July 13, 2025

Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

by Fr. Jonah Teller, OP

Dear St. Joseph Parish Family,

Fr. Jonah here, filling in for Fr. Boniface while he’s away.

The Master of the Dominican Order, Fr. Gerard Timoner III, visited St. Joseph’s last month. One of his main responsibilities as Master of the Order is to visit all of the communities of Dominican friars around the world. This means that he is on the road about 8 months out of the year! 

After hearing this, I asked him if he had any travel tips. He immediately said, “Travel light!” He then surprised me by connecting that point to something Jesus said to his disciples when he sent them out to preach: “If any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town” (Mt 10:14). Fr. Gerard’s point was this: don’t let hardships or failures in the past become a sort of toxic dust that stays with you as you move through life. Keep your heart free from resentment, shake the dust off, and follow Jesus in peace. Travel light.

Peace,
Fr. Jonah, O.P.