Sent By The Father

 John 7: 1-2, 10, 25-30

Jesus Goes to the Festival of Tabernacles

7 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. ² But the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near. 

¹⁰ However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.

John 7:25-30

Division Over Who Jesus Is

²⁵ At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? ²⁶ Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? ²⁷ But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.”

²⁸ Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, ²⁹ but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.”

³⁰ At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

In this startling statement, "...but I know him because I am from him and he sent me", Jesus reveals who he is: blasphemy to the ears of his opponents for to them there was only one God, and he was not Jesus.  It took centuries for the formula, "one God in three divine persons" to take shape, and even that is something beyond our human experience or understanding.  A "mystery", we call it, and one we accept on FAITH, a stumbling block to those who do not believe, but the source of life and joy for those who do. Let us pray that our faith grow each day, especially during these days of Lent, that our lives reflect the wonder and goodness of God.

Bro Rene 

 

 

Jesus Confronts the Pharisees

  

 John 5: 31-47

Testimonies About Jesus

 ³¹ “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. ³² There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.

³³ “You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. ³⁴ Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. ³⁵ John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

³⁶ “I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. ³⁷ And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, ³⁸ nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. ³⁹ You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, ⁴⁰ yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

⁴¹ “I do not accept glory from human beings, ⁴² but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. ⁴³ I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. ⁴⁴ How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

⁴⁵ “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. ⁴⁶ If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. ⁴⁷ But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

Jesus rakes the Pharisees over the coals, pointing out the errors in their arguments and the disconnect between their preaching and their behavior.  As he fearlessly defends his own behavior and teachings, he digs his grave deeper; he minces no words and later suffers at their hands. He models for us the stance we can and must take against those who preach error in our day. May we learn from Jesus not only that we must live and preach the truth, but also learn how to do it.

Bro. Rene             

Not My Will, But the Father's

 

 John 5: 17-30

¹⁷ But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

Jesus Is Equal with God

¹⁸ This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

The Authority of the Son

¹⁹ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. ²⁰ For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. ²¹ For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. ²² For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, ²³ that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. ²⁴ Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

²⁵ “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. ²⁶ For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. ²⁷ And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. ²⁸ Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice ²⁹ and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Witnesses to Jesus

³⁰ “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent m

The plot begins to thicken as we listen to establish his identity as the Son of God the Father.and his dedication to carrying out his will. He is totally at the service of God and is readying his hearers for the drama yet to come: his condemnation, crucifixion and death. this readiness to do the will of the Father sets the pattern for us, for the reason why we are here and the best way to serve is to do the Father's will.  We might have what we think are better ways to serve him, but the Jesus teaches us that the best way is to do what God wants, not what we want.  His will, not mine.

Bro. Rene

A Lesson In Mercy

  

John 5: 1-16

The Healing at the Pool

5 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. ² Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³ Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ^{[4]  5} One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” ⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, ¹⁰ and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

¹¹ But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

¹² So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

¹³ The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

¹⁴ Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

The Authority of the Son

¹⁶ So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.

Jesus  again shows us that the "Law of Mercy" supplants the Letter or the Law. Was it not a greater good to heal this man who suffered for 38 years even if it meant "breaking the Sabbath Rule" of  no work on that holy day?  Jesus tried hard to break the rigidity of the leaders in order to show how the mercy and tenderness of God is really the way we should deal with one another. God's mercy is unlimited, and so too should ours be. May mercy and compassion be the fruits of our Lenten observances, not how many "spiritual pushups" we can do.

Bro. Rene

The Second Sign

   

John 4: 43-54

Jesus Heals an Official’s Son

⁴³ After the two days he left for Galilee. ⁴⁴ (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) ⁴⁵ When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.

⁴⁶ Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

⁴⁸ “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”

⁴⁹ The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

⁵⁰ “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and departed. ⁵¹ While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. ⁵² When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”

⁵³ Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” So he and his whole household believed.

