Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Have you ever noticed that this rich man never did anything wrong? He just went about his life. For whatever reason, he didn’t even notice Lazarus. Maybe he was just busy. Who knows?
And that, Jesus says, is the problem It’s not what the rich man did. It’s what he didn’t do.
Life gets busy, I know adults work very hard all day and then spend the evening driving their kids to activities. I know teens that go to school all day and then spend each evening on homework, sports, or school activities.
But Lazarus lives today. He is the lonely kid at school. He is the hungry child in Africa. Jesus challenges us to care for him regularly. Make it part of your “busyness,” not something you fit in when you find extra time.
In this parable, Jesus is addressing our hardness of heart. The call to us is to not close the door on Him, but to let Him in so He can transform our lives. What can we do? Ask God everyday to show you the people others ignore. God has given you the power to change the world for people who suffer like Lazarus. Who’s lying outside your door?
Reading 1 Amos 6:1a, 4-7
1a Thus says the LORD the God of hosts: Woe to the complacent in Zion! 4 Lying upon beds of ivory, stretched comfortably on their couches, they eat lambs taken from the flock, and calves from the stall!
5 Improvising to the music of the harp, like David, they devise their own accompaniment. 6 They drink wine from bowls and anoint themselves with the best oils; yet they are not made ill by the collapse of Joseph!
7 Therefore, now they shall be the first to go into exile, and their wanton revelry shall be done away with.
Reading II 1 Timothy 6:11-16
11 But you, man of God, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 12 Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, 14 to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ 15 that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Gospel Luke 16:19-31
19 Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen
and dined sumptuously each day. 20 And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. 22 When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he cried out, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.' 25 Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. 26 Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ 27 He said, 'Then I beg you, father, send him to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' 29 But Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' 30 He said, 'Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. 31 Then Abraham said, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.'"
Questions for discussion:
1. How do you think the Rich Man felt when Abraham told him that, “If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead”?
2. Why does God allow people to choose hell over heaven?
3. What would it take to motivate you to give your life more to Christ?
4. What’s one thing you can do this week to keep your focus on people like Lazarus?
Lord, thank you for being so real to me and for revealing your wonderful love to us. There are people in our lives who don’t know you, some who even resist your call. Yet we know how much you love them and how much you want them to know your love. Lord, please put in our minds the names of people you would like us to reach with your love. And, Lord, with those names, we ask you to give us wisdom about how to “fertilize” their hearts so they may bear abundant fruit. Amen
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Saturday, September 25, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Readings for Sunday September 19, 2010
Summary of the Gospel from YM Central
At first glance, it appears that Jesus is approving the accumulation of dishonest wealth, even by His followers. A closer look at the reading shows us that Jesus is teaching us to pursue our salvation intelligently, with the same diligence a person of the world would pursue their wealth. Jesus uses a financial metaphor to explain to us the purpose of being trustworthy with the gifts He has given us. The steward is accused of wasting the money of his master, and begins to panic when he thinks of being kicked out on the streets without a job. So what does he do? While he still has his job, he goes to all the people who owe his master money, and reduces their debt to him. Why does the steward do this? So the debtors will take care of him when he gets fired. Jesus shows us that the steward, even though he had wasted his master’s money and cut the debtors’ loans, was wise enough to take care of himself and act carefully with his own neck on the line. What if the steward had been dumb enough to dig himself so deep that he had no options? He’d be a beggar on the street. If the steward didn’t do ‘the little things’ (helping to reduce the debt of a few people), then he’d be homeless, without any friends. What does Jesus mean by ‘make friends with dishonest wealth’? First, Jesus is not calling us to live a life of crime. Second, He’s not saying that we should accumulate wealth in any way possible, even if that means we are dishonest. The best way to understand what Jesus means by ‘dishonest wealth’ is to compare it with what He calls ‘true’ wealth. True wealth, for Jesus, is the Kingdom of heaven. If we really want to have real wealth, we have to live for our heavenly reward. In contrast to this is ‘dishonest wealth’, the wealth of this world that, compared to the wealth of heaven, is dishonest because it lures us to making this world ‘heaven’. If we can’t manage the wealth of this world, if we get too attached to it or if we neglect it completely, then we will not be ready for the real wealth of the next world. We are called to be smart in both the matters of our daily lives and the matters of our salvation. Jesus is calling us to learn how to think on our feet, and to be smart about our own salvation. The ‘smartness’ we need to have about our own salvation is this: If we can take care of the small matters, living our Christianity in the small things of life, then we will be trusted to take care of the big matters. God wants to give us everything He has, but won’t just give it to us without preparing us for it. God’s method of teaching is to give us a little bit of Himself at a time, and once we have mastered it, He gives us a little bit more. So let’s examine our lives and what we need to do to live what God has already given us in a more faithful way.
