Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 21:33-46

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: 
“Hear another parable.
There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,
put a hedge around it,
dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.
Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.
When vintage time drew near,
he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.
But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,
another they killed, and a third they stoned.
Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,
but they treated them in the same way.
Finally, he sent his son to them,
thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’
But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,
‘This is the heir.
Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’
They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.
What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”
They answered him,
“He will put those wretched men to a wretched death
and lease his vineyard to other tenants
who will give him the produce at the proper times.”
Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
by the Lord has this been done,
and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”
When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables,
they knew that he was speaking about them.
And although they were attempting to arrest him,
they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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One of the most common teaching techniques that Jesus uses in the Gospels is parables. He gives almost forty in all. 

Today’s parable is undoubtedly directed at the religious leaders of his day, whom he accuses of being poor stewards of God’s covenant. 

Their ancestors abused and killed the prophets. And in stunning fashion, these leaders will do worse by killing the Son of God himself. For this reason, the “vineyard” will be taken away from them and given to the Gentiles.

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What does this parable say about God? And what does mean for the Church, the new Israel?

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God is not a micro-manager. 

In the parable, God does not force himself upon his tenants; he allows them to use – even misuse – their freedom for a time. But eventually he returns, holding each person accountable.

In the same way, God allows us to use our freedom for a time. But Jesus warns us that we will be held accountable on the day of judgment, begging the question: What are we held accountable for?

Or, using the imagery of the vineyard, what is the “vine” we are expected to tend?

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Most immediately, we are stewards of our bodies, which Saint Paul calls, “temples of the Holy Spirit.” It’s important to live pure, healthy, balanced lives.

We stewards of our families. We are expected to raise children in the faith, and to model for them how to live faith-filled lives.

We are stewards of this parish – and by extension the universal Church.

We are stewards of this earth. We must not only care for creation, but also all who call this world home, including the poor, the refugee, the hungry, the persecuted, and the forgotten.

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Am I a good steward? 

How might I pay closer attention to my responsibilities today?

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Image credits: (1) United Faith Church (2) Life, Hope, and Truth (3) Pinterest

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Gospel: Luke 16: 19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day.
And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores,
who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps
that fell from the rich man’s table.
Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.
When the poor man died,
he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.
The rich man also died and was buried,
and from the netherworld, where he was in torment,
he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off
and Lazarus at his side.
And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me.
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue,
for I am suffering torment in these flames.’
Abraham replied, ‘My child,
remember that you received what was good during your lifetime
while Lazarus likewise received what was bad;
but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.
Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established
to prevent anyone from crossing
who might wish to go from our side to yours
or from your side to ours.’
He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him
to my father’s house,
for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them,
lest they too come to this place of torment.’
But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets.
Let them listen to them.’
He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
Then Abraham said,
‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded
if someone should rise from the dead.'”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is the only parable in the Gospels where Jesus gives someone a name – Lazarus– which means, “God is my help.” It’s also the only parable that directly addresses the afterlife.

The parable begins with the image of a gate, which could’ve been opened at any time, allowing the two men to cross each other’s path. But in death, that gate is permanently closed. And, in a stunning twist of irony, their fortunes are reversed.

Whereas Lazarus desired only a small blessing in life, mere crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table, so in death, the rich man desires the smallest drop of water to cool his tongue.

As he cries out to Abraham, “Father Abraham, send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue.” But just as Lazarus was denied any physical consolation in this life, so the rich man is denied any in the next.

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This parable comes to us during the appointed time of Lent. 

Whereas wealth is not a sin, it does have the power to influence our hearts, turning our eyes away from the more important things in life – such as feeding Christ hungry in our neighbor – and towards less important things such as having “more” for ourselves, instead.

Perhaps this is what Christ is leading us to ponder today: Am I content with what I have, or do I find myself constantly wanting more? More attention, more praise, more money, more power. More of anything other than God’s love and grace?

Like the rich man, do I insulate myself from the suffering of others, or do I pass through the open gate and serve them while I can? 

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It seems our answers to these questions sets us on a certain trajectory – hopefully towards the company of Lazarus, who is poor no longer.

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Image credits: (1) McMahon Group (2) Reflective Preacher (3) Lay Cistercians

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Gospel: Matthew 20: 17-28

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem,
he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves,
and said to them on the way,
“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests
and the scribes,
and they will condemn him to death,
and hand him over to the Gentiles
to be mocked and scourged and crucified,
and he will be raised on the third day.”

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her, “What do you wish?”
She answered him,
“Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.”
Jesus said in reply,
“You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?”
They said to him, “We can.”
He replied,
“My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left,
this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“To sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give.”

James and John have just heard back from Jesus regarding their attempt to guarantee themselves two special spots in his kingdom. They ask with ambition. They burn with desire for glory and power. They ask for a favor from the miracle worker.

And, in some way, they represent each of us.

We all know the power Jesus possesses. We’ve all asked him for a favor or two. “Lord, show me your power. Lord, break open this door. Lord, help me achieve my dreams. I promise to remember you on the way up!”

But Jesus says unequivocally that seats of power, honor, and prestige are not his to give. 

What, then, can the Lord offer us?

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Only that which he calls his own.

He can offer us his heart, his sheep, and his example to follow.

Like bread nibbled to death by a starving crowd, the Lord was happiest and his truest self when he was feeding a hungry crowd, curing a leper dying in isolation, giving sight to a blind man desperate to see, forgiving people caught in sin, or raising a child back to life.

For Jesus, that is the Good Life.

Not a life filled with self-serving power, but a life of service. As he himself says, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Although his impending crucifixion sounds like the most unimaginable, horrible news the disciples have ever heard, it will be the Lord’s moment of greatest glory as he feeds his disciples with his very Self, then pours himself out on the Cross. 

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Today’s Gospel provides a strong word of caution to anyone who’s contemplating following Jesus Christ. While he cannot assure us of any earthly glory or power – or even authority in heaven – what is his to give is the grace to live a life of service.

Who’s ready to wash feet? To forgive enemies? To turn the other cheek? To heal in God’s name?

In the humbling, but deeply inspiring words of the prophet Samuel, may we say with fear and trembling, “Here I am, LORD, send me.”

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Image credits: (1) LinkedIn (2) Watchman on the Wall Ministries (3) Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, Ford Madox Brown