Christ the King - A

Commentary

Matthew 25: 31-46

Where is the King?  Who is the King?

This parable ends Matthew’s account of Jesus’ public teaching.  [1] (Jesus’ passion narrative begins with the following chapter).

Matthew begins his account of Jesus’ teaching with the summary of his message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17).

Jesus goes on to call “blessed” the poor, the hungry, the meek, …  because they are citizens of the Kingdom (“theirs is the kingdom of heaven”)(5:3). [2]

Now, as the conclusion of his teaching, Jesus goes further to identify himself, who sits on his glorious throne, with those who are poor, hungry, the prisoners, the strangers, etc.

 

Not only are these suffering people citizens of the kingdom, they are the King in the flesh. 

The mystery of Christ’s Incarnation continues.  Christ now lives among us in the poor, the hungry, the prisoners, the strangers….  In them lives the Emmanuel, God-with-us.  In them, His Kingdom is at hand. 

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[1] and [2].  John Petty, Blog.  Progressive Involvement at progressiveinvolvement.com

Solemnity of Christ the King - A (November 23, 2014)

Readings

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33rd Sunday - A

All Souls (November 2, 2014)

Gospel:
(This passage is a part of one of of the options for the Gospels that can be used for this Commemoration of the Faithful Departed.)

Luke 24: 1 - 6a

The Resurrection of Jesus

At daybreak on the first day of the week they took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.   They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  

While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them.  They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.

They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised"

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Commentary:

The Greek verb translated here as "puzzle" can also mean "to be entirely at loss" or "to be perplexed." [1] 

The women are entirely at loss because they look for him where he is not to be found.  He is not "among the dead."  He is alive.

Do I look for life where life is to be found - in God?  

Or do I look for it "among the dead," in things and people that do not live forever?  If I do that, I will for sure be entirely at loss.

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[1]  Blueletterbible.org

30th Sunday - A

Commentary

Matthew 22:34-40

Love God First, or God Loves First

The order with which this Gospel passage is arranged for the Sunday Gospel might provide us one possible interpretation and lesson.

It is God who has given us all (last Sunday’s reminder of “giving to God what belongs to God.”).  Thus, even our ability to love comes from God. 

Consequently, when I love God, I just try to respond to the One who has loved me first, and without whom I would not even exist.

Then, I am called to love my neighbor, who like me, comes from God.  And like me, he belongs to God.  Moreover, I am called to see the neighbor as the gift of God’s love for me. 

In loving my neighbor, I again respond to God’s love with love.  

30th Sunday - A (October 26, 2014)

Readings

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(Note: the comic was inspired by Mark 12: 28-34, the parallel passage with this passage in Matthew 22: 34-40,).

28th Sunday - A

Commentary

Matthew 22: 1-14

God Gets in My Way

There are times when we allow our things get in God’s way.  The list includes our own plans and desires, sins, pride, things that we don’t want to let go, our lack of trust, etc.

However, can there be times when God gets in our way?

That might be one way of looking at the reaction of the first group of guests in this parable.  

Jesus identifies them as “the invited guests” who are now “summoned” to the feast when “everything is ready.” 

The description “invited guests” suggests that they have received an earlier invitation prior to this moment.  They knew about it.

But they already have their plans.

And now, God’s plan for them gets in their way.  We know how they react.   

Have I ever allowed such a situation to happen in my life?

28th Sunday - A (October 12, 2014)

Readings

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27th Sunday - A

Commentary

Matthew 21: 33 – 43

The Vineyard Entrusted to Me

The landowner first “planted a vineyard.”  Next, he “put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower.”  In other words, he took good care of his vineyard.  Only then did “he [lease] it to tenants.”

(Today’s first reading from Isaiah 5 has even a more detailed description of God’s care for the vineyard).

With such great care, God prepares the vineyard that would be entrusted to me.

The vineyard can be (or includes) my own wellbeing, both in this world and in the next, and the people God puts in my life – family members, friends, co-workers, …

Besides, God sends help and reminders (the servants and His Son) to assist me in caring for the vineyard.

How do I take care of the well-planted vineyard that God has entrusted to me?

27th Sunday - A (October 5, 2014)

Readings

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Commentary

Matthew 21: 28-32

Freedom and True Love

The father, a figure of absolute authority in an ancient culture, only asks his sons to go and work in the vineyard.  He does not force them.

God gives us free will, and God allows us to freely choose how we would respond to God’s love. 

