31st Sunday - C (October 30, 2022)

 

A Descendant of Abraham

Luke 19: 1-10

 

The people in the crowd know Zacchaeus as a sinner. 

 

On the contrary, Jesus calls Zacchaeus by name, and declares him “a descendant of Abraham.” Thus, Jesus sees Zacchaeus a fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham.    

 

In Genesis 22:18, God promised to Abraham, “in your descendants all the nations of the earth will find blessing.”  Here, by entering the life and staying at the house of Zacchaeus, Jesus restores God’s promise in this man, known to others only as a sinner.  Zacchaeus’ household now know God’s mercy, and Zacchaeus brings God’s blessing to the poor. 

 

Image source: Jacopo Palma, Christ Calling Zacchaeus, wikimedia.org

30th Sunday - C (October 23, 2022)

 

Any Room Left for God?

Luke 18: 9-14

 

The Pharisee in this parable brags about his achievements and his self-righteousness.  He is certainly full of himself.

 

Consequently, he has no room for other people, not just the tax collector whom he despises. 

 

Neither does he have room for God since he thinks everything is his own achievement. 

 

On the contrary, the tax collector realizes that he has nothing.  Thus, he comes to the realization that he depends on God and God’s mercy. 

 

Let us thank God for giving us conscience, the ability to know our sins and our brokenness.  Conscience is indeed a gift from God.  If we are honest and humble, conscience helps us to know that we need God, and to grow in appreciation of God’s mercy.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org

29th Sunday - C (October 15, 2022)

 

Not the Judge’s Way, but God’s Way

Luke 18: 1-8

 

In most of Jesus’ parables, one of the characters would reflect some aspects of God’s goodness.

 

In today’s parable, however, the judge “who neither feared God nor respected any human being” would have to be seen as the opposite of God. 

 

Consequently, Jesus urges us to avoid the attitude and behaviors of the judge.  St. Paul illustrated the way of Jesus when he exhorted Timothy, “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”  (Second Reading, 2 Timothy 3: 14-15)

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org 

28th Sunday - C (October 9, 2022)

 

Big Moments

Luke 11:11-19

Last Sunday Jesus taught us to be grateful to God for the ordinary and daily moments of life.

 

Today, the gratitude of the Samaritan leper reminds us to be grateful to God for the special or big moments that God at times bestows on us.

 

Has there been such a moment in my life?

 

(Image source: www.agnusday.org)

 

27th Sunday - C (October 2, 2022)

 

Gratefulness

Luke 17: 5-10

 

Beginning with our life breath, everything we have and are come from God, as God’s gifts of love to us.   

 

Therefore, we should never think that by doing good, we can earn God’s love, or that God owes us some rewards.  Nor should we think that by living a moral life and practicing charity, we earn our way to heaven. 

 

The right attitude is that we should strive to live according to God’s law of love as our expression of gratitude to God.  And in so doing, we become witnesses and instruments of God’s love in the world.  

 

Image source: www.agnusday.org