30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

One of my favorite quotations from St Francis of Assisi is, “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.” St Francis goes on to say that his desire is “to convert the world by obedience to the Holy Rule rather by example than by word.” What brought this quotation from St Francis to mind is today’s second reading from St Paul’s letter, 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10. St. Paul reminded the Christians of Thessalonica that they were models “for all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia”. They were models because they tried to imitate the Lord and because “the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and [in] Achaia, but in every place [their] faith in God has gone forth.” As I reflected on these two verses and the quotation from St Francis, I wondered if the Christians of Holy Trinity Catholic Church are considered models of faith for all the believers in Peachtree City, or Fayette County, or the State of Georgia or the nation. Does the word of the Lord sound forth from us? Are we good imitators of the Lord?

Throughout the New Testament we read that love is our Christian benchmark. Jesus confirms importance of love in today’s gospel from Matthew 22:34-40. Here the Pharisees challenged him again with the question, “"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus addressed the challenge by answering "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

Both St John and St Paul continued the theme of love in their Epistles. In the First Letter of John 4:16 we read that “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.” God loves us completely with a generosity that cannot be measured. St. Paul tells us in Romans 5: 5 that “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.” We, in turn, are expected to share that love with all the people we encounter. Our love of God is what enables us to love other people. And it is our love of other people that identifies us as exemplary Christians.

We don’t need to proselytize to sound forth the word of the Lord; we need to love. If we can demonstrate a fraction of the love God bestows on us, we can change the world.

God, you display your almighty power

in loving us without regret.

In the human heart of Jesus your Son

you have shown us the boundlessness of your love.

Give us a love that is forgiving,

generous and gentle like his,

that we may recognize and welcome him

in our brothers and sisters.

And may our hearts reach out first

to the poorest and the least lovable,

with the gratuitous love you have given us

in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Back in 1726 Daniel DeFoe published The Political History of the Devil. In this book he made a statement that is still heard today, "Things as certain as death and taxes, can be more firmly believed." Benjamin Franklin made some adjustments to the phrase in 1789 saying, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." I have used this expression myself. Death is inevitable for all of us. Taxes can be a nuisance. For some of us, taxes are the bane of our existence. However, in most societies they are a necessity if we want to maintain a functional, civil society.

In today’s gospel, Matthew 22:15-21, the Pharisees attempted to trap Jesus by asking “Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" We all know how Jesus responded, “repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God." We pay our various governments federal income taxes, state income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes and social security taxes. We pay taxes for our license tags, special taxes on gasoline for our cars and estate taxes when we die. We pay a lot of taxes.

We know what we are supposed to repay to our governments, but what belongs to God? As Christians we believe that everything belongs to God because everything comes from God. How can we possibly repay God for everything? There are many ways we can show our gratitude to God for all that we are given. We can tithe, sharing the treasure God gives us. We can give our talents sharing the unique gifts God gives us. And, we can give our time by reading scripture, praying, attending mass and participating in parish activities.

One of the clearest statements about what God expects of us is found in Micah 6:6-8. “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow before God most high? Shall I come before him with holocausts, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my crime, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to do the right and to love goodness, and to walk humbly with your God."

God our Father,

Open our eyes to see your hand at work

In the splendor of creation,

In the beauty of human life.

Touched by your hand our world is holy.

Help us to cherish the gifts that surround us,

To share your blessings with our brothers and sisters,

And to experience the joy of life in your presence.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

One of Mark Twain’s more famous quotations is: “Clothes make the man.” A superficial reading of this Sunday’s gospel from Matthew 22:1-14, could draw us to the conclusion that Jesus agrees with Mr. Twain’s assessment about the importance of looking great when we arrive in the Kingdom of Heaven. Unfortunately for the fashionistas, Jesus is not making a fashion statement here. What Jesus is talking about in this parable, according to William Barclay, is “the spirit in which we go to God’s house.” Scripture reminds us in both the Old and New Testaments that we must approach God with reverence and awe.

This is a very straight forward parable and is similar to the parable of the bad tenants we heard last week. The king sent out invitations to his subjects for the marriage feast of his son. But the invitation was rejected. He then sent his servants out with a second invitation but the servants were mistreated and killed. The king responded with vengeance killing the ungrateful subjects and destroying their town. Then the king sent his servants out to invite “whomever you find.” They did as they were instructed and invited good people and bad people who accepted the invitation and attended the wedding feast. One person attended in inappropriate attire. The king was enraged and had that person thrown out, saying, “Many are invited, but few are chosen."

Like the parable of the bad tenants, this parable was directed to the chief priests and elders. Jesus was sending them a clear message, if you reject the invitation to the banquet of the Lord that is described in our first reading from Isaiah 25:6–10a, then others will be called to take your place. For those who accepted the invitation, there was an expectation that they would attend, casting off their dirty clothing and put on wedding garments which symbolize our baptismal promises. And as St Paul reminds us over and over again, when we are baptized we put on Christ.

What does this mean? St Paul gives us an explanation in Colossians 3:12–15: “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.”

O good and gracious God,

you have invited all the peoples of the world

 to the wedding feast of your Son

 And offer them a feast beyond compare.

Open our community to all who seek you 

the poor and the rich, the weak and the strong.

May we lead others to the banquet of eternal life

where all will be welcome. 

 We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God for ever and ever.

AMEN

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time *A*

Today’s readings present us with two contrasting stories about vineyards. Vineyards have played a prominent role in our readings for three consecutive Sundays. Two weeks ago, we heard the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, last week we heard the Parable of the Two Disappointing Sons who were asked by their father to work in his vineyard and today we hear Isaiah’s Vineyard Song and the Parable of the Wicked Tenants working in the vineyard.

The vineyard in Isaiah’s song is tenderly cared for, nurtured, “and planted [with] the choicest vines.” The planter’s expectations for the vineyard are so high that he builds a winepress. He is ready for a fruitful harvest. However, he is in for a big disappointment. The vineyard does not produce juicy grapes; rather it produces wild, sour grapes that are not good for anything. So, he destroys the vineyard. Isaiah tells us that the planter is “The Lord of hosts,” the vineyard “is the House of Israel” and “the people of Judah are his cherished plant.”

In St. Matthew’s gospel, the Parable of the Wicked Tenants working in the vineyard is similar to the story in Isaiah’s song but it has a very different ending. In this parable, the vineyard is the Kingdom of God, the tenants are the religious leaders (chief priests and elders), the servants are the prophets, the Son is Jesus and the landowner is God the Father. God entrusted his vineyard to the tenants. He provided them with everything they needed to produce a fruitful harvest. However, when he comes back to reap the fruits of the harvest, the tenants beat, kill and stone his faithful servants. They also kill his son. They are selfish and greedy. However, in this parable God does not destroy the vineyard or the tenants. He evicts the tenants and replaces them with people who will tend his vineyard with loving care and produce a fruitful harvest.

All three parables we have heard over the past three weeks are about our stewardship in the Kingdom of God. God gives us everything we need to build the Kingdom and produce good fruit. He trusts us to do the work. He gives us second and third opportunities to succeed. And, as St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading from Philippians 4:6-9, God expects us to perform our tasks with an attitude that is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, gracious, excellent and worthy of praise. If we can accomplish all of this, then we can be assured that “the God of peace will be with” us forever and ever.

Father, 

 Your love for us 

Surpasses all our hopes and desires. 

 Forgive our failings, 

 Keep us in your peace 

 And lead us to the way of salvation. 

 We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, 

 Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit 

God, forever and ever.

Amen