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Breath of the Spirit

Pastoral, Liturgical, Teaching, and Social Justice Moments brought to you by www.DignityUSA.org.

Breath of the Spirit is DignityUSA’s electronic spiritual and liturgical resource for our members and potential members. Nothing can replace your chapter or other faith community, but we hope you will find further support here for integrating your spirituality with your sexuality and all the strands of your life.

We welcome relevant homilies, inspirational writings, social justice opportunities, or theological articles from other sources also — particularly from wise women and men who can help us grow as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) and allied Catholic/Christians. You may volunteer to help with this program or send your comments by e-mailing info@DignityUSA.org ATTN: Breath of the Spirit.

JULY 27, 2008: Seventeenth Sunday of the Year

Readings: 
1 Kings 3:5, 7-12
Romans 8:28-30
Matthew 13:44-52

The late Fr. Roland Murphy always taught the key to understanding biblical wisdom is found in today's I Kings pericope. Our sacred authors, concerned their readers live the life God wants them to live, define the "wise" person as the individual who's able to pull that off. That's why all people of faith are listening intently to how Solomon responds to Yahweh's unbelievable offer: "Ask something of me and I will give it to you."

JULY 20, 2008: Sixteenth Sunday of the Year

Readings: 
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Romans 8:26-27
Matthew 13:24-43

One of the most misunderstood gospel terms is the phrase "kingdom of God" or kingdom of heaven." It's a very significant concept. Jesus begins his public ministry with the proclamation, "The kingdom of God is close at hand!" To misunderstand the kingdom of God is to misunderstand the historical Jesus' ministry.

JULY 13, 2008: Fifteenth Sunday of the Year

Readings: 
Isaiah 55:10-11
Romans 8:18-23
Matthew 13:1-23

Perhaps today we should switch our first and second reading. Paul surfaces a problem with which all people of faith must deal. But Deutero-Isaiah and Matthew's Jesus give the same basic answer to the problem, even though they ministered more than 500 years apart.

The Apostle states the question: How do we know the things we hope for in faith will eventually happen one day? He begins by making a statement of faith: "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us."

JULY 6, 2008: Fourteenth Sunday of the Year

Readings: 
Zechariah 9:9-10
Romans 8:9, 11-13
Matthew 11:25-30

A popular saying of the 70s stated, "When you're up to your waste in alligators, it's hard to remember your original plan was to drain the swamp."

Often it's difficult to keep our original plan in front of our eyes. We often give in to the immediate problem, even when the solution to that particular need runs counter to our original plan. We start working on alligator eradication and forget about swamp draining. This happens even with our faith.

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