DOCTRINE OUTLINECATECHISM THEMES
25th Sunday of Year B
CENTRAL IDEA
THE GREATNESS OF THE LOWLY
By Kevin Aldrich
Overview of
Doctrinal Homily
Outlines
Kevin Aldrich
Written as an aid for homilists and a resource for the faithful, this doctrinal homily outline (1) provides insights into the Lectionary readings, (2) explicates a doctrine of Catholic Faith or morals from them, and (3) shows specific ways lay persons can live these truths.
Click on title to read everything from Kevin Aldrich. What follows are only excerpts of what you will find on his blog.
First Reading
- The wicked hate the just man because he reminds them that their way of life is in violation of God’s way. The just man does not even have to speak: his very behavior is a reproach to them. They don’t even stop to ask if they are wrong and he is right, and so, if they should change.
Responsorial Psalm
- Those wicked men the prophet spoke of are right when they said of the just one, “God will take care of him,” but not the way they assumed.
- God may let the wicked get what they want now, but it won’t end the way they wanted.
- God may not let the just one get what he wants now, but it will end the way he desires: God will uphold his life for eternal life.
Second Reading
- Christian wisdom is built on Christ’s revelation: our good and bad behavior arises from our interior dispositions. What is inside us finds its way out. Still, God stands ready to give us what we need so that the good in our hearts can be healed and grow.
Gospel
- Just as in last Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus asks his apostles a question. This time they do not answer, because they are ashamed to. Their reasoning might be something like this. Jews are greater than Gentiles. The disciples are greater than the Jews in general. The Twelve are greater than the rest of the disciples. Therefore, one of the Twelve must be the greatest among this select group.
DOCTRINE
THE VIRTUE OF SERVICE AND THE VICE OF ENVY
- An enemy of the spirit of royal service is the vice of envy. Envy, “a capital sin,” is “sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin.” (CCC 2539)
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
HUMBLE AND ADMIRING NOBILITY
- When we see something another has and we don’t, we can respond with humility rather than humiliation. Humility sees the truth. The other really has received some gift we have not. For example, this other person excels over me because God has given him three times more energy than me.
- A second good response is admiration at the good the other possesses. Why admiration? It can encourage us to do more or better. For example, the one who has excelled over me has so much more energy. So, I want to cultivate the energy God has given me and even find ways to increase it so I can do better.
25th Sunday of Year B
Envy is a terrible vice. It causes much harm to families, relationships, and organizations. It leaves a sour taste to relationships. It breeds insecurity and destroys trust. It must be overcome if one wants to lead the gospel way.
Envy and jealousy sneakily gain control of our minds. They don’t feel like other sins that give at least a brief moment of gratification, so it’s easy to dismiss these disordered thoughts. In this video, Fr. Mike explains why we need to focus in on whatever jealousy or envy we may have in our lives, because it could inhibit our relationship with God. The remedy he shares is a reminder of who we are in God’s eyes, which is all that matters.
Catechism Themes
“The following paragraphs from the Catechism of the Catholic Church resonate with the biblical readings for this Sunday. They were chosen either because they cite or allude to the specific readings, or because they treat topics found in the readings.” —Homiletic Directory
SEPTEMBER 2021
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 539, 565, 600-605, 713: Christ, obedient Servant of God
CCC 786: to serve is to reign
CCC 1547, 1551: priestly ministry as service
CCC 2538-2540: the sin of envy
CCC 2302-2306: safeguarding peace
Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 821, 1126, 1636: ecumenical dialogue
CCC 2445-2446, 2536, 2544-2547: the danger of immoderate riches
CCC 1852: jealousy
OCTOBER 2021
Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1602-1617, 1643-1651, 2331-2336: conjugal fidelity
CCC 2331-2336: divorce
CCC 1832: fidelity, a fruit of Spirit
CCC 2044, 2147, 2156, 2223, 2787: the fidelity of the baptized
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 101-104: Christ, unique Word of Scripture
CCC 131-133: Scripture in life of the Church
CCC 2653-2654: Scripture as a fountain of prayer
CCC 1723, 2536, 2444-2447: poverty of heart
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 599-609: Christ’s redemptive death in the plan of salvation
CCC 520: Christ’s self-emptying as an example for us to imitate
CCC 467, 540, 1137: Christ the High Priest
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 547-550: Jesus performed messianic signs
CCC 1814-1816: faith, a gift of God
CCC 2734-2737: filial confidence in prayer
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 2083: commandments as a call for a response of love
CCC 2052, 2093-2094: the first commandment
CCC 1539-1547: holy orders in the economy of salvation
NOVEMBER 2021
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 519-521: Christ gave his life for us
CCC 2544-2547: poverty of heart
CCC 1434, 1438, 1753, 1969, 2447: almsgiving
CCC 2581-2584: Elijah and conversion of heart
CCC 1021-1022: the particular judgment
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
CCC 1038-1050: the Last Judgment; hope of a new heaven and a new earth
CCC 613-614, 1365-1367: Christ’s one perfect sacrifice and the Eucharist
Solemnity of Christ the King: Christ the origin and goal of history
CCC 440, 446-451, 668-672, 783, 786, 908, 2105, 2628: Christ as Lord and King
CCC 678-679, 1001, 1038-1041: Christ as Judge
CCC 2816-2821: “Thy Kingdom Come”