Reading 1 Amos 8:4-7
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the lowly for silver,and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!" 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!
Reading 2 1 Timothy 2:1-8
1 Beloved: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,6 who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Gospel Luke 16:1-13
1 Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' 3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.' 5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' 8 Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.' And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."
Discussion Questions
1. Describe the ‘wisdom’ of the steward? Why do you think the master praised him when he heard what the steward had done?
2. Who, in your life, is an example of being wise? Why? Describe that person’s wisdom.
3. On a scale of 1-10, how well have you cultivated the gifts God has given you? What is God calling you to ‘master’ in your life right now? What makes it difficult for you to ‘master’ that part of your life?
At first glance, it appears that Jesus is approving the accumulation of dishonest wealth, even by His followers. A closer look at the reading shows us that Jesus is teaching us to pursue our salvation intelligently, with the same diligence a person of the world would pursue their wealth. Jesus uses a financial metaphor to explain to us the purpose of being trustworthy with the gifts He has given us. The steward is accused of wasting the money of his master, and begins to panic when he thinks of being kicked out on the streets without a job. So what does he do? While he still has his job, he goes to all the people who owe his master money, and reduces their debt to him. Why does the steward do this? So the debtors will take care of him when he gets fired. Jesus shows us that the steward, even though he had wasted his master’s money and cut the debtors’ loans, was wise enough to take care of himself and act carefully with his own neck on the line. What if the steward had been dumb enough to dig himself so deep that he had no options? He’d be a beggar on the street. If the steward didn’t do ‘the little things’ (helping to reduce the debt of a few people), then he’d be homeless, without any friends. What does Jesus mean by ‘make friends with dishonest wealth’? First, Jesus is not calling us to live a life of crime. Second, He’s not saying that we should accumulate wealth in any way possible, even if that means we are dishonest. The best way to understand what Jesus means by ‘dishonest wealth’ is to compare it with what He calls ‘true’ wealth. True wealth, for Jesus, is the Kingdom of heaven. If we really want to have real wealth, we have to live for our heavenly reward. In contrast to this is ‘dishonest wealth’, the wealth of this world that, compared to the wealth of heaven, is dishonest because it lures us to making this world ‘heaven’. If we can’t manage the wealth of this world, if we get too attached to it or if we neglect it completely, then we will not be ready for the real wealth of the next world. We are called to be smart in both the matters of our daily lives and the matters of our salvation. Jesus is calling us to learn how to think on our feet, and to be smart about our own salvation. The ‘smartness’ we need to have about our own salvation is this: If we can take care of the small matters, living our Christianity in the small things of life, then we will be trusted to take care of the big matters. God wants to give us everything He has, but won’t just give it to us without preparing us for it. God’s method of teaching is to give us a little bit of Himself at a time, and once we have mastered it, He gives us a little bit more. So let’s examine our lives and what we need to do to live what God has already given us in a more faithful way.
Reading 1 Amos 8:4-7
4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the lowly for silver,and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!" 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!
Reading 2 1 Timothy 2:1-8
1 Beloved: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,6 who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.
Gospel Luke 16:1-13
1 Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' 3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.' 5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' 8 Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.' And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."
