s house and the land of my kin,
and who confirmed by oath the promise he then made to me,
‘I will give this land to your descendants’–
he will send his messenger before you,
and you will obtain a wife for my son there.
If the woman is unwilling to follow you,
you will be released from this oath.
But never take my son back there!”
A long time later, Isaac went to live in the region of the Negeb.
One day toward evening he went out . . . in the field,
and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching.
Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him,
she alighted from her camel and asked the servant,
“Who is the man out there, walking through the fields toward us?”
“That is my master,” replied the servant.
Then she covered herself with her veil.
The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.
Then Isaac took Rebekah into his tent;
he married her, and thus she became his wife.
In his love for her, Isaac found solace
after the death of his mother Sarah.
Responsorial Psalm PS 106:1B-2, 3-4A, 4B-5
R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
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.
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.
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.
Alleluia MT 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 9:9-13
As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
