Notes for Sunday's sermon (on clericalism)
by Phyllis Zagano | Aug. 27, 2014
In today's Gospel, Jesus explains he must "suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes" (Matthew 16:21).
Not only Jesus.
A few weeks ago, approximately 800 members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious gathered in Nashville, Tenn. Against a backdrop of Vatican criticism of their organization and of the sister who would receive LCWR's annual award, the sisters listened as a Vatican representative listed eight points for their reflection.
A letter from the prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life -- the acronym they use is CICLSAL -- challenged the sisters, asking: 1) about their return to the sources of Christian life; 2) had they adapted in an evangelical way to the changed conditions of the times; 3) if their supreme rule is to follow Christ in the Gospel; 4) do they preserve their founding charisms; 5) do they "think with the church"; 6) are their members made aware of the needs of the church so they may live in communion with others; 7) is each member loved personally; and, 8) whether obedience and authority are dimensions of the life of true fraternity amongst them or instruments of power and of enslavement, perhaps disguised by an unhealthy spirituality?
http://ncronline.org/blogs/just-catholic/notes-sundays-sermon-clericalism
The Gospel for August 31, 2014, Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time:
Gospel mt 16:21-27
Jesus began to show his disciples
that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly
from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.
Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him,
“God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.”
He turned and said to Peter,
“Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me.
You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay all according to his conduct.”