<![CDATA[ORA - Blog]]>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 12:33:02 -0300Weebly<![CDATA[Reset Button]]>Fri, 07 Aug 2026 03:30:00 GMThttps://www.oraministry.ca/blog/reset-button​A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, August 9th, 2026:
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew
14.22-23

Immediately after feeding the crowd with the five loaves and two fish, Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.

When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.

And early in the morning Jesus came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."

Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." Jesus said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshipped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

As I sat with this scripture, a subtle reminder came to mind. As children yearn for the presence of their parents and vice versa, so also our heavenly Father yearns for us to spend time with Him. However, an honest thought might linger; there are more than enough activities and creating that separate time feels like an add-on.

Then, it occurred to me, Jesus clearly understood His assignment and furthermore, understood that to fulfil His assignment, He had to be in constant communion with God the Father (the one who sent Him). I thought to myself, Jesus gives us a template on delivering on our tasks and setting time apart to talk to the Father.

It is interesting that almost every time I read through this part of the scripture, the first thing I will reflect on is keeping my eyes on Jesus. This is one of the core messages of this passage, and it is a great reminder for me every time I come across it. However, this cannot be done in my own strength, but with the help of God and with the understanding (faith) that God never fails in other words, God can be trusted. What I thought to be more interesting is my not believing this does not change God’s benevolence because He is always willing and eager to help, bless, and resuscitate. He is always ready to be our Father, our ever-present help.

In this era, where everything seems to happen at the speed of light, having a pause in the middle of one’s busy day or when day is gradually winding up might be a bit challenging. It can be even more challenging is bring oneself to a point of focusing on God in that quiet time alone as sometimes a flood of thought about the busy day ensues. Oh! The Father is all knowing! The only wise God knows and so He has sent the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and help us create and utilize the best of the few minutes or more designated for prayer. But we must acknowledge the Holy Spirit and ask for help.

Here is what I am consciously learning and relearning from Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

​Now, this I find is a great reset button.




Celia Omionawele
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]]><![CDATA[Grateful Hearts, Faithful Prayers]]>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 03:30:00 GMThttps://www.oraministry.ca/blog/grateful-hearts-faithful-prayers​A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, August 9th, 2026:
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Romans
9.1-5

Brothers and sisters: I am speaking the truth in Christ. I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit. I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.

For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are children of Israel, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Christ, who is over all, God be blessed forever. Amen.

​​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

As I read this passage, I immediately think of my own family. Like Paul, I know what it feels like to love people so deeply that all I want is for them to experience the peace, hope, and joy that come from Christ. I can't force anyone to believe or to follow Him, but I can continue to pray, to love, and to trust that God is working in ways I cannot see.

There are times when I wish I could make that decision for them. I wish I could remove every doubt, answer every question, or somehow open their hearts to the love of God. But faith is a gift that cannot be forced. It must be freely received.

That realization can be difficult. I’ve been feeling this more lately than ever as my father prepared for heart surgery. Praying so hard that he would come to know God throughout this process, but God never asked me to change his heart; that is His work. He asks me to love faithfully, to pray without ceasing, and to be a witness through the way I live my own life. Sometimes the most powerful testimony isn't found in the words we say, but in the patience we show, the forgiveness we offer, and the hope we carry.

Paul's example reminds me that loving someone means never giving up on them. Even when I cannot see God moving, I can trust that He is at work in ways I don't understand. Every prayer whispered for a loved one, every invitation extended with kindness, every act of compassion plants a seed. I may never know when that seed will bloom, but I can trust the one who makes it grow.

This passage also reminds me that while I desire my family to know Christ more deeply, I must continue growing in my own relationship with Him. My life should reflect His peace, mercy, and joy so that others see not just what I believe, but Who I believe in.

Today, I am reminded that my role is not to carry the weight of someone else's salvation on my shoulders. My role is to love them well, pray for them faithfully, and trust God with the rest. What a beautiful reminder that while my love has limits, God's love never does.




Shelly Fillmore
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]]><![CDATA[Listening]]>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 03:30:00 GMThttps://www.oraministry.ca/blog/listening​A Reflection on the Psalm for Sunday, August 9th, 2026:
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
 R. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people. Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

 R. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; righteousness and peace will kiss each other. Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.

