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God's Wonderful Love
Wednesday August 23, 2006
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." Matthew 20:1-16
Reflection:
Jesus I am given to understand that since I responded late in life to your call, that no matter what the others receive so shall I too. But you also tell us that many who have been first will grumble because of your generosity to me. After all the hard work they have done for you, they expect more, while I expect less. But in your generosity you have given to me the same as they have received.
This then is the lesson, the lesson of your love.
We have been accustomed to understanding that it has to do with wages. That those who labored long and hard expect more pay, just as we all grumble today when it seems that someone who just gets hired gets paid more. Today it is part of the hiring contract and what the employer pays.
But this too, we hear the grumblings of many, why is this one getting paid more, when they've been there longer.. We are not immune to this reading, but the way Jesus explains in this parable the system of paid wages are just and fair to all, no matter who comes last, to who has been first. He tells us that it is the generosity of the owner.
His use of this to explain that any who come answering his call late will receive the same as those who have come first. But he also states that the last will be first and the first shall be last. Because of their long service and dedication, they grumble expecting more. So we need not grumble when others who come after us get paid the same. Or receive the same graces as those who have been there the longest.
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Monday August 21, 2006
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. Matthew 19:16-22
Reflection:
What must I do to gain eternal life? I am good, but Jesus replies with one better. Only One is good, but if I wish to enter eternal life I must keep the commandments. And Jesus goes on to list these commandments."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." Have we observed these? And if we have, then what keeps us away from having eternal life. And if we wish to be perfect, but perfect for us today is what others would say having a low self-esteem. But for Jesus it is selling all that we have and giving it to the poor, then we will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Him.
But we have a very hard time following the commandments, let alone selling the extra possessions we have. After all it is our comfort Jesus is asking us to give up. Not necessarily, it's just that he is asking us to not have so very much in material wealth, where it rules out lives. We tend to think along the lines that we need so very many things, when the basics are adequate. We end up following material wealth, not Jesus. It's like the saying keeping up with the Joneses. They have this, so we have to get that. Or collect more money in order to have a bigger and more beautiful buildings. We seek so much for ourselves that letting go and following Jesus is hard.
That's why in today's reading the young man went away sad, even though he followed the commandments, he could not let go of the luxuries that truly kept him away from following Jesus. What do we have that is in excess, that could be given to the poor.
I have nothing more to give, yet I still give what money I do not have. I have clothes that I still give yet I can not replace them. If I can give when I have nothing, then imagine all those who do have and do not give at all.
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Sunday August 20, 2006
Jesus said to the crowds: "I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." John 6:51
Reflection:
Is this so hard to believe? The Jews quarreled among themselves, wondering how this could be.
We could take it the wrong way, as some do and sacrifice flesh and blood in order to eat of flesh and drink of blood, like those who sacrifice to the darkness.
It is going through Jesus that we will have life. It is eating of the Bread he chose to give us as a way for us to eat of his flesh, as is the wine, fruit of the vine that he chose to gives us to drink in imitation of his Blood.
In this way he unites us with Himself, to create with us all who partake, the Body and Blood of Christ. We become Him, we serve each other in imitation of Him.
Since we are the Body and Blood, it should not be hard for us to believe then that the Eucharist is the very life of Christ, where he lives and dwells, day and night. When the bread becomes consecrated, we now know the truth of Jesus being ever present in this very special act of love he lovingly gave us. What a very special gift he has given for all of us to become one with Him.
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Saturday August 19, 2006
Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said,"Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." After he placed his hands on them, he went away. Matthew 19:13-15
Reflection:
In the times we live in, we would love more than anything to be as children. To know that the Kingdom of heaven belongs to us. But as we grow older and mature in mind, we forget what it was like to live very simply.
Jesus today reminds us to let the children come to him. But have we taken them in, and turned their hearts against God, by initiating them for our own evil pleasures. But we are not only witnessing this in our Church, it is in many families, but we do not hear of it as much.
So why is it we are to let the children come to Jesus, when we destroy their future and mold them in our debauchery ways. We love our children but we yell at them, because we lack patience with them. We mentally abuse them, so they will fear us and everything else. We physically beat them to the point of breaking their bones.
Have we turned our faces against God so much, that we would do this to the future generations, because we lack faith in God ourselves. Or are we seeking the punishment we meet out, from God.
Since we have matured in age and found that we have lost the simplicity of being young, we lose all sense of what is right. Being a child is being carefree, but we forget how to be this way. We forget how to love with a child's heart. We forget how to trust with a child's trust out of our jealousy of this once lived life, we destroy the youth of this.
We have many who treasure their children too, because they know that should they harm or hurt another they destroy themselves too. Blessed are they who let their children come to the Lord.
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Friday August 18, 2006
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Forgiveness
Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times." Matthew 18:22
Reflection:
Peter asked a good question, do we forgive those who have sinned against us, seven times. And Jesus lovingly said not seven times but seventy-seven times. Which he means as many times as the need is to forgive.
We are stubborn creatures that hold on to our anger for another, refusing to forgive the hurt they cause us. It is so very hard for us to look at them and say I forgive you. And when they continue to cause hurt and we keep looking at them with disgust in our eyes, then we fail to do as Jesus asks.
Sometimes even when we walk away we need to forgive, not just others but ourselves too. God forgives us, even when we may think we do not desreve it. This is the beauty of God, his love that speaks so clearly of forgiveness.
Yet it is so very hard for us to forgive. We have different scenarios that could be spoken of, that cause great harm to another. It is in these difficult moments of pain and hurt, that we have an even greater need to give forgiveness as well as ask for it from those we do the hurt. What forgiving does is free us from useless baggage. Unnecessary and unneeded baggage that weighs us down in spirit and soul.
Our world is full of peole who seek revenge. Many refuse to speak to another when they become hurt. And the cycle continues, until we eventually wipe ourselves out, in the name of I'll get you back. So much petty squabbles could easily be taken care of, if only we take the steps to forgive one another, and do what we are suppose to do, love one another. | | | |
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