The father does not check on the son who said “yes,” to see if he keeps his words.

We know we do not always deserve the trust and respect God puts in us.  But God stills respect the freedom that God has given us. 

There, God does not impose on us God’s love with a kind of force obligation.   Rather, God offers us a constant invitation to grow in true love.

Lastly, we have Jesus, who is the exemplary Son of the Father.  By this time in Matthew’s narrative, Jesus has entered Jerusalem.  There, he would soon offer the supreme act of obedience and love to the Father: he freely chose to do the Father’s will by accepting the cross.  His whole life, in attitudes, words and action, is an act of love.

26th Sunday - A (September 28, 2014)

Readings

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25th Sunday - A

Commentary

Matthew 20: 1-16

“Am I not free to do what I please with my own?”

The landowner hires five groups of laborers.  Yet, it is only with the first group does he have an agreement with them about their wages. 

At the end of the workday, he pays them the agreed amount.

Jesus does not say anything about the attitude of all the laborers who were hired late in the day.

Only the first group complains.  It is probably understandable that they feel cheated.  But they receive the amount they have agreed with the landowner.

Jesus begins the parable with, “The kingdom of heaven is like.”

Membership in the kingdom is not something upon which we agreed with God.  God is not obliged to give it to us, as the landowner asks the first laborers, “Am I not free to do what I please with my own?”  

It is a grace, freely given.  Blessed are those who recognize God’s graciousness to us.

25th Sunday - A (September 21, 2014)

Readings

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Exaltation of the Holy Cross - A

Commentary

John 3: 15 – 17

The Bridge Love Builds

The basic tenets of the Christian faith can be found all in this passage of John’s Gospel.  Indeed, the Cross summarizes it all.

• We can’t go to God on our own (“No one has gone up to heaven”).
• God loves us so much that God does not want us to perish, but to have eternal life.
• God’s love is so great that God’s only Son comes to bring us to God
• That’s the only way.
• And the Son does that by his death on the cross.  

There, the cross is the bridge between us and God.  It is the bridge built of love.

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Readings

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23rd Sunday - A

Commentary

Matthew 18: 15-20

In My Name

There are two contexts we should take into consideration in reading this Gospel passage.

First, the context of the Sunday Gospels of Year A. This passage of Matthew 18: 15 – 20 follows what we heard a week ago from Matthew 16: 21-27. There, Jesus invited anyone who “wishes” to become his disciple “to deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”

And today, Jesus gives a concrete demand of how to put that instruction into practice, namely what to do when others sin against us.

Second, the context of Chapter 18 of Matthew. This passage is preceded by Jesus’ instruction on how to care for “the little ones who believe in [him].” The greatest crime occurs when scandals cause the loss of one of these little ones.

Next comes the parable of the good shepherd who goes searching for the lost sheep.  The parable ends with Jesus’ affirmation, “it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” (v. 14)

And then, in today’s Gospel (verses 15-19) Jesus insists that efforts must be made to keep God’s children in God’s house.

Following this passage, Jesus teaches the seemingly impossible demand of forgiving one’s brother “seventy-seven times” (v. 21-22). Afterwards, Jesus expands on the reason for such a demand – God has forgiven us first to the greatest extent. He teaches this with the parable of a servant whose master forgives him a huge debt, yet he is unforgiving toward a fellow servant who owes him a tiny amount.

Jesus calls his followers to form and follow him carrying the cross to preserve the community of love and forgiveness where two or three are gathered in his name. Such a community witnesses to the presence of God among humanity. In this kind of a community, “There am I in the midst of them” (v. 20)

23rd Sunday - A (September 7, 2014)

Readings

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22nd Sunday - A

Commentary

Matthew 16: 21-27

What Messiah

Today’s Gospel passage follows immediately the passage we heard last Sunday.

In the full text, there is a transition phrase that is omitted here, which is “From that time on.”

 A small detail, perhaps. 

But we must not lose sight of the link that connects the two passages.

Peter and the other disciples professed their faith in Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (16:16).  And it is their faith in a Messiah of their own definition. 

Now, Jesus tells them God’s definition of the Messiah. 

Don’t we often find ourselves like Peter, believe in and are ready to follow the Messiah who operates according to our agenda?

The invitation and challenge of discipleship is to follow the Messiah who operates according to God’s agenda.  

22nd Sunday - A (August 31, 2014)

Readings

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