⁵⁴ This was the second sign Jesus performed after coming from Judea to Galilee.

As Jesus moved further into his ministry of preaching, signs accompanied him to help the people accept the preached word.  They might not remember everything he said, but they wouldn't forget the miracles he worked. The official was simply looking for the cure of his son; he had heard of other "wonders" Jesus worked, and evidently believed firmly enough for Jesus to cure the boy. The question for us is obvious:  "Do we (do I) have such a strong faith?   We often say we do, but have to admit that we are still shaky, and if Jesus were here, he'd not have much ground for giving us a miracle.  We can never pray enough:  "Lord, I do believe.  Help my unbelief"!

Bro. Rene

The Compassionate Father

 

Luke 15:11-32

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them this parable

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

More familiarly known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son,  we recognize this telling parable: the sin of the young son, his awakening, and his return to the arms of his father. How many days, months, years did that father go out and look for his son?  He did not scold or show him any anger or resentment; no,  rather compassion and joy healed his heartache We get the feeling of how much the man was moved to have his son back by the embrace, and  the new robe, ring and sandals with which he adorned him, not to mention the feast!  What a heart that man had, so full of forgiveness, compassion and love. Don't we even feel his arms around us as we read this?  And we should, for that's how our Father in heaven reacts toward us when we "come to our senses" and repent. Even his response to the jealous brother is filled with compassion and patience.  God's love and forgiveness know no bounds. Let us go to him in repentance and allow him, seek him, to throw his arms around us!

Bro. Rene

Pride Vs Humility

    

Luke 18: 9-14

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

⁹ He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ ¹³ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Two men, two opposite prayers.  The Pharisee's prayer is filled with self, filled with "I's:". we know people like this:  it's all about them. They do not see beyond themselves, and if so, it's only to put down "lesser" people. The tax, collector, on the other hand,knows his place, knows his need for mercy and his prayer is centered on God rather than on himself.  He goes home "justified", while the Pharisee did not. Jesus calls us to this level of humility, this view of our stance before him as people, sinners, needing his mercy.  "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."

Bro. Rene

The Annunciation of the Lord

 1: 26-38

Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

One of the great Marian Solemnities.  If Mary had refused this invitation, our world would be much different, if it existed at all.  Her "little yes" opened the door for the arrival of Jesus and set the stage for our redemption. Mary probably did not understand the full implications of the astounding proposal that she mother the Son of God...that was enough to give pause to anyone  But to be the instrument for the salvation of the whole human race, also, if not equally astounding.  No wonder we pause our Lenten observances to celebrate and ponder with Mary, the repercussions of her simple "Yes". May we join the generations who have honored Mary and followed her example of willingness to be the servant of the Lord and allow whatever God asks of us to be done according to his word.

Bro. Rene

 

 

 

For Or Against?

 

Luke 11: 14-23

Jesus and Beelzebul

¹⁴ Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. ¹⁵ But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” ¹⁶ Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

¹⁷ Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. ¹⁸ If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. ¹⁹ Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

²¹ “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. ²² But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

²³ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

The old adage, A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND, finds its place here as Jesus defends his healing ministry. No arguments could convince the scoffers and challengers, leaving us with the wise choice, either FOR Jesus of AGAINST him. No middle ground, no sometimes YES and other times, NO.ALL or NOTHING.  What does it take me to be FOR Jesus?  Will my Lenten prayer help?  Give it a chance in the remaining weeks before Holy Week.

Bro. Rene

Not To Abolish, But To Fulfill

 Matthew 5: 17-19

Christ Fulfills the Law

¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹ Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

As the days of Lent pass by, Jesus calls us to a purer discipleship one that  will help us continue his mission for our time. He returned to the Father leaving us instructions to go preach to all nations, but before we can do that, we need to purify our hearts and our intentions so that they align with his.  Our task is to DO and Teach the commandments, those of Moses and those of Jesus. It's not so much the letter of the Law now, but the spirit of the Law that gives life. May we be careful not to break even the least of the commandments, but even more so carry them out to complete fulfillment.  A lifetime's work, but may this Lent bring us a step closer.

