26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28: When the sinner renounces sin, he shall certainly live.

II Reading: Philippians 2:1-11: In your minds, you must be the same as Christ Jesus.

Gospel: Mt. 21: 28-32: John came, but it was the sinners who believed in him.

 

The Parable of Two Sons: What It Takes to Enter God’s Kingdom

 

God wants us all to be saved on this earth and in heaven too. The basic demand that God makes of us is to do the will of God/Father in heaven (Mt 7:21). In the second reading, Jesus saved us through his perfect obedience to the plans of his Father. In the parable of the two sons narrated in today’s Gospel, Jesus warns us that doing his Father’s will is not a matter of words but of deeds.

The first reading tells us that God condemns no one; it is man himself who chooses to be lost by committing sin and refusing to repent. God saves everyone who does His will, but we must say “yes” to God, but so much with lips but with our deeds. Jesus is the Son who always said “yes” to his Father by total obedience and humility until death on the cross, as a result, God raised him high and gave him the name…that all beings should bend the knee in the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What does it take to enter God’s kingdom? Not only profession and righteousness but also repentance and belief. In this passage Jesus wanted to convey a critical message to the Jewish leaders by saying a parable of two sons and asking the question, “What do you think?” that would determine their eternal destiny. Now we analyze the parable of two sons:

1.    The Parable is simple and clear. It concerns a man who had two sons. Notes several facts.

a.    Commanding the first son to go and work in his vineyard is an emphatic imperative. There is no other alternative choice to excuse.

i.                He says “I will not.”

ii.              He later changes his mind and goes to work.

b.    Commands second son.

i.                He says, “I will, sir.”

ii.              He never goes to work.

c.     The first son did what his father wanted.

2.    Jesus gave the point of the parable: Sinners enter the kingdom before religionists (the self-righteous and those who make a false profession).

i.                Jesus identified the man and the two sons in the parables.

ii.              Jesus identified the vineyard and work that was to be done. The vineyard is the kingdom of God and the work is “entering the kingdom of God.”(Mt 19: 23-24).

iii.            Jesus clearly stressed the point of the parable. “I tell you the truth.” “Sinners, the tax collectors and prostitutes entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.”

iv.            Jesus shocked his audience. He declared that people’s idea of religion is wrong.

3.    The reason: Religionists do not believe John that Jesus is the Son of God.

a.    Yet John was righteousness

b.    Sinners believed John

c.     The religionists’ problem: They have changed lives but still do not repent and believe.

Thought: The great tragedy of religionists is this: they stand aloof. They reject the counsel of God. They do not listen, obey, go, and work in His vineyard with obedience and humility.

Jesus opened the way to salvation for everyone by submitting to the plans his Father had laid down for him to save the world. God saves all who do his will and obeys Him with humility.

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 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9: My thoughts are not your thoughts.

II Reading: Philippians 1:20-24.27: Life to me is Christ.

Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16 : Why be envious because I am generous?

The Parable of Workers in the Vineyard: God’s Glorious Grace

Jesus shows God's marvelous grace in salvation, giving eternal life in this passage.

1. God’s grace provides work for man-a field to tend or look after (v.1)

2. God’s grace seeks and calls men to work (v.1-7)

a. The early call: To the willing and eager

          1) Shown grace: promised a full wage

          2) Sent into the field

b. The late-comer call: to the idle-slothful-self-seeking-complacent

          1) Shown grace: A forceful challenge and a promise of a just wage

          2) Some responded

c. The constant call: to all-shows constant grace

d. The final call: the eleventh hour call-to the idle

          1) He strongly rebuked

          2) They excuse themselves

          3) They showed grace: a forceful challenge and the promise of a just wage

3. God’s grace pays the promised wages: at the appointed time, at the end of the day (v.8-15)

a. Paid through his foreman

b. Paid out of a heart of care and grace

          1) Cared and showed grace to the latecomers: a full wage

          2) Cared and showed grace to the eager workers: a full wage

c. Pay is not based on works and energy: illustrated by the eager workers who murmured over the same pay

          1) Pay is gracious and just: a full wage as promised

          2) Pay is based on God’s care for all: for the last as well as for the first

d. Pay is not as man sees (evil, selfish eyes): Pay is as God’s wills-He is good

4. God’s justice will reign in paying what he promised (v.16).

Thought: Jesus not only condemns riches, unbelievers, Pharisees, Sadducees, but also condemns the ordinary workers those who are full of envy, jealousy, pride, self-righteous, lazy, idle, hatred and complains etc.

God calls everyone to work in His Kingdom to be saved receiving eternal life at the end of life. This is called the real unconditional love, forgiveness of sins and faithful love and the mercy of God for His people.

