Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Matthew 22: 1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables
saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Did you ever show up to school without doing your homework?

To me it was the worst feeling ever.

When my teacher started collecting it, I’d pretend to look for it. Turning my backpack upside down, I’d give it a good shake as if it’d magically fall out.

They were never fooled. 

My teachers knew as well as I did that I was simply unprepared. I’d spent my time away from school doing less important things.

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In the Gospel, Jesus uses a parable to describe the end of the world, and thus the final judgment.

There are two groups: those who are permitted to attend the banquet and those who are not. Each person is judged by a sole criterion: whether or not they’ve done their homework.

Those who have are found wearing a white wedding garment. Those without it are thrown out.

The question becomes, what kind of work has God given us to do?

While the particular tasks may vary, what matters most is whether or not we’ve lived our lives with good intention. Have we loved our God and loved our neighbor as ourselves?

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Those who have can rejoice. There’s a seat saved for us in the kingdom of God.

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Image credits: (1) Learning and the Brain (2) But That’s Just Me (3) FirstCry Parenting

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Gospel: Matthew 20: 1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a landowner
who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.
After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage,
he sent them into his vineyard.
Going out about nine o’clock,
he saw others standing idle in the marketplace,
and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard,
and I will give you what is just.’
So they went off. 
And he went out again around noon,
and around three o’clock, and did likewise.
Going out about five o’clock,
he found others standing around, and said to them,
‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’
They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’
He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’
When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman,
‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay,
beginning with the last and ending with the first.’
When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.
So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more,
but each of them also got the usual wage.
And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying,
‘These last ones worked only one hour,
and you have made them equal to us,
who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’
He said to one of them in reply,
‘My friend, I am not cheating you.
Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?
Take what is yours and go.
What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?
Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?
Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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A few years ago, I was called by a family to anoint their loved one. “He’s at the brink of death,” they said, “come quickly.”

When I arrived, I saw an American flag waving outside the home, with cars parked all over the street. I entered the house and saw a relatively young man lying peacefully on his bed in the living room with a black Vietnam Veteran hat on.

“Dad saw some awful things in the war,” one of his children said to me. Experiences that, on the one hand, engrained in him a strong sense of patriotism; but, on the other hand, left him with no faith in God.

It wasn’t until he reached his deathbed, that this man decided to make amends with God. I remember grabbing my oils, granting him absolution, and praying the prayer of commendation.

Shortly after I left, he went peacefully to meet his Maker. 

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In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that the reward for this man’s short journey of faith is no different than yours or mine.

Like the laborers chosen to work in the vineyard, whether we work all day, or just arrive at sunset, everyone is given the same wage: eternal life. 

That’s the goodness of God. 

May we thank the Lord for calling us into his vineyard, and pray for those standing idly in the marketplace, that God will give them all the gift of faith and the reward it brings:

Eternal life.

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Image credits: (1) In Christ Alone, Pinterest (2) Workers in the Red Vineyard, Vincent Van Gogh (3) Fearless Living

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Matthew 19:16-22

A young man approached Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?”
He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good?
There is only One who is good.
If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
He asked him, “Which ones?”
And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill;
you shall not commit adultery;
you shall not steal;
you shall not bear false witness;
honor your father and your mother;
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
The young man said to him,
“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?”
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go,
sell what you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven.
Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad,
for he had many possessions.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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This is the only time in Mark’s Gospel that the word “love” is used.

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Jesus looks upon this rich young man…and “loves” him.

He must’ve delighted in his zeal for religion, and in his effort to be, “perfect as his heavenly Father is perfect.”

But what happens when Jesus “loves” him? 

He peers into his heart, and invites this man into deeper holiness. “You are lacking in one thing,” Jesus says. “Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor…then come and follow me.”

The man walks away sad, “for he had many possessions.” Though he was pious, the Lord occupied second – not first – place in his heart.

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Like this rich young man, when Jesus looks upon us, he “loves” us. He sees our zeal for religion and all of the good works that we do. 

But he also sees those things that impede our spiritual growth. That’s what love does by nature; it seeks to remove things that block further intimacy.

So, what impedes my spiritual growth or keeps me from growing in intimacy with the Lord?

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Unlike the rich young man who walked away sad, may the Lord give us the grace to let go and follow him today.

Doing so makes us happier, holier people. 

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Image credits: (1) Christ and the Rich Young Ruler, Heinrich Hofmann (2) Daily Theology (3) Ibid., Heinrich Hofmann