Discussion Questions
1. Describe the ‘wisdom’ of the steward? Why do you think the master praised him when he heard what the steward had done?
2. Who, in your life, is an example of being wise? Why? Describe that person’s wisdom.
3. On a scale of 1-10, how well have you cultivated the gifts God has given you? What is God calling you to ‘master’ in your life right now? What makes it difficult for you to ‘master’ that part of your life?
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Extravagantly Loved
Readings for Sunday September 12th 2010
Extravagantly Loved
This Sunday's gospel is one of the most beloved parables of Jesus. Although it's titled the Prodigal Son, the story details the extravagant love and mercy of our heavenly Father.
Jesus is addressing two distinct audiences with this story: sinners and tax collectors, and Pharisees and teachers of the Law. The prodigal son's journey parallels that of the sinners, while his brother's disposition resembles that of some of the Pharisees. The younger son separated himself physically and through sinful activity, while the older son withdrew his heart from his father. The father loved and valued both his sons.
The story begins with the younger son asking his father for an advance on his inheritance. The father agrees and the son is soon headed, with all his cash, to a distant country. There he parties his inheritance away. But the fun ends when he declares bankruptcy and a famine hits the country. Hungry and destitute, the boy hires himself out to a citizen of that country, who sends him to care for the pigs.
Good Jewish boys didn't go near pigs. Jews considered swine unclean, and did not keep them or eat them. Taking this work is a clear indication that the younger son is utterly desperate. Then, if that weren't enough, it becomes evident to him that the pigs enjoy a higher standard of living than he does. This is the beginning of a turning point for him. He begins to make his way home. As he rehearses his confession, he focuses not on what he has lost, but on what he has done.
The father catches sight of his wayward child from a distance. This is no coincidence. Since his son's arrogant leavetaking, the father has spent his days scanning the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son returning home.
What happens next is unprecedented in Middle Eastern culture. When the father sees his son, he runs toward him like an exuberant child. Every chain that binds him to human respect and the approval of men is unabashedly broken in his passionate pursuit of his son. The father's love is absolutely unrestrained. He is deaf to Middle Eastern customs of dignity. An oriental patriarch wouldn't dream of running, let alone sprinting, toward a sinful, self-indulgent, swine-herding son. Instead, he would sit in grand isolation with his arms tightly folded, saving face by making his wayward child come to him.
When he reaches his son, he embraces and kisses him. The father isn't responding to his estranged son's prepared apology. The boy has yet to say a word. Rather, his compassion for his son arises from the very depth of his being.
The son is truly remorseful and confesses his sin to his father. The most he can hope for is to become a hired servant. After what he has done, he can't imagine being restored to the dignity of a son. His father knows his son's feelings of unworthiness, but allows no doubt about his status as a son.
First, the father directs his servants to get the best robe and put it on the boy. This brings honor to a son who feels less than honorable. Secondly, he has a ring placed on the boy's finger. The ring is probably a family signet, indicating that the son possesses standing and authority in the family. His father wants to place on his body a visual reminder of who he is: a beloved son and cherished member of his family—not a hired hand.
Thirdly, he has sandals placed on the boy's feet. The prodigal came home barefoot. This is characteristic of a slave, not of a free man. His father wants to make clear to his son that with his arrival home, he is emancipated from his slavery to sin.
Finally, the father declares that it is party time and orders the fatted calf to be slaughtered. He is so thrilled with the return of his son that he isn't going to hold anything back.
Meanwhile, the older son is in the field and hears all the music and dancing as he approaches the house. As soon as he learns the reason for the party, he becomes furious. Instead of rejoicing at the return of his brother, he refuses to go near the house.
Again, the father defies the protocols of patriarchy. He humiliates himself before his servants and guests by leaving the celebration to plead with his older son. His love for both his boys is unreserved and unrestrained. He is deaf to his own pride and blind to the opinion of others. What's good for one lost son is good for the other.