Bro. Rene 

.

Be Forgiving

 Matthew 18: 21-35

 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ³⁰ And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”

Isn't it amazing how the servant whose debt was just forgiven could be so cold and ruthless to the person who owed him money?  But, human nature, being what it is, comes up with surprising, if not, inappropriate or just downright bad behaviors. Such is not acceptable in the kingdom of God; rather compassion, understanding, and above all, forgiveness are the hallmarks of its citizens.  We may not be as brash as this unjust servant, but often in our thoughts our "unforgiveness" is apparent.  We are called today by this gospel passage to a full and deep level of forgiveness in thought and action.  We need to be forgiven as much as, if not more than, we need to forgive others.

Bro. Rene

No Welcome for the Hometown Prophet

 Luke 4: 24-30

²⁴ “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. ²⁵ I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. ²⁶ Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. ²⁷ And there were many in Israel with leprosy^[a] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

²⁸ All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. ²⁹ They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

We have not been challenged by opponents as Jesus was, but sometimes we let ourselves be intimidated by others for sticking to our guns regarding church teaching, or even our "strict" Lenten observances. No doubt, Jesus would have liked a better reception of his teachings, and we would like to be able to live our faith to the fullest, but the adage is true, "A prophet is not welcome in his hometown."  May we simply do the best we can and pray for those who oppose us.

Bro. Rene

Patience

 

Luke 13: 1-9

Repent or Perish

13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. ⁷ So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

⁸ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

It takes time to break habits ..or to grow fruit-bearing fig trees.  We tend to be like the first man in this parable, short of patience.  Jesus presents the "other side", the man who is willing to work the soil and give the tree one more chance, the attitude being, "Who knows?  Maybe next year."  It would be good if we could take this approach with ourselves and with others. No need to hurry  Even as we proceed down these weeks of the Lent, we're probably not seeing much "growth", and might be growing impatient with ourselves as the clock ticks. Let's be patient, let's give ourselves a chance.  There is still time to prepare our hearts for Easter, still time to root out  some of the obstacles we deal with;  most of all, there is still time to be as patient with ourselves as God is with us.   Patience will bear fruit.

Bro. Rene

Silent Obedience

 

Matthew 1; 16, 18-21, 24a 

(Alternative: Luke 2: 41-51a)

¹⁶ and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 

24When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.

Even with the angel's; explanation and his acting upon it, Joseph took a leap of faith.  He does not question, disagree or evidently doubt, but obeys. What an example he sets for us, who so often find ourselves in perplexing situations, complaining and seeking to solve things "our way". Doesn't work. Joseph set the example; all we need to do is follow it. If we find it too hard to do, we simply need to ask him for his help.  He stands there for us as he did for Jesus. May we learn to go to him more often than we do.  He's our father too!

Bro. Rene

 

 

 

The Stone Rejected

 

 Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46

The Parable of the Tenants

³³ “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine press in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. ³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. ³⁷ Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

³⁸ “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

A graphic portrayal of our human nature, so blind to the truth and to whom and to what is best for us.  Over and over again in history and in our own  lives, the tale of rejection is repeated.  We never seem to learn  this is only the second week of Lent, there is still time to open hearts to receive Jesus, our Lord and Savior. A look at the headlines tells us that the bombs are causing endless destruction and not solving anything. We too can be as ineffective in our own spiritual journey, expending energy in the wrong places, dropping bombs that cause us more harm than good...May we pray for the guidance to know where to expend our spiritual energy so that it will benefit us the most.