Let us experience true joy, peace and happiness while praying, following, helping, proclaiming and working in the kingdom of God on earth and let Christ become our centre of life as Paul experienced and said “For me to live means just one thing: Christ! While death will bring me a fabulous gain!” (Phil 1:21)

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24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Ecclesiasticus 27:30-28:7: Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.

II Reading: Romans 14:7-9: Alive or dead we belong to the Lord.

Gospel: Matthew 18:21-19:1 : Do not forgive seven times, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant: The Spirit of Forgiveness, 18:21-35

 

Our God who always forgives sins of human beings right from the beginning of the creation story. God so loved the world that he sent His Son into the world to forgive the sins of the world. The parable of the unforgiving debtor explains about cruelty, insensitivity, greed and sinful life. In the second reading Paul stresses on a compelling reason for mutual love and forgiveness. Forgiveness must come “from our heart” (Mt 18:35). Refusal to forgive completely blocks our relationship with God and our neighbours and enemies. It blocks our own forgiveness (Mt 6:14-15; Mk 11:25), it blocks our prayer (Mt 18:19), it blocks our worship (Mt 5:23-24), and finally it blocks the blessings of the kingdom (Mt 5:7; 18:34). All our prayers and petitions are conditioned to the one: “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” (Mt 6:12)

How often are we to forgive a person? Jesus answered this question in this parable.

1. The spirit and practice of forgiveness (v.21-22)

a. Peter asked about forgiving a brother: Is forgiveness is limited?

b. Jesus answered: Forgiveness is unlimited

c. Jesus illustrated: Is like the kingdom of heaven

2. There is God’s spirit of forgiveness: Like a king who settles his accounts with his servants (v.23-27)

a. All must give account

b. One is brought to him

c. The servant owes a huge debt

d. The servant is bankrupt

          1) He is to be sold

          2) He is to lose all

e. The servant faces him

 

f. The servant cries for mercy

          1) worships the king

          2) makes a commitment

g. The servant experiences the compassion of a loving king: is freed and forgiven

3. There is the servant’s spirit of unforgiveness (v.28-31)

a. He faces a fellow servant who owes him: in comparison a very small sum

b. He reacts severely

c. He rejects the cry for mercy: refuses to forgive

d. He acts materialistically and selfishly-according to law and justice

e. He gives the other servants: they carry the matter to the Lord

4. There is the great day of accounting (v.35)

a. Two bases of judgement

          1) God’s forgiveness: offered in Christ

          2) The servant’s wickedness: he lacks compassion and mercy

b. The judgement

          1) The Lord’s anger

          2) The Lord’s justice: the man was condemned and punished

5. There is the point: An unforgiving person will be judged (v.35)

Thought: God’s love and forgiveness is unconditional and unlimited once there is the repentance of a person.

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 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9: If you do not speak to the wicked man, I will hold you responsible for his death.

II Reading: Romans 13:8-10: Love is the answer to every one of the commitments.

Gospel: Matthew 18:15-20: If he listens to you, you have won back our brother.

The Steps to Correcting Offending Brothers, Mt 18:15-20

Ezekiel was among the first to be deported to Babylon in 597 B.C. In the role of the watchman of his people, his function is to prepare them for the restoration of their city, but it will be only on the basis of their true repentance.

In Romans chapters 12 and 13, Paul deals with the principles that motivate Christian life and, in the second reading the law of love is stated. All the commandments are gathered in this one word, “love.” Jesus said it all in Matthew 22:38-40. When the New Testament was written, a new word was needed with new concepts, “Agape” (Sacrificial love) is of the will, the love that is part of God’s language.

Reconciliation is at the very heart of Christianity. Here in a passage found only in Matthew, our Lord deals for securing the reconciliation of those who within the church are at variance with each other. The power of excommunication given to Peter in Chapter 16:19 is here bestowed on all the disciples.

God planned to save a human being within a family: God prepared the salvation of the world through the people of Israel, through the church (people of God), and through our local Christian community.

In the passage of today, Jesus advises us how to proceed when one of our brothers causes serious harm to the individual or community by not living according to the faith, that is, when guilty of serious sin. Each one of us are responsible for the whole Christian community and when correcting an erring brother, we should be prompted by love and by no other motive. Jesus gives the two powerful remedies to heal spiritual sickness within the Christian community:

1)The first remedy is the power to forgive sins. Jesus bestowed it on Peter (Mt 16:19); he bestowed it again on the apostles in the passage of today (Mt 18:18) and Jesus hastened to confirm this power given to the apostles as he appeared to them in the evening of the day when he rose from the dead (Jn 20:22-23).

