LUCEM FERRE

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – A | JUNE 28, 2026 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a; Psalm 89; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42 RADICAL HOSPITALITY AND RADICAL SELF-DENIAL . Brothers and sisters in Christ! If we listen closely to today’s Gospel, we might feel a sudden rush of spiritual whiplash. Jesus begins with some of the most challenging, uncompromising demands in the entire New Testament: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me... whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” These words cut straight to the bone. They demand everything. But then, just a few moments later, Jesus shifts the focus entirely. He begins to speak of receiving prophets, welcoming righteous people, and concludes with a strikingly tender promise: “And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because the little one is a disciple; amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.” We then feel, inevitably...

TWELFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – A | JUNE 21, 2026 Jeremiah 20:10-13, Psalm 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35, Romans 5:12-15, Matthew 10:26-33   THE POWER OF TRUST AMIDST THE WHISPERS OF THE WORLD   Brothers and sisters, If there is a universal human experience, it is that of fear . We all know that lump in our stomach in the face of the unknown, the fear of illness, or that more subtle but devastating anxiety: the fear of being judged by others, or of being rejected and invisible in the crowd. It is precisely there that the Word of God comes to us today. In the Gospel, Jesus repeats to us three times, like a refrain of tenderness and courage: “Do not fear.”   Let us first look at the prophet Jeremiah. He is going through a trial that many of us have already gone through: betrayal and backbiting. “I hear the calumnies of the crowd... Denounce him”, said his own friends. Who hasn't suffered from a rumor, a discussion group where people talk behind their backs, or the hushed ...

ELEVENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME – A |June 14, 2026 Exodus 19:2-6a, Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 5, Romans 5:6-11, Matthew 9:36-10:8 LABORERS OF COMPASSION My brothers and sisters, if you look closely at the Gospel passage we have just heard, you might notice a striking description of the crowds that followed Jesus. Saint Matthew writes that when Jesus saw the crowds, “he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Mt 9:36). “Harassed and helpless.” If we are honest with ourselves, those two words do not just describe a crowd of first-century Galileans. They often describe us. We live in a fast-paced, high-achievement culture where we are constantly told that we are only as good as our last success. We are bombarded with notifications, demands, and expectations. We run on empty, trying to keep up appearances, but inside, we feel scattered, vulnerable, and deeply tired. We, too, are often “harassed and helpless.” But it is precis...

  SOLEMNITY OF THE BODY AND BLOOD OF JESUS (CORPUS CHRISTI) – A Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a, Psalm 147:12-13, 19-20, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, John 6:51-58 THE HUMAN HUNGER FOR “REAL PRESENCE” If you walk into almost any restaurant, cafe, or family dining room today, you will likely witness a very modern, yet deeply tragic human phenomenon. You will see a table of people, perhaps a family, a group of lifelong friends, or a couple on a date, sitting together in physical proximity, yet absent from one another. Their heads are bowed, not in prayer, but in the blue-light glow of their smartphones. We live in an era of unprecedented connectivity, yet we are plagued by a profound, gnawing loneliness. We are “connected,” but we are not present . During the height of the virtual meetings and online gatherings of recent years, we all learned a vital lesson: a screen can transmit information, but it cannot replace touch. A video call can show us a face, but it cannot share a meal. ...