The older son's response echoes the sentiments of some of the Pharisees, when they judged Jesus for being a friend of sinners. He releases a torrent of resentment toward his father. He refers to his brother as your son, refusing to associate himself with him. He sees his brother and father as enemies, and fails to see the toxic enemy in his own heart—self-righteousness, judgmentalism, and jealousy. The story ends with the hearers wondering what the older brother does.
Whether we identify more with the younger or the older son, we are all called to repentance. Whether our rebellion is outward or inward, one thing we can all count on is our Father in heaven, who holds nothing back and who extravagantly loves us.
Enjoy the readings- pass them on! IHN tommyk
Reading 1
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ 9 “I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. 10 Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.
Reading II
1 Timothy 1:12-17
12 Beloved: I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. 13 I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 14 Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. 16 But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 17 To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel
Luke 15:1-32
1 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 Then he said, “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22But his father ordered his servants ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns, who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’
Questions for Discussion:
1. What lesson does the parable teach us about God's attitude toward sinners?
2. How should we approach God for forgiveness of our sins?
3. What are some examples of ways wealth can be used to serve God?
4. What are some uses of wealth that demonstrate that money is the master being served instead of God?
5. What is the main lesson of the parable?
Extravagantly Loved
This Sunday's gospel is one of the most beloved parables of Jesus. Although it's titled the Prodigal Son, the story details the extravagant love and mercy of our heavenly Father.
Jesus is addressing two distinct audiences with this story: sinners and tax collectors, and Pharisees and teachers of the Law. The prodigal son's journey parallels that of the sinners, while his brother's disposition resembles that of some of the Pharisees. The younger son separated himself physically and through sinful activity, while the older son withdrew his heart from his father. The father loved and valued both his sons.
The story begins with the younger son asking his father for an advance on his inheritance. The father agrees and the son is soon headed, with all his cash, to a distant country. There he parties his inheritance away. But the fun ends when he declares bankruptcy and a famine hits the country. Hungry and destitute, the boy hires himself out to a citizen of that country, who sends him to care for the pigs.
Good Jewish boys didn't go near pigs. Jews considered swine unclean, and did not keep them or eat them. Taking this work is a clear indication that the younger son is utterly desperate. Then, if that weren't enough, it becomes evident to him that the pigs enjoy a higher standard of living than he does. This is the beginning of a turning point for him. He begins to make his way home. As he rehearses his confession, he focuses not on what he has lost, but on what he has done.
The father catches sight of his wayward child from a distance. This is no coincidence. Since his son's arrogant leavetaking, the father has spent his days scanning the horizon, hoping to catch a glimpse of his son returning home.
What happens next is unprecedented in Middle Eastern culture. When the father sees his son, he runs toward him like an exuberant child. Every chain that binds him to human respect and the approval of men is unabashedly broken in his passionate pursuit of his son. The father's love is absolutely unrestrained. He is deaf to Middle Eastern customs of dignity. An oriental patriarch wouldn't dream of running, let alone sprinting, toward a sinful, self-indulgent, swine-herding son. Instead, he would sit in grand isolation with his arms tightly folded, saving face by making his wayward child come to him.
When he reaches his son, he embraces and kisses him. The father isn't responding to his estranged son's prepared apology. The boy has yet to say a word. Rather, his compassion for his son arises from the very depth of his being.
The son is truly remorseful and confesses his sin to his father. The most he can hope for is to become a hired servant. After what he has done, he can't imagine being restored to the dignity of a son. His father knows his son's feelings of unworthiness, but allows no doubt about his status as a son.
First, the father directs his servants to get the best robe and put it on the boy. This brings honor to a son who feels less than honorable. Secondly, he has a ring placed on the boy's finger. The ring is probably a family signet, indicating that the son possesses standing and authority in the family. His father wants to place on his body a visual reminder of who he is: a beloved son and cherished member of his family—not a hired hand.
Thirdly, he has sandals placed on the boy's feet. The prodigal came home barefoot. This is characteristic of a slave, not of a free man. His father wants to make clear to his son that with his arrival home, he is emancipated from his slavery to sin.
