15th Sunday in Ordinary Time - B - July 15, 2018

On the Road

It's summertime. A time for vacation. A chance to see new sights and have new experiences. Road trip anyone?

Of course, our travels do have hidden problems. Sickness, car troubles and just plain irritable attitudes can ruin a trip. But our travails are nothing compared to the dangers Jesus and his followers met on the road. So, why did they journey from town to town. To spread the Good News. To proclaim the message of God.

Sunday Studies:

FIRST READING The prophet Amos defended his call to preach in the northern kingdom. He was a simple shepherd and day laborer who heard the command of God.

PSALM Psalm 85 was a plea for God’s mercy and salvation. It promised repentance and a renewal of faith.

SECOND READING In Ephesians, St. Paul declared that we, as believers, stood as children of the Father. That status deserved praise to God.

GOSPEL In Mark 6, Jesus sent out his disciples in pairs to proclaim the Good News, heal the sick and prepare his way. Their journeys challenge us to reach out to others, even outside of our comfort zones.

Other Resources:

DAILY READINGS Readings for the 14th Week in Ordinary Time.

CHILDREN’S READINGS In the story for the first reading, the young Amos heard the call of God to preach justice for the poor. In the story for the gospel, Felix flew to a family reunion. He might not see his great grandmother again, but he did enjoy his time with his many, many relatives. We, too, might travel to meet new friends because of the Good News.

FAMILY ACTIVITY We all plan our vacations to a certain extent. Why not make spiritual plans for our time away?