Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A

First Reading

1 Kings 3:5,7-12

Solomon pleases God when he asks for a wise and understanding heart to better govern the people.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 119:57,72,76-77,127-130

The law of the Lord is more precious than silver and gold.

Second Gospel Reading

Romans 8:28-30

God chose us to be conformed to the image of his Son.

Gospel Reading

Matthew 13:44-52 (shorter form: Matthew 13:44-46)

Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of Heaven.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Today’s Gospel concludes three weeks of readings from the 13th Chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Throughout these three weeks we have heard Jesus teaching crowds about the kingdom of heaven, and we have heard Jesus interpret some of his teachings for the disciples. In this week’s Gospel, Jesus offers three more short parables.

The first two parables describe the great value of the kingdom of heaven. In the first parable, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like a buried treasure that is worth possessing even if it means giving up everything else. In the second parable, Jesus proposes that the kingdom of heaven is like a pearl of great worth for which one will sell everything else to possess. These parables teach us that we are to place everything we value in the service of the pursuit of the Kingdom of God.

The third parable that Jesus proposes in today’s Gospel is different from the first two, but it is reminiscent of the parable of the sower heard in last week’s Gospel. The kingdom of heaven is compared to fishing with a wide net. After the fish have been collected, the good fish are kept and the bad fish are thrown away; so too, in the final judgment, will the wicked and the righteous be separated.

Today’s Gospel concludes with a curious statement about the scribe who understands the kingdom of heaven. Here a metaphor is offered: this scribe is like the head of a household who “brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” The scribes referred to here are experts of Mosaic law. It is possible that Jesus is here instructing the early Christian community on how to proceed in the interpretation of Jewish law with respect to Jesus’ “new” teaching. Jesus’ teaching about the kingdom of heaven does not replace the Jewish tradition; it interprets it in a different light.

Family Mass

Our next Family Mass will be held on Sunday, August 9 at 9:00 am. The homily will address the children in a way that they will understand and enjoy.



Anyone interested in helping prepare the Family Masses, or if you have young people who want to read the Scriptures at Mass, or if your family would like to bring up the gifts, contact Carrie Mueller – [email protected].

Confirmation Registration

The youth office will be closed July 22^nd through August 8^th due to our participation in World Youth Day. 

Families may still register their young people for Confirmation online through the parish website link below. We will begin returning emails and phone calls upon our return to the office. We thank you for understanding. 

Religious Education Preschool to 8th Grade

Registration Information for the 2023-2024 School Year

We are here to support parents in forming their children in the Catholic Faith and engage in our parish community where we worship and grow together in faith. We offer weekly classes for preschool through 8th grade and preparation for the sacraments for children in grades 1 through 8.

You can learn more about our program by clicking on the links for: 

• Early Faith Formation for children age 3 1/2 and Kindergarten 

• Preparation for the Sacraments for students in grade 1-8

• Continuing Faith Formation for students in grade 3 – 8 that have already received First Holy Communion. 

The online registration is open for all our classes from Preschool through 8th grade. Visit our website: www.stpatrickcarlsbad.com Click on Religious Education and then Preschool – 8th grade. General information and the online form are at the side bar.

Here is the link to the online registration form: https://www.osvhub.com/st-patrick-catholic-community-1/forms/english-religious-education-1

Contact the Office for Religious Education at [email protected] or 760-729-8442  with questions about faith formation or sacramental preparation.  

Blessings,

Margit Dornisch,

Religious Education and Family Ministry 

Un Saludo de parte del Diacono Miguel,

“En aquel tiempo, Jesús dijo a la multitud, ‘El Reino de los cielos se parece a un tesoro escondido en un campo. El que lo encuentra lo vuelve a esconder, y lleno de alegría, va y vende cuanto tiene y compra aquel campo’”. (San Mateo 13:44). Este domingo seguimos con el Evangelio de San Mateo, y Jesús continúa usando las parábolas para ayudarnos a entender lo que significa el Reino de los cielos. Los ejemplos (parábolas) que Jesús usa en su enseñanza a sus discípulos habla del Reino de los cielos, y que es, como un tesoro escondido en un campo, o como una perla fina, o como toda clase de peces. Si nos preguntaran ¿Dónde está el Reino de los cielos? Muchos de nosotros responderemos, “Arriba en el cielo, allí está Dios”. Y sin duda Dios se encuentra en el cielo, pero también Dios se encuentra aquí, en nuestro trabajo, cuando recogemos una pala o rastrillo, o limpiamos un espejo o lavamos un plato, o cuando le cambiamos el pañal a un bebe, o cualquier otra cosa que hacemos en nuestra vida cotidiana. El reto para nosotros es mirar cómo el Reino de cielos se revela en mi propia vida. De mirar lo que hacemos, no como algo negativo, pero algo positivo en que Dios nos está bendiciendo. En las parábolas de este domingo, nos habla de esas personas que están alertas y consientes a las cosas de Dios. Están dispuestos de vender todo lo que tienen para tener a Dios cerca a ellos. ¿Estamos alertas y consientes a Dios en nuestra propia vida? ¿Estamos listos para dar todo por Dios? ¿Por qué nos cuesta darlo todo por Dios?

Detente

Hablemos de Tesoros

3821 Adams Street

Carlsbad, California 92008

760.729.2866