Christ the King - C (November 20, 2022)

 

Jesus – God Saves

Luke 23: 35-43

 

Three times, different group of people expressed their expectation that the Christ would save himself. 

 

They did not understand Jesus and his mission that he had been proclaiming to them. 

 

One person understood.  He was a criminal but he knew that Jesus, as his name indicates, had come to save others, not himself.  (This Archangel had proclaimed the name Jesus, “God saves” at the moment of the Incarnation in Luke 1: 31 and also Matthew 1:21).   

 

Jesus truly is the Savior of the world, and the King of the universe.  

 

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33rd Sunday - C (November 13, 2022)

 

I Am With You

Luke 21: 5-19

 

Jesus warns us, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he.’”

 

Meanwhile, we don’t need to look elsewhere for a savior.  We don’t have to wait.  The Savior is already came.

 

Life has its challenges.  Jesus also warns us of suffering, disasters, persecution, and event death.  In all of these, the Savior is always with us.   

 

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32nd Sunday - C (November 6, 2022)

 

Children of God

Luke 20: 27-38

 

Jesus came to reveal to us that God is our loving Father.

 

Then, by his cross and resurrection, Jesus made us “children of God.” 

 

Thus, God’s life is not a future existence.  God’s life is already flowing in us, God’s children, now, in this life. 

 

We will die after this earthly life.  But we will rise, because God’s life lasts forever.  

 

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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.  

 

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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)

 

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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?

 

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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.  

 

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26th Sunday - C (September 25, 2022)

 

Do I Raise My Eyes and See?

Luke 16: 19-31

 

In this parable, the first time Jesus describes the rich man “raised his eyes and saw” is after he has already died.  Now he sees Lazarus, whom he recognizes and knows by name, “at Abraham’s side.” 

 

Prior to this, there was no indication of the rich man ever “raised his eyes and saw” Lazarus suffering “at his door.”  Was it because he was so caught up with his “purple garments and his daily sumptuous dinners”?

 

We can all be caught up with our own lives and fail to raise our eyes and see our brothers and sisters around us, particularly those who are suffering.

 

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25th Sunday - C (September 18, 2022)

 

Children of Light

Luke 16: 1-13

 

In this Gospel passage, Jesus uses the expression, “children of light.”  That’s us.  We have been entrusted with the greatest treasure – the light of God. 

 

Moreover, the light of God is not just some quality of God.  Jesus said, ““I am the light of the world” (John 8: 12).  St. John testifies, “God is light” (1 John 1: 5).

 

Consequently, we have been entrusted with the treasure of God’s very self.  We are privileged to be God-bearers.  We are called to bring God to the world. 

 

Through the Prophet Isaiah, God said to Israel the words later applied to Jesus.   Now God says to each of us, “I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6). 

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24th Sunday - C (September 11, 2022)

 

Drawing Near to Jesus

Luke 15: 1-32

 

Jesus’s reputation, his words, actions, attitude all proclaim the mercy of God.  Moreover, he brings God’s mercy to humanity.  Consequently, “Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus.” 

 

Not only do tax collectors and sinners receive God’s mercy in Jesus, they feel drawn to Jesus, the incarnation of God’s mercy.  God’s mercy is consoling and attractive to sinners. 

 

St. Luke then continues, “But the Pharisees and scribes began to complain.” 

 

Luke Chapter 15 recalls Jesus’ three parables on God’s mercy.  However, this one introductory sentence is probably already inviting us to examine our own attitude toward God’s mercy.  Also, does it challenge me to ask if I put limits to God’s mercy on me and on those I might consider sinners?

 

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23rd Sunday - C (September 4, 2022)

 

Possessions

Luke 14: 25-33

 

Things that we have, wealth, money, expensive “stuff” can take possession of our hearts and minds. 

 

So do people, hobbies, interests, desires, ambition, just like addictions, can also take possession of our hearts and minds. 

 

Jesus invites us let God, and only God, take possession of our hearts and minds.  

 

 

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22nd Sunday - C (August 28, 2022)

 

Dining with Jesus

Luke 7: 1, 7-14

 

We are “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind” invited by Jesus at every Eucharist celebration. 

 

May we grow in gratitude for the privilege of being invited to the Lord’s banquet.

 

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21st Sunday - C (August 21, 2022)

God’s Guests

Luke 13: 22-30

“People will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south

and will recline at table in the kingdom of God,”

 

Do I accept God’s openness, or do I have my own standards of who should be in and who should be out? Meanwhile, it’s not my kingdom. It’s God’s.

 

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20th Sunday - C (August 14, 2022)

 

The Fire of Jesus

Luke 12: 49-53

 

Last Sunday, Jesus declared, “Your Father is pleased to give  you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

 

Today, as we continue with the same chapter, Jesus might be asking me to consider what in me must be purified by the fire of his love so that the Father’s gift of the Kingdom might be blazing.

 

19th Sunday - C (August 7, 2022)

 

The Gift of God’s Kingdom

Luke 12: 32-48

 

Two Sundays ago, Jesus taught to pray, “Father, your kingdom come.” 

 

Today, Jesus assures us, “Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.”

 

What can be greater than this gift of God’s love for us?

 

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18th Sunday - C (July 31, 2022)

 

Myself, My Needs, My Plan

Luke 12: 13-21

 

Three Sundays ago, Jesus gave us the example of the Good Samaritan, who went out of his way to take care of a stranger in need. 

 

The following Sunday we learned the example of Martha, who welcome Jesus into her home.  Jesus told her not to be anxious and worried about many things.

 

Last Sunday, Jesus taught us to pray that first “hallowed by God’s name” and “God’s kingdom come,” then to pray for our daily bread.

 

Today, Jesus gives us an example of the opposite of what he taught us the previous three Sundays.  In this parable, the main character’s only concern is about himself [1].  That is why he fails to be grateful to God.  Furthermore, he erroneously thinks that his life and his future are in his control.  Unsurprisingly, unlike Martha or the Good Samaritan, he fails to concern for others and their needs.

 

Jesus again teaches to put God first, then others ahead of ourselves.

 

[1] Pablo Gadenz, The Gospel of Luke, Baker Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI, 2018, p. 239.

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17th Sunday - C (July 24, 2022)

 

“Father”

Luke 11: 1-13

 

When Jesus prayed, his intimacy with God the Father must have been so evident and inspiring.  Witnessing Jesus at prayer, the disciples asked him to teach them how to pray.

 

In response, Jesus taught the disciples then, and is teaching us now, to call God, “Father.”

 

Jesus has that inspiring intimacy with the Father.  Imitating Jesus, as we call God “Father,” may we grow in our intimacy with God.

 

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16th Sunday - C (July 17, 2022)

 

Welcome Jesus and Listen to Him

Luke 10: 38-42

 

Last Sunday, with the example of the Good Samaritan, Jesus taught the ultimate value of caring for others, especially those who are in need.

 

The week before, when sending out the seventy-two disciples, Jesus told them to stay where they would be welcome.

 

Both of those passages are taken from Luke, Chapter 10, which we continue today.

 

Against that background, it is not by accident that Luke begins today’s Gospel reporting that “Martha welcomed” Jesus into her home. 

 

We need to grow in “listening to” Jesus.  Yes.  But first, we must imitate Martha, welcoming Jesus into our hearts and our homes.

 

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15th Sunday - C (July 10, 2022)

 

Be Neighbor

Luke 10 25-37

 

The scholar of the law asks the question “to test Jesus.”

 

In response, after having told the parable, Jesus asks him, “Who was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”

 

The true test of for us, followers of Jesus, is whether we are neighbors to those who are in need or not.  

 

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