THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

6 July 2025

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The Sunday

Sermon

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Dear Friends in Christ,

Today, we continue with the thoughts from last week, where we considered the call of all nations, including Israelites and Gentiles, into the true Church. In today's Gospel reading (Saint Luke 5:1-11), Jesus entered one of two ships to draw back from the crowd pressing upon Him so that He could preach to the people. The spiritual writers suggest that these two ships represent the Israelite and Gentile peoples.

Jesus entered Saint Peter's ship and began preaching. Saint Augustine comments: "And from this ship, He taught the multitudes as by the authority of the Church He teaches the Gentiles. That the Lord asks Peter to draw back a little from the land signifies to us that we must deliver the word to the people with moderation, that they are not to be taught earthly things, nor are they to come suddenly from things earthly to the profundities of the mysteries. And also that He commands that they preach first to the neighboring peoples, so that, as appears from His next words: Launch out into the deep; afterward they shall preach to the remoter Gentiles."

The Church that God has established is for all peoples and for all time. It transcends human boundaries of nationality, region, or race, and is therefore inclusive and welcoming to all. Greek and Hebrew — Gentile and Israelite must all come together in the One Holy Catholic Church, given to us by God through His Son, Jesus Christ. There is no other way than through the means that Jesus has given us, and the Holy Ghost has confirmed in the Sacraments, graces, and doctrines of His Church.

Many reject the True Church because the Church teaches that we must deny ourselves daily to take up our cross and follow Jesus. This call to sacrifice and obedience is not easy, but it is the path to true discipleship. Those who try to find another way are thieves and liars. Those who want to equate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with the Last Supper or wish to honor God with a meal rather than sacrifice — feasting rather than fasting are not true disciples of Jesus Christ. To turn away from sacrifice and self-denial is to turn away from Jesus Christ. The spirit that inspires this departure from the way Jesus has placed before us is not the Holy Ghost but rather a demonic spirit.

The two Great Commandments are to love God with our whole being and love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Love without sacrifice and self-denial is not love but rather self-centered lust. The accumulation of material blessings from God is not proof of God's approval of us. It is more likely that those who do a little good but not enough to merit Heaven are rewarded with the passing pleasures of this world as their reward because they have none to expect in eternity. Riches are not a sign of sanctity, nor is poverty a sign of God's disapproval. Jesus espoused poverty in this world to teach us this lesson; it is bewildering that so few see or comprehend this.

Just as race, nationality, language, culture, etcetera are irrelevant to our eternal happiness, likewise, the number or quality of material and intellectual gifts are unrelated to our eternal happiness. We need not be jealous of what others are blessed with but rather rejoice that God has seen fit to show us His bounty, whether in us or others. The bounteous blessings that some receive are designed to complement and complete what others lack. Capital employs labor, and labor perfects or brings to fruition capital. Male and female, rich and poor, young and old — all are intended to work together to complement and complete each other.

If we consider man as the head of the body and woman as the heart of the body, we ask which is greater. Or which is more important? We have missed the point altogether. A body without a head is a corpse, and a body without a heart is a corpse. Both are essential to make a unified and complete person.

It is within the True Church that Jesus has established that we see this completeness and unity. The individuals within the Church are definitely incomplete and flawed. But when all come together in self-sacrifice and self-denial, the love of God fills up every void, and there is unity in the Church. Just as there is unity among the many fish that were drawn into the net cast by Saint Peter and his companions, there is unity in the Church, despite our diversity.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!