Happy Father's Day!

Once I read a conversation between dad and son. It goes like this: 

“Daddy, can I have another glass of water please?” 

“But I’ve given you 10 glasses of water already!” 

“Yes, but the bedroom is still on fire.” 

Happy Fathers’ Day! It is time to pause a moment to pray for and to reflect on fathers whom we honor. During this Holy 

Mass, let us remember our dads --living or dead-- in a special way and offer them on the altar of God. Today we     

celebrate, congratulate, and pray for the men who continue to reflect the divine qualities of fatherhood. Let us ask the 

intercession of St. Joseph to all fathers. Happy Father’s Day! 

This weekend’s Gospel reading is commissioning of the twelve and sending them out for the mission. The Gospel paired 

with from the book of Exodus (19:2-6), God entered the covenant with his people at Mount Sinai. In the first reading 

God reminded Moses of what he had done for his people, and instructed that he wants all His chosen people to be a 

kingdom of holy priests to offer prayer, and sacrifice and would keep his covenant. God says that all His people are 

special, set apart, and holy, and that they should pay attention to their exalted position. 

The Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai is a type of the foundation of the Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic 

Church 751 says, “The word "Church" (Latin ecclesia, from the Greek ek-ka-lein, to "call out of") means a convocation 

or an assembly. It designates the assemblies of the people, usually for a religious purpose. Ekklesia is used frequently in 

the Greek Old Testament for the assembly of the Chosen People before God, above all for their assembly on Mount 

Sinai where Israel received the Law and was established by God as his holy people. By calling itself "Church," the first 

community of Christian believers recognized itself as heir to that assembly. In the Church, God is "calling together" his 

people from all the ends of the earth. The equivalent Greek term Kyriake, from which the English word Church and the 

German Kirche are derived, means "what belongs to the Lord." 

In the Gospel of Matthew 9:36-10:8 Jesus has “compassioned” (9:36) the twelve, “like sheep without a shepherd”; he 

has announced that the completion of God’s plan, his “harvest” (9:37), to return all to him, is about to begin. The   

Kingdom of God is to be announced first to the Jewish people, and brought to the chosen people. He also instructed 

them that they should pray fervently for the laborers: vocation. CCC 543 says, “Everyone is called to enter the kingdom. 

First announced to the children of Israel, this messianic kingdom is intended to accept men of all nations. To enter it, 

one must first accept Jesus' word: The word of the Lord is compared to a seed which is sown in a field; those who hear it 

with faith and are numbered among the little flock of Christ have truly received the kingdom. Then, by its own power, 

the seed sprouts and grows until the harvest.” 

Matthew 28:19 & 20 we see the final commissioning before the ascension, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all 

nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all 

that I have commanded you.* And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” 

Through Baptism the faithful are incorporated into a body-the Church- which is the risen Lord builds up and sustains 

through the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the root and center of the community, and is the source of communion among 

the members of the Church. By giving us his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, the Lord transforms us into one Body, the 

church. 

CCC 777 says, “The word "Church" means "convocation." It designates the assembly of those whom God's Word 

"convokes," i.e., gathers together to form the People of God, and who themselves, nourished with the Body of Christ, 

become the Body of Christ.” 

Jesus sent out the twelve with a mission. We are sent out after every celebration of the Eucharist: to be the Eucharistic 

people and make our name known and loved.