BIBLE STUDY #61
THIRTY FIRST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 30, 2011
READING 1
MAL 1:14B-2:2B, 8-10
A great King am I, says the LORD of hosts,
and my name will be feared among the nations.
And now, O priests, this commandment is for you:
If you do not listen,
if you do not lay it to heart,
to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts,
I will send a curse upon you
and of your blessing I will make a curse.
You have turned aside from the way,
and have caused many to falter by your instruction;
you have made void the covenant of Levi,
says the LORD of hosts.
I, therefore, have made you contemptible
and base before all the people,
since you do not keep my ways,
but show partiality in your decisions.
Have we not all the one father?
Has not the one God created us?
Why then do we break faith with one another,
violating the covenant of our fathers?
The Word of the Lord
READING 2
1 THES 2:7B-9, 13
Brothers and sisters:
We were gentle among you, as a nursing mother cares for her children.
With such affection for you, we were determined to share with you
not only the gospel of God, but our very selves as well,
so dearly beloved had you become to us.
You recall, brothers and sisters, our toil and drudgery.
Working night and day in order not to burden any of you,
we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.
And for this reason we too give thanks to God unceasingly,
that, in receiving the word of God from hearing us,
you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the word of God,
which is now at work in you who believe.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL
MT 23:1-12
Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
"The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people's shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation 'Rabbi.'
As for you, do not be called 'Rabbi.'
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called 'Master';
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Jesus is again embroiled in controversy with his religious opponents, namely the scribes and Pharisees, who are involved in the day to day governance of the Jewish community. In the passion narratives, Jesus religious opposition are the chief priests and elders. Authority in the community was passed from this second group to the first after the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, another reason why this gospel was written after this date.
The chair of Moses refers to the teaching and ruling authority of the scribes and Pharisees. Every bishop in our church has his own chair (called a cathedra, located in the diocesan cathedral) that functions the same way: it is a symbol of his authority to teach, govern, and sanctify. The Pope has his own chair, and when he issues a statement ‘ex cathedra’ (from the chair), it has binding power – it is something we must believe.
Jesus then recognizes the authority of the scribes and Pharisees. He is not trying to usurp their power but to influence their thoughts and actions. Their teachings are to be followed, but not their example. The people would be illiterate and unable to read, and therefore dependent on the scribes and Pharisees for the reading and interpretation of scripture.
Jesus’ main criticism and the main theme of today’s gospel is “For they preach but they do not practice.” In other words, Jesus is accusing the scribes and Pharisees of being hypocrites.
Some examples of this hypocrisy are:
1. “They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people's shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them.” There were 613 laws to memorize and follow, quite a burden for illiterate people who were just trying to survive. People were living in the edge, they were mostly poor, and worked long hours. Following these laws could be quite a burden, especially the purity laws, tithing, and sabbath observance.
2. “All their works are performed to be seen.” Instead of doing things because they needed to be done, they want others to see them and be given credit for their good works. This is common in all ages. People will donate money to help the church, but they want to be acknowledged so everyone knows about their generosity.
3. Phylacteries and tassels are identifying symbols scribes and Pharisees use to impress other people with their piety.
4. “Places of honor at banquets” – expecting this type of treatment is an excessive interest in status and show. Invited by your host to sit in a place of honor is one thing; it is another to expect or demand a place of honor.
5. When we have a title, like Rabbi (teacher), Father (used for elders), Masters (guide and teacher) can be a source of “I” strain. Having a title that is earned is one thing; using your title to impress other pe0ople and build your ego is another.
The problem here is not only hypocrisy, but attitude. Why do we do the things we do? For example, many people nowadays wear symbols identifying them as catholics, but it doesn’t mean that they are hypocrites, just that they are witnessing to their faith; although it is possible that some are trying to impress others with their piety. What is your reason for wearing christian symbols?
The church is apostolic times was coming from a Jewish background of heirarchically structured roles and the new christian community was trying something new. Everything was shared in common, there was no hierarchy, no titles, with all members participating fully and equally in the new community with one master, that is, Christ.
It didn’t take too long, however, for hierarchy, structure, and titles to emerge in the church, as early as apostolic times. For example, the qualifications for bishops and deacons are listed in 1 Timothy 3: 1-13.
I don’t have any problem with hierarchy, structure and titles. These things are necessary for the orderly operation of any organization, including the church. I don’t relish the idea of making decisions by consensus because then we end up with the something everyone agrees on, usually the lowest common denominator but not always the correct decision. I think someone needs to be in charge. Structure is formed by leadership and we believe