 R. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

The Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him, and will make a path for his steps.

​ R. Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.

​​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Many years ago I was very content in a career where I was thriving. I loved my work, I loved the people I worked with, and I saw myself spending a long and full working life with this organization. And then one day, out of sheer curiosity, I opened a job ad for another company. I told myself I was just curious about this other company’s hiring practices. But as I read the ad, I felt an overwhelming call from the Holy Spirit: Apply. 

The mature Christian response would have been to take this nudge to prayer. Unfortunately, I have never been especially mature. I simply didn’t pray - for three straight days. Every time I felt like I should pray, I pushed down the urge and distracted myself. I had a strong plan, a good plan, and if God didn’t like it, then I needed Him to come around to my way of thinking. 

The nudge of the Holy Spirit got stronger and stronger, and eventually I set aside time for real prayer. I brought my anger and frustration to God, and He was very patient with me. And His message stayed the same: I’d like you to apply. I’d like you to trust Me instead of your own wisdom.

He was right, of course. I applied, doorways opened, and my life changed dramatically for the better. God’s plans were bigger and better than I could have ever imagined. Did I learn a lesson from this? I certainly should have… This psalm is an important reminder, one I still need to hear: “Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for He will speak peace to His people.” 

God doesn’t reach out to us because He wants to make our lives miserable and difficult. He speaks to us because He wants us to have peace, to rest in Him. He delights in giving us good things.

I’ve always been a planner, and I get very attached to the plans I come up with. That’s not inherently a bad thing - it’s part of how God made me, and it can be a gift I can use to help others. But I am not God. I can’t see everything ahead of me, and I don’t know what the future holds. The good news is, I don’t have to! I have a good God, who wants to be on my side. All I have to do is listen. That’s so simple and so difficult at the same time, but with practice I’m learning to keep an ear open.




Jenna Young
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]]><![CDATA[The Gentle Alignment of Grace]]>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 03:30:00 GMThttps://www.oraministry.ca/blog/the-gentle-alignment-of-graceA Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, August 9th, 2026:
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings
19.9, 11-13

When Elijah reached Horeb, the mountain of God, he came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.

When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

We cling to our faith, we ask for a sign, and we believe we will see it. Perhaps it will be the miracle of a loved one becoming healed after a bout of illness, or perhaps it will be the birth of a long-desired baby. And perhaps it will be the moment you sit still enough that a butterfly lands gently on your hand and stays just long enough for you to see the beauty in its creation, realizing that He wanted you to see Him in that tiny insect. In that moment, it becomes the saving grace helping to sustain you on your journey. 

We are busy as a society, we are driven to do more, be more, and consume more. In our faith, we are structured with prayer time, worship time, and Mass time. Yet, He wants us to find Him in the in-between of our faith routines as well. Rest: four letters, life-sustaining. It possesses the poetry of a lazy river, a gentle breeze, or the dance of a butterfly. God wants rest for us; He wants us to take moments to hear Him in the quiet time of our rest. He is always there for us. We have Him through our struggles. We believe He is there, carrying us through them, and that is how we proceed. When we are afraid and questioning our safety, He shows up quietly in the whisper of a morning sunrise or the thrum of a hummingbird’s wings.  

Elijah was so scared that he asked God to end his life before he ever made it to the cave. Once in the cave, he was hiding from all the human evil that was chasing him, stating, "...they are seeking my life, to take it away." And the Lord told him that He would be passing by but not in the wind, the earthquake, or the fire, rather in the sheer silence. 

That is exactly where we find Him: beyond our stress, trials, and challenges. He is in the deepest moments of our joy, because He gave that joy to us. I didn’t know the link between the Old and New Testaments would bring such a visceral impact on my sense of self. Just like us, Elijah had to be taught to recognize it. This is the same teaching Jesus demonstrated when Peter walked on water. But we have the Holy Spirit within us; we only need to slow down our own storms, chaos, and daily stressors to call upon Him ourselves. Come, Holy Spirit. This brings total clarity: learning how God shows up for us every single time. I feel so humbled, so blessed, and so incredibly loved by God at this moment. A circle within a circle, connected, like infinity.




Jacinda Whebby
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