Saturday June 28, 2025

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He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurion said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.” (From today’s Gospel reading)

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Good News Reflection for:

Saturday of the 12th Week of Ordinary Time
June 28, 2025

Today’s Readings:

Genesis 18:1-15
Luke 1:46-50, 53-55
Matthew 8:5-17
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062825.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-june-28-2025

Father God’s role in the Holy Mass

Have you noticed that all of the prayers led by the priest during Mass are directed to God as our Father? Participate in the Mass with this in mind. Remain aware of how you and the priest are speaking to the Father.

Many of the prayers of the Eucharistic Liturgy are about Jesus, not to Jesus. The prayers are directed to the Father. Have you noticed that? In fact, the entire celebration of Mass is an intimate dialog with the Father:

1. The first hymn, which unites the children of God in song, begins the conversation. Do you sing? It doesn’t matter to Abba-Father what your voice sounds like. Remember, he gave you that voice and meant for it to sing praises that glorify him in an exchange of love. If you’re off-key, so what? The Father is delighted that you’ve opened your mouth.
2. In the Penitential Rite, we seek the Father’s forgiveness for our sins—and he readily gives it. Have you prepared for this by bringing to mind your sins? The opportunity for this is usually so short during Mass that it’s important we think about it before arriving at church.
3. Abba-Father speaks to us through the Holy Spirit as we listen to the scriptures and the homily. But what if the homily is boring or off-topic? Abba-Father wants to give you the best possible experience of his active involvement in your worship, so expect the Holy Spirit to deliver a message that comes directly from the heart of the Father — even if it is spoken only within your heart.
4. During the intercessory prayers, we give to our Father the needs of others. None of the prayers about us (the people) are directed to Jesus. They all go directly to the Father through Jesus.
5. The miracle of the Eucharist occurs because of the Father. It is the Father who gives Jesus to us by transforming bread and wine into the Body and Blood of our Savior. It happens when the priest asks the Holy Spirit to come down upon the bread and wine (during the prayers of consecration):

Therefore, O Lord, we humbly implore You by the same Spirit: Graciously make holy these gifts we have brought to You for consecration, that they may become the Body and Blood of Your Son our Lord Jesus Christ, at whose command we celebrate these mysteries. (from Eucharistic Prayers III)

By the time we say the “amen” that acknowledges our belief in the truth of this, we have been transformed. By the grace of God, we have been purified. Now, in receiving and consuming Jesus in the Eucharist, we are temporarily detached from this world. We are fully united to God, however briefly it might last.

This is not a moment to be squandered. Enjoy it! Be conscious of the presence of your Divine Daddy. He is very delighted that you are here and that you have chosen to worship him and enter into the mysteries of Christ’s purifying, Eucharistic gift.

(This article is an excerpt from my book The Father’s Heart. See tothefathersheart.com.)

© 2023 by Terry A. Modica

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