Bro. Rene 

Listen to the Living

(Note: A mental blur and technological monkey wrench prevented the posting of this slice of bread earlier today 3/17/22) 

 

The Rich Man and Lazarus

 Luke 16: 19-31

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. ²⁰ And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, ²¹ who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side.The rich man also died and was buried, ²³ and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. ²⁴ And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ ²⁷ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— ²⁸ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

The Gospels are  giving us food for thought and action during this Lenten season of purification and preparation for the renewal of our Baptismal Promises on Easter (and during the Easter Season).  Today, pride,arrogance and self-satisfaction are contrasted with humility, simplicity and poverty.  The Rich Man "has it all" as we would say, while Lazarus has to beg for crumbs. But it is the poverty, both material and of spirit, that win him his reward. Isn't Lent about taking on the self-recognition of Lazarus and the divesting of the Rich Man's attitude of superiority?  Who am I in this parable?

Bro. Rene

A Ransom for Many

 Matthew 20: 17-28

Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time

¹⁷ And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, ¹⁸ “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death ¹⁹ and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

A Mother's Request

²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. ²¹ And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” ²² Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.” ²³ He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” ²⁴ And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. ²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ²⁶ It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, ²⁸ even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

At times, it seems that life is giving us a raw deal:  a job is lost, hearing and eye-sight fail, cancer appears,  depression won't go away or dreams never come true. Looking at these verses, we see Jesus predicting his passion and death,  Salome asking the impossible for her sons and Jesus reminding us of the paradox that the leader must be the servant, and, Jesus is sacrificing his life so that we may live. From this angle, our owes seem petty indeed.  These days of Lent are given to prayer, fasting and almsgiving which should help us to adopt the stance that Jesus took in giving up his life that we may live. 

Bro. Rene

Walk Your Talk

 

Matthew 23: 1-12 

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries^[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰ Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

"Walk your talk", a familiar slogan in AA, and, apparently a needed reminder in the time of Jesus.The Pharisees were faithful teachers of the Law of Moses, but fell short as practitioners of it  Jesus elaborates on this in an attempt to get us on the ball of practicing what we teach and preach.  It's easy to tell others what to do, but not so easy to do it ourselves.  And when we do, after prayer and effort, may we be humble about it, lest pride slip in and blur our message. Our actions preach more effectively than our words.

Bro. Rene 

 

Be Merciful

Luke 6: 36-37

³⁶ Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others

³⁷ “Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸ give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”

 This short passage packs a wallop  How can we, alas poor mortals, be as merciful as our heavenly Father, whose mercy knows no bounds? Yet, Jesus tell us to aim high and try.  A life-long goal, a limitless challenge, a way of life. What would our world be like if everyone strove daily to be merciful.  Gone rancor and revenge, enter compassion and forgiveness. Life in a merciful world would surely be a foretaste of heaven.  We learn mercy by eliminating judgement of others, for where would we be if God judged us without his mercy?  Be merciful, judge not, four words, but a lifetime challenge.  JUST DO IT!

Bro. Rene

God, the greatest gift we can give you is being merciful to our sisters and brothers. In order to forgive, however, we have to let go of the pain we hold. Letting go of those hurts is a hard sacrifice—help us to die to ourselves willingly so that we can live in your mercy. Amen.

  Rev. Vincent Nguyen, C.S.C.

Jesus Is Transfigured

 

 

 Luke : 28b-36

The Transfiguration

²⁸ Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. ²⁹ And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. ³⁰ And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, ³¹ who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure,which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. ³² Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. ³³ And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. ³⁴ As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” ³⁶ And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

We have a glimpse of the Risen Jesus here on Mount Tabor, a preview of things to come.  Can we imagine what went through the minds of Peter, James and John?  Not only startled, but confused and disoriented, thinking they were in paradise and ready to pitch their tents there.  Can we blame them?  Reading about this event two thousand years later and at the beginning f Lent, we are given a foretaste of the Resurrection and a reminder to us that the glory to come is well worth the wait and the efforts we are making as we make our way through this Lent and in this life, for that matter, sometimes plodding along, or as confused and disoriented as these three apostles.  We need to keep our eyes on the Risen Jesus who has unmuddied the pond, resolved confusion and  vanquished death. May we find time today to pray "on Tabor" with our eyes fixed on the glorified Jesus and be fortified for the remainder of Lent and of our lives.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Be Perfect