2) The second remedy is prayer (Mt 18:19). The power of the Christian community gathered for worship. Jesus puts one condition that we be united in heart and an act of sincere repentance.  We should not let a single day pass without praying for unity, peace and mutual love within our Christian community.

Jesus corrects and handles the sinning brother/sister how to reconcile two offending brothers. God has one great concern: He wants peace restored between the brothers and within the church. If the sinning brother refuses to be reconciled and to rectify the wrong, Jesus says the disturbance is not to be tolerated any longer, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector (v.17).

1. Step 1: Attempt reconciliation (v.15-17)

a. Go to brother alone

b. Go to the brother with witnesses

c. Go before the Church

2. Step 2: Discipline the brother (v.17-18)

a. The earthly discipline

b. The heavenly support of God

3. Step 3: The essential step-bathe the matter in prayer (v.19-20)

a. Seeking agreement

b. Seeking God’s will and approval

c. Seeking unity in His name

d. Result: His presence

Thought: Our lives should be done in a spirit of humility, love, care and unworthiness. Let us try to seek the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control).

Prayer and the sacrament of reconciliation are powerful remedies taught by Jesus Christ to his Church to help us be healed of the many spiritual sickness which afflict us.

Our lives and our community will grow vigorous when we pray and live united by mutual love and forgiveness.

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 22^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time-A

I Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9: The word of the Lord has meant insult for me. The Lord is much stronger than us and will always triumph.

II Reading: Romans 12:1-2: Offer your body as a living sacrifice. Our lives are to be changed, but not by the world around us.

Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27: If anyone wants to be a follower of me, let him renounce himself. Jesus’ rebuke to Peter shows that our thoughts are not always in line with God’s way.

 

The Messiah Foretells His Death and Future Glory (1^st Time):

 Total Commitment

What has a man to offer in exchange for his life?

In this gospel reading, Jesus taught the hardest lesson. We also see the lesson on suffering provided by Jeremiah. A lesson that Peter and the apostles failed to understand. The Christian communities of all times must learn about the saving act of suffering of Jesus, the plan and will of God for humanity.

Paul explained the lesson of Jesus as understood:

1) They should give themselves totally to God. Their whole life should become an offering to him:

i.  a living offering, different from the animals offered/killed in the temple of Jerusalem.

ii. a holy offering,   a Christian led by the Holy Spirit as a holy and moral life.

iii. an offering pleasing to God, God delights in seeing us living the way Jesus lives.

2) In order to do so, we should guide ourselves by the Gospel and not by what people who do not know Christ say or do. To do God’s will entails suffering, just as it cost Christ to suffer and die to obey his Father.

This is what renouncing ourselves, taking up our cross, and following Jesus till the end of life really means.

Jesus taught the final lesson: joy is never far from suffering. A joy that nothing and no one can take away. We have his promise for it: “Your sorrow will turn to joy.” (Jn 16:20)

Jesus revealed that the Son of the living God was going to be killed and raised again from the dead. Jerusalem … that killed the prophets was going to commit the ultimate crime –going to kill God’s own Son (Mt 23:29-31). The disciples could not understand the reasons for their blindness. First the idea of a suffering Messiah differed radically from their own idea of the conquering Messiah (Mt 1:1, 2-1:18, 3-3:11, 11:1-6; Mk 8:27; Lk 7:21), and second, the revelation had been hidden in pictures and symbols.

1. His death required a total commitment on his part (v.21-23)

a. His death was necessary: He “must go” to suffer

          1) In Jerusalem

          2) To suffer

          3) To be killed

          4) To be raised

b. His death arouses natural man

c. His death shows man to be an adversary of God

d. His death reveals man’s true nature

2. His death demands total commitment from a man (v.24)

a. Must will to follow

b. Must deny self

c. Must take up the cross

d. Must follow Jesus

3. His death offers four arguments for total commitment (v.25-28)

a. An abandonment of of this life saves a man

b. A man’s soul is worth more than the whole world

c. A day of judgement is coming

d. A promise is given-the promise of never having to taste death

Thought: Suffering will always remain a lesson difficult to understand. eg. The life of Job. Suffering is a mystery in life. only the Spirit can make its meaning clear to us. We must go on learning the lesson why suffering in life? but Christ will never deceive us. 

A true Christian is one who daily renounces, take up his/her cross with determination and joyfully follows Jesus Christ offering his/her life to God daily. Jesus shared his suffering with us and rewarded his true joy in our suffering life and even in death.

Jesus spoke of his resurrection when he spoke of his death which encourages us to bear our cross while here on earth (Lk 9:23).

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