Finally, the father declares that it is party time and orders the fatted calf to be slaughtered. He is so thrilled with the return of his son that he isn't going to hold anything back.
Meanwhile, the older son is in the field and hears all the music and dancing as he approaches the house. As soon as he learns the reason for the party, he becomes furious. Instead of rejoicing at the return of his brother, he refuses to go near the house.
Again, the father defies the protocols of patriarchy. He humiliates himself before his servants and guests by leaving the celebration to plead with his older son. His love for both his boys is unreserved and unrestrained. He is deaf to his own pride and blind to the opinion of others. What's good for one lost son is good for the other.
The older son's response echoes the sentiments of some of the Pharisees, when they judged Jesus for being a friend of sinners. He releases a torrent of resentment toward his father. He refers to his brother as your son, refusing to associate himself with him. He sees his brother and father as enemies, and fails to see the toxic enemy in his own heart—self-righteousness, judgmentalism, and jealousy. The story ends with the hearers wondering what the older brother does.
Whether we identify more with the younger or the older son, we are all called to repentance. Whether our rebellion is outward or inward, one thing we can all count on is our Father in heaven, who holds nothing back and who extravagantly loves us.
Enjoy the readings- pass them on! IHN tommyk
Reading 1
Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14
7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. 8 They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ 9 “I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. 10 Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.” 11 But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” 14 So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.
Reading II
1 Timothy 1:12-17
12 Beloved: I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry. 13 I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and arrogant, but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief. 14 Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. 16 But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. 17 To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel
Luke 15:1-32
1 Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, 2 but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So to them he addressed this parable. 4 “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5 And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy 6 and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance. 8 “Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’ 10 In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
11 Then he said, “A man had two sons, 12 and the younger son said to his father, ‘Father give me the share of your estate that should come to me.’ So the father divided the property between them. 13 After a few days, the younger son collected all his belongings and set off to a distant country where he squandered his inheritance on a life of dissipation.14 When he had freely spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he found himself in dire need. 15 So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine. 16 And he longed to eat his fill of the pods on which the swine fed,
but nobody gave him any. 17 Coming to his senses he thought, ‘How many of my father’s hired workers have more than enough food to eat, but here am I, dying from hunger. 18 I shall get up and go to my father and I shall say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as you would treat one of your hired workers.”’ 20 So he got up and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son.’ 22But his father ordered his servants ‘Quickly bring the finest robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Take the fattened calf and slaughter it. Then let us celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.’ Then the celebration began. 25 Now the older son had been out in the field and, on his way back, as he neared the house, he heard the sound of music and dancing. 26 He called one of the servants and asked what this might mean. 27 The servant said to him, ‘Your brother has returned and your father has slaughtered the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ 28 He became angry, and when he refused to enter the house, his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 He said to his father in reply, ‘Look, all these years I served you and not once did I disobey your orders; yet you never gave me even a young goat to feast on with my friends. 30 But when your son returns, who swallowed up your property with prostitutes, for him you slaughter the fattened calf.’ 31 He said to him, ‘My son, you are here with me always; everything I have is yours. 32 But now we must celebrate and rejoice, because your brother was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.’
Questions for Discussion:
1. What lesson does the parable teach us about God's attitude toward sinners?
2. How should we approach God for forgiveness of our sins?
3. What are some examples of ways wealth can be used to serve God?
4. What are some uses of wealth that demonstrate that money is the master being served instead of God?
5. What is the main lesson of the parable?
Friday, September 3, 2010
Readings for Sunday September 5th, 2010
23rd Sunday in Ordinary time
Summary of the Gospel
This Sunday's Gospel seems to begin with an apparent contradiction. We have an understanding that Jesus and the Church are totally behind family life. No one has been a bigger support of family life in the world than the Church. Is this Gospel passage showing us a different side of Jesus, one that is really against family life and good relationships within the family? A closer look at what Jesus saying does not pit Jesus against family life; rather, what Jesus is trying to do here is properly order family life and all relationships we have.