  

Matthew 5: 43-48

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

:"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." (Mt 5: 44-43)  A tall order, one on which we could easily choke.  What's the alternative, hate your enemies, ignore your enemies, dismiss your enemies? These alternatives never erase the enemies, but the proposal of Jesus does.  Loved enemies become friends. and we and our communities help make a better, safer, more loving world.  Look at the world headlines today.  Is this the kind of world God imagined when he created it?  Is this the kind of world in which we feel safe and comfortable or happy?  Isn't it better to overcome personal and most likely, petty, differences so that peace and love might flourish?  It's a tall order, but it beings with me.  Jesus challenges us to be perfect as our heavenly Father  who created all, who loves all. Cant we meet the challenge?  It may take a lifetime, but it's the way to go.

Bro. Rene

Forgive snd Reconcile

 Matthew 5: 20-26

 Beyond the Minimum

²⁰ For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Anger

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. ²³ So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵ Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. ²⁶ Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Our dealings with one another often lead to misunderstandings, awkward and sometimes painful but needless coldness or separation.  In strong and direct language, Jesus is saying to us "Don't be doing that."  We are meant to live in harmony with one another, hence the frequent teachings on loving each other, :Love one another as I have loved you."(Jn: 13:34)  Lent is a good time to repair  fractured relationships through forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus minces no words; we cannot offer our gifts to the Father unless we are at peace with our neighbor.   What do I need to do to  begin?

Bro. Rene   

Ask And You Shall Receive

Matthew 7: 7-12

Ask, Seek, Knock

⁷ “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

We've met incredibly generous people, and sometimes we might even surprise ourselves at how generous we can be and think nothing of it.  If we are so generous, how much more God, the source of all generosity? God DOES answer our prayers; the rub is we often lack the faith or the patience to allow him to answer in HIS time, not ours.  We have plenty of needs; let's work on developing plenty of FAITH!

Bro. Rene

Lord, your son taught us that those who ask, receive; that those who seek, find; and that those who knock, have the door opened for them. May we pray with such believing faith, trusting in your divine providence, so that we may receive the gifts you wish to give to us as we faithfully seek to follow your son. Amen.

 Rev. Andrew Gawrych, C.S.C.

Greater Than Jonah

Luke 11: 29-32

The Sign of Jonah

²⁹ When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, “This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. ³⁰ For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

What are the signs of our times? The headlines are not very encouraging, even worse than usual, yet they indicate the need for the healing of a world sliding more away from the teachings of Jesus and from the common good. Our own spiritual lives could be on a slide that  requires  the input from our Lenten readings. prayers, sacrifices and almsgiving. We're already a full week into Lent, and if we are faltering in our resolve, we still have five weeks to get on the ball again.  Let us not be distracted by looking for signs, but keep our eyes on the sign that is greater than Jonah, for the purpose of Lent is to purify our hearts in order to unite them more closely with the heart of Jesus.

Bro. Rene

 

The Lord's Prayer

^{Matthew 6: 7-15}

⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
    but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

We are blessed to  be able to eat three times a day (most of us); our bodies are well-fed, but how about our souls?  What is good bead for the soul?  Certainly the Holy Eucharist comes to mind first, and blessed are we to have that "daily Bread"!.  Br. Rene offers a passage of Scripture and a brief reflection as another "slice of Daily Bread; personal prayer, and acts or words of kindness, love, self-giving also provide nourishment for our souls.  Giving of one's time, energy, talent and treasure for the good of others not only feeds them, but kicks back to us and feeds us as well.   Jesus, by no means, wants us to go hungry and has given us this beautiful prayer to be prayed from the heart daily, and many times daily at that, to feed us on our journey home.  May we make this payer a part of our daily diet. If we do, we'll never go hungry.

Bro. Rene