Twenty-eighth Sunday of the Year - 2023

At the time Jesus formed this parable, people would be familiar with the custom for a great king, hosting the wedding of his son, to provide all the wedding guests with elaborate wedding garments so the whole affair would look spectacular. Not to accept and wearing these garments would be a great insult, provoking the king’s anger. Jesus forms this, parable, using the symbolism of a king’s wedding for his son, to convey a real and serious lessons to people at that time, and to all of us today. This parable encapsulates a short history of salvation. Looking at its components we are to understand that: +  The great King is the Lord God, his Son is Jesus. +  The wedding feast is that of the Lamb of God, with the saints assembling with him in heaven. +   Those first invited to the wedding are the people of the O.T. +   The servants sent out with the invitation are the prophets of the O.T. who were ignored, abused, and murdered. +   The army sent to punish those who did this is the Roman army, who destroyed Israel. +   The new servants with a new invitation are the evangelist of the gospel. +   The newly invited, “both good or bad”, are the peoples of all the world – including us. +   The wedding garment provided is the garment of mercy and salvation, covering all unworthiness. +   Wearing it is a life of holiness – not wearing it a life of un-repentant sinfulness. Through this parable Jesus teaches that there is only one true King, the Lord God, >   only one divine Son, Jesus, >   only one wedding feast, eternal life of heaven, >   only one invitation, the gospel, >  only one body of servants sent out to invite, the Church, united in the Holy Spirit. This parable of Jesus is as fresh and relevant for us today as it was to those who first heard it. As it was then, so it is now, the invitation continues to go out and the invitation today is receiving the same mixed results. Two questions remain: ?   Have I accepted the invitation, embracing it unconditionally? ?   Am I putting on the garment of a truly holy life?

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Twenty-seventh Sunday of the Year - 2023

These days, as we look out on the world around us, we see many troubling and disturbing realities looming before us. Over the whole world the dark pall of Covid-19 still hangs, having brought with it so much suffering and death. Were this not trial enough, there is so much discontent everywhere, so much acrimony, harsh judging, and condemnation, so much that seems to be dividing peoples and groups and even nations. The words of St. Paul in today's Second Reading will be a guiding light for us showing how we should approach these troubling times. Remember, Paul is writing these words from prison – his very life hangs in the balance. Yet out of this ominous darkness, he sends this remedy, this recipe for dealing with darkness.  Brothers and sisters: Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,  will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Worry leading to panic, leading to loss of peace cannot lead to solutions to the darkness. So how then should we deal with the threats that surround us and trouble us? Paul goes on to offer this guiding light of wisdom:  Whatever is true: “. . . only Truth can make you free” – Jesus’ words. We must find truth and listen for those voices who speak real truth, not fake truth.    Whatever is honourable: look to those who rise above the chaos, those who’s words and deeds have bourn the test of time, who by their legacy of goodness have given us an example to follow.  Whatever is just: which works that people undertake bring suffering, which bring peace? Blessed are the peacemakers.  Whatever is pure: can a bad tree produce good fruit - by their fruits you know them.  Whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable: Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness - Blessed are the merciful - Blessed are the pure of heart -  Finally Paul concludes:  If there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise: Think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Twenty-sixth Sunday of the Year - 2023

Matthew  21:28-32 Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, 'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' He said in reply, 'I will not, ' but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, 'Yes, sir, ‘but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?" . . . LINK . . .

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Twenty-fifth Sunday of the Year - 2023

Children may often be heard complaining, "But it's not fair!" - no  doubt when they perceive a brother or sister receiving a larger portion than they. But this complaint is not exclusive to only children. In the competitions of life and in the interest of social peace, we have establish fairness as the key to maintaining harmonious relations among people.  So this perception of fairness can easily be carried over to the way we expect our relationship with God to transpire. Since we consider that the good should be rewarded and the bad punished relating to a God of mercy and forgiveness can be problematic. And when we are told that we must imitate this very same compassionate and merciful behavior in our dealings with others, we hit a stumbling block in our relationship with God. Jesus characterizes this very problem in the parable for today's gospel. Justice vs mercy is a long standing issue in the scriptures. In the Old Testament people learn what is right through the Law, and so it is perceived that obeying the law should have its reward. But a problem arises when they see good people suffering. The book of Job tackles the question and struggles to answer why the perfectly God-fearing and Law-biding Job is suffering such disaster. In the gospels, Jesus meets the problem head on, most profoundly and definitively in his passion, death and resurrection. In Matthew 9: Jesus comes upon a paralyzed man begging - (no doubt considered by all as punishment from God for his sins). Jesus announces his sins forgiven, accompanied by his immediate healing. Later he tells his detractors, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (referring to Ez. 9:23) Jesus has come to redeem, to rescue souls from death. "Death", is existence apart from God, to exist but to have no participation in the glory of God - not to "live" in the presence of God in the heavenly realm, this is death. Living in God presence is not something we merit, it is pure gift - it is God's purpose and design intended for every one. We did not choose to exist, and we can never not exist, but we can choose to accept or reject living in God's presence. What is fair is that God wants all people to have the opportunity to live in his presence.  There is a person who lives in Toledo Ohio, who's first name is Walter - he is real, his name is in the phone book. He does not care if you are sick or in need in any way, like he does for others he knows. We would not say that it is not fair that Walter does not care about you, he does not even know you exist. But God does know that you exist and does care that you have life eternal - if he did not, that would be unfair.  "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.… Jo. 3:16. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.… 1 Jo. 4:9 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.… 1 Jo. 3:1 Death is God's enemy and so is our enemy also. So this is fair; 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Lk. 15:6 Now a further question might be asked, is it fair that we were given a choice to accept or reject life eternal? Are there rocks in heaven. Do they know where they are?