Reflection on the Sunday Readings for 9/28/08 by Trixie

You can find all the readings for this Sunday at http://www.usccb.org/nab/092808.shtml

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:
"What is your opinion?
A man had two sons.
He came to the first and said,
'Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.'
He said in reply, 'I will not, '
but afterwards changed his mind and went.
The man came to the other son and gave the same order.
He said in reply, 'Yes, sir,' but did not go.
Which of the two did his father's will?"
(Matthew 21:28-31a)

Which type of person are you? I know where I fit into today's Gospel! My initial response to anyone asking me to do something is usually "No". I can always think of a dozen reasons why I don't want to take on another project or commit to another activity. I don't have time and I don't want to be bothered. My life is already too busy. To be honest, these excuses often mask the fact that I either feel inadequate to the suggested task or I'm too lazy to stretch and grow in the ways necessary to complete the work.

But, many times I find myself going back to the request and changing my answer. This might be after a good night's sleep, a lunch out with friends - something to give me new energy and confidence. It might be after some prayer and reflection. I might even lay a guilt trip on myself, asking if I don't do the requested work who will?

It sure is easy for me to identify with the son who, when asked by his father to go out and work in the vineyard, gave a negative reply but later repented and did as he was bid. When I choose to accept the work God asks of me my life seems to fall into place.

We all meet both types of people. How much easier it is to say "Yes" right away when you are asked to do something. It pleases the person doing the asking. It makes you look and feel good. But afterwards you are faced with the reality of following through on the promise. How many times this is difficult, and we slide away from the commitment.

All of these readings speak to the issue of response to God's commands. The Old Testament reading talks about turning from wickedness to doing what is right and just. The Psalm asks God to teach us right ways and have compassion on us when we make wrong choices. (If you come to the 11:30 Mass on Sunday you will hear the adult choir sing a beautiful anthem setting of this Psalm.) And the New Testament reading from St. Paul's letter to the Philippians contains the beautiful passage telling us that Jesus said "Yes" when asked by his father to go out in the vineyard to work AND he followed through on that promise. To me that is the ultimate goal - to say "Yes" when God asks us to do His work, and then to go out and do it!


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Reflection on the Sunday Readings for 9/21/08 by Dawn

You can find all the readings for this Sunday at http://www.usccb.org/nab/092108.shtml

"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?"

(Matthew 20:13-15)

I am a rule follower. I purchase all my music legally. I cross in cross walks. I don't talk on my cell phone when driving. I don't even talk on my cell phone when filling my gas tank. For me rules and guidelines make life safe. I think everyone should play by the rules: you obey the rules, you achieve the goal... no short cuts.

Perhaps that's why today's Gospel reading can be challenging for me. The landowner pays the workers the same amount - whether they worked 10 hours or 2 hours. This does not go according to the unwritten "rule" that if you do more work you get more money. In this case there is nothing illegal being done - just someone who is being generous. I can guarantee, though, if I were one of the people that worked all day long, I would feel cheated. I guess you could relate it to waiting at the toll booth (not having an ez pass). Imagine you had to wait in line for ten minutes to pay and just before you reach the booth, two more lanes open up. The people behind you didn't have to wait nearly as long as you did, it might seem unfair - those people didn't have to wait as long as you did, and now some of them are ahead of you! In reality, those people just happen to be in the right spot at the right time - it has nothing to do with justice.

At the end of the parable the landowner says to the grumbling workers "Are you envious because I am generous?" That thought stops me. Am I jealous because someone else receives what I consider to be unmerited gifts and/or forgiveness? Unfortunately I have to admit that I am almost always jealous. That sense of injustice then results in a stumbling block to my living a content life. I would guess that happens to most of us - something in us reacts negatively when it seems that life isn't as harsh on someone else as it is on us.

If we think of this parable in terms of grace and forgiveness, instead of in terms of money, we are challenged even more. We need God's grace and mercy, but if it's true for us, is it true for our biggest enemy? Does the murderer and terrorist deserve to be forgiven by God? The answer is yes. God is the generous landowner who freely forgives and offers grace and mercy to all who turn to Him.

Here's another piece that makes this parable even more challenging: we are called to do the same. We need to offer forgiveness instead of revenge; love instead of hatred; mercy instead of vengeance.

I am called to love the person who seems to win, even though they didn't follow the rules.



Please share with us your thoughts about these readings by posting a comment.

Reflection on the Sunday Readings for 9/14/08 by Dawn

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“... just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

(John 3:14-15)

I once read somewhere that Nicodemus could be considered the Patron Saint of Seekers. In today's Gospel Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, who was a prominent Jewish teacher in the time of Jesus. Nicodemus had come to Jesus in the middle of the night to ask him questions.

Here he was - Nicodemus was supposed to have it all together as a big-time teacher, but after hearing what Jesus had to say, he probably stood there more confused than ever. He knew well the story Jesus referenced, of the rebellion of the Israelites in the desert that we read in this Sunday's first reading (NM 21:4b-9). Nicodemus knew that as the Israelites wandered the desert they started complaining and whining about their journey. As a result of their disobedience God sent deadly snakes into their camp. When the people cried out for mercy, God told Moses to put a figure of a snake on a pole and to hold it up. Whoever looked at that serpant would be helad. Not only did Nicodemus know this story - he probably taught other people about it, but what Jesus tells him must have left his head whirling: "...just as Moses lifted up the serpant in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." With our hind-sight bias, we know what Jesus meant: when people look with faith upon Jesus who has been "lifted up" (referring to both his crucifixion and resurrection), their judgment is averted and they are brought into life with God. But what must Nicodemus have thought? It was probably tempting to write off Jesus as a fanatic, but insted the seeker in Nicodemus sticks with Jesus. We see him show up in John's Gospel again in chapter seven, trying to protect and defend Jesus to the Pharisees, and then finally in chapter 19 after Jeus has died, helping Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus' body for burial.

Somewhere between the beginning of chapter three and the end of chapter 19, Nicodemus moves from being a seeker to being a believer. Yes, I think that I would agree, Nicodemus could be the Patron Saint of seekers.




You can find all the readings for this Sunday at http://www.usccb.org/nab/091408.shtml
Please share with us your thoughts about these readings by posting a comment.