Jesus is teaching us that we will have no more important relationship in our lives than our relationship with Him. Our relationship with our parents, siblings, spouses and children are all important relationships, but none of them are on them same level as our relationship with Christ. Being a disciple of Jesus is more important than anything else in our lives, even peace in our families. Often times we get caught up into thinking that pleasing other people is the most important thing in life. Yet while Jesus taught we should serve each other and put their needs over our own, He never taught that we should seek to please people just to make them happy.
Following Jesus, and making Him first, means that everything else takes second place, even our family and friends. This can be very difficult, because choosing Christ over our family can make day-to-day living a difficult chore. It will bring tension to people when they realize that they are not the top priority on your list. In this Gospel, Jesus compares being His disciple to being a person who planned properly. No one would build a tower or go to war without completely assessing the situation.
Jesus is inviting us to assess the situation of our lives. He is inviting us to look at our entire lives and to see if any people or things come before Him. If that is the case, then we are invited to make the decision to renounce everything and follow Him. Nothing in this world is worth keeping us from Christ! The words of this Gospel are clear and direct. May we have the ability to do whatever Jesus asks of us, no matter what other people think about us.
Reading 1 Wisdom 9:13-18b
13 Who can know God's counsel, or who can conceive what the LORD intends? 14 For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans. 15 For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns. 16 And scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out? 17 Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high? 18b And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.
Reading II Philemon 9-10, 12-17
9 I, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, 10 urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment; 12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13 I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary. 15 Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. 17 So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
Gospel Luke 14:25-33
25 Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, 26 "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29 Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30 and say, 'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' 31 Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32 But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 33 In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus used such strong language of 'hating' one's mother and father? How do you think the crowds reacted to this language? How can Jesus' use of this word be reconciled with the commandment to honor one's father and mother?
2. Has your relationship with Christ ever caused tension with your other family members? If so, describe.
3. If renouncing all of our possessions is a requirement of following Jesus, how well are you doing at that? Of what possessions (or people) do you have trouble letting go?
Summary of the Gospel
This Sunday's Gospel seems to begin with an apparent contradiction. We have an understanding that Jesus and the Church are totally behind family life. No one has been a bigger support of family life in the world than the Church. Is this Gospel passage showing us a different side of Jesus, one that is really against family life and good relationships within the family? A closer look at what Jesus saying does not pit Jesus against family life; rather, what Jesus is trying to do here is properly order family life and all relationships we have.
Jesus is teaching us that we will have no more important relationship in our lives than our relationship with Him. Our relationship with our parents, siblings, spouses and children are all important relationships, but none of them are on them same level as our relationship with Christ. Being a disciple of Jesus is more important than anything else in our lives, even peace in our families. Often times we get caught up into thinking that pleasing other people is the most important thing in life. Yet while Jesus taught we should serve each other and put their needs over our own, He never taught that we should seek to please people just to make them happy.
Following Jesus, and making Him first, means that everything else takes second place, even our family and friends. This can be very difficult, because choosing Christ over our family can make day-to-day living a difficult chore. It will bring tension to people when they realize that they are not the top priority on your list. In this Gospel, Jesus compares being His disciple to being a person who planned properly. No one would build a tower or go to war without completely assessing the situation.
Jesus is inviting us to assess the situation of our lives. He is inviting us to look at our entire lives and to see if any people or things come before Him. If that is the case, then we are invited to make the decision to renounce everything and follow Him. Nothing in this world is worth keeping us from Christ! The words of this Gospel are clear and direct. May we have the ability to do whatever Jesus asks of us, no matter what other people think about us.
Reading 1 Wisdom 9:13-18b
13 Who can know God's counsel, or who can conceive what the LORD intends? 14 For the deliberations of mortals are timid, and unsure are our plans. 15 For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns. 16 And scarce do we guess the things on earth, and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty; but when things are in heaven, who can search them out? 17 Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high? 18b And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.
