Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 22, 2013:

Amos 8: 4-7
Psalm 113: 1-2, 4-8
1 Timothy 2: 1-8
Luke 16: 1-13

Why did the Lord Jesus present this parable to us? He surely did not approve of that cheat of a servant . . . It is not because that servant cheated but because he exercised foresight for the future. When even a cheat is praised for his ingenuity, Christians who make no such provision blush.
—Saint Augustine

How DO we make sense of a parable in which Jesus seems to be commending cheating? It's hard to say! So let's consider it from this point of view: for Jesus, relationships are more important than profit.  The Master, while he lost out on the payment of produce, was thought of by the debtors as a generous and honorable man. The debtors, by the way, might finally see a year when they could provide for their own families, and feel gratitude to both the master and the steward. And the steward, who could have been imprisoned but 'merely' lost his job would find in those debtors advocates and potential future help.

Too often it is the poor who are cheated at the hands of the rich. Here, we are assured of God's gracious generosity in forgiving the debts of our sins, and in accepting the gifts we are able to offer.

• In your life, what 'debt forgiveness' would cause you great joy?
• What's preventing that from being accomplished?

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 15, 2013:

Exodus 32: 7-11, 13-14
Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-13, 17, 19
1 Timothy 1: 12-17
Luke 15: 1-32

The Gospel today contains 3 parables, 3 stories that Jesus told  the religious leaders who were displeased with Jesus. They disapproved of his interactions with sinners... it might be okay to throw some food their way, but to actually sit down and eat WITH them would be simply unholy!

In each of these parables, the main actor is behaving, by our standards, imprudently or as going overboard in their quest for what we might dismiss as insignificant. In these stories we learn about the unlimited love and mercy of God, and to Divine Joy when we come back to ourselves, our senses.

• In what way is this message Good News for you?
• In what way is it a challenge to our own management of the mercy we offer others?
• Are our hearts ready to rejoice when those who are lost return and find warm welcome?

Rejoicing for a slightly different reason, at the 11:30am Mass this Sunday, we will welcome Nathan as he enters into full communion with the Catholic Church!

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 8, 2013:

Wisdom 9: 13-18b
Psalm 90: 3-6, 12-17
Philemon 9-10, 12-17
Luke 14: 25-33

Does it seem to you a bit jarring that in these final lazy days of summer, the Gospel messages aren't a sweet invitation to lull around with just one more glass of lemonade and take it easy? These words of Jesus lately have been.... challenging. But really: HATE your family, RENOUNCE all your possessions?

Let's start with a little clarification on the vocabulary: in this context, 'hate' does not mean to have intense dislike for another. It was rather a directive to prefer Jesus to any other relationship. To put God First, as bumper stickers might say today. Renouncing possessions is also a matter of priority- do you own your belongings or do they own you? And does your concern for your possessions get in the way of you being a faithful disciple?  Jesus continues with two short stories to illustrate the need to consider the consequences before jumping into any serious commitment.

Notice the first line of the Gospel, "Great crowds were traveling with Jesus." He was, at least for the moment, the Next Big Thing. But Jesus knew that he was on the way to Jerusalem, and that popularity only goes so far. He challenged this crowds, as he challenges us today to be honest about our priorities. The reality is NOT choosing between God OR loved ones, the Christian reality is that in paying primary attention to our relationship with God, our lives with ours, and our interaction with our possessions will consequently and naturally be rightly ordered. 

A second aspect to Jesus' challenge to Hate/Renounce might be in regard to the inclusive nature of his ministry. There is no one in this world Jesus does not love, or for whom he does not offer redemption. If we are to be his disciples, if we are to follow Christ so closely that people recognize Christ in us, we can't limit ourselves to the insularity of our family, neighborhood, ethnic group, country, etc.  Appreciating the safety and familiarity of those we know and love is fine, but if it becomes a barrier to serving whoever is in need, that's an impediment to following Jesus.

• Who or what causes you to hesitate when given the opportunity to follow Christ more closely?

Mystagogia Meets this Sunday, Sept. 8 at 10:45- 11:30am in Room 212.
Inquiry meets this Tuesday, Sept. 10.