Reading II Philemon 9-10, 12-17
9 I, Paul, an old man, and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus, 10 urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus, whose father I have become in my imprisonment; 12 I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. 13 I should have liked to retain him for myself, so that he might serve me on your behalf in my imprisonment for the gospel, 14 but I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary. 15 Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, 16 no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother, beloved especially to me, but even more so to you, as a man and in the Lord. 17 So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
Gospel Luke 14:25-33
25 Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, 26 "If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29 Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30 and say, 'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' 31 Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32 But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. 33 In the same way, anyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus used such strong language of 'hating' one's mother and father? How do you think the crowds reacted to this language? How can Jesus' use of this word be reconciled with the commandment to honor one's father and mother?
2. Has your relationship with Christ ever caused tension with your other family members? If so, describe.
3. If renouncing all of our possessions is a requirement of following Jesus, how well are you doing at that? Of what possessions (or people) do you have trouble letting go?
Who’s at Your Lunch Table
The school cafeteria. Over there is the jocks. There’s the drama club. There’s the band. There’s that one kid who always eats alone. Who will you eat with? Who wouldn’t you be caught dead eating with? Those are the questions Jesus asks in this week’s Gospel.
Parties and meals are social times. It’s pretty normal to spend that time with friends and people who share your interest. But sometimes friendships can become cliques that exclude and look down on others. Jesus calls us to expand our circles of friends. Why? Because many people need our company. Meals were huge in Jesus’ ministry. He brought outcasts to meals with people of honor. He ate in the homes of people considered sinners. His meals revealed God’s reign, where everyone has a place around the table.
He tells his followers to stop worrying about whether their seat location proves they’re honorable. He asks them to welcome outcast to their meals and into their lives.
What does that mean? Reach out. Each cafeteria has teens that sit alone. Invite them to your table. Each school has teens that are friendless. Welcome them into your circle of friends. Each city has nursing homes with lonely people. Find yourself another grandpa or grandma.
Honor the people others forget, and others will see that Jesus’ ministry continues.
IHN tommyk
Readings for Sunday 8/29/2010 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
My child, conduct your affairs with humility and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
Reading 2 Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
Gospel Luke 14:1, 7-14
On a Sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. Describe the people who were gathered at this party with Jesus. What were their values? What were their reasons for being at the gathering? How do you think they reacted to Jesus’ words?
2. Who are the ‘poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind’ in your life that Jesus calls you to invite to your ‘banquet’?
3. Given this Gospel reading, rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 in terms of your humility. How can you improve in being a person of humility?
Parties and meals are social times. It’s pretty normal to spend that time with friends and people who share your interest. But sometimes friendships can become cliques that exclude and look down on others. Jesus calls us to expand our circles of friends. Why? Because many people need our company. Meals were huge in Jesus’ ministry. He brought outcasts to meals with people of honor. He ate in the homes of people considered sinners. His meals revealed God’s reign, where everyone has a place around the table.
He tells his followers to stop worrying about whether their seat location proves they’re honorable. He asks them to welcome outcast to their meals and into their lives.
What does that mean? Reach out. Each cafeteria has teens that sit alone. Invite them to your table. Each school has teens that are friendless. Welcome them into your circle of friends. Each city has nursing homes with lonely people. Find yourself another grandpa or grandma.
Honor the people others forget, and others will see that Jesus’ ministry continues.
IHN tommyk
Readings for Sunday 8/29/2010 Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
My child, conduct your affairs with humility and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
Reading 2 Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a
Brothers and sisters: You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them. No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
Gospel Luke 14:1, 7-14
On a Sabbath Jesus went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully. He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Questions for Discussion:
1. Describe the people who were gathered at this party with Jesus. What were their values? What were their reasons for being at the gathering? How do you think they reacted to Jesus’ words?
2. Who are the ‘poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind’ in your life that Jesus calls you to invite to your ‘banquet’?
3. Given this Gospel reading, rate yourself on a scale from 1-10 in terms of your humility. How can you improve in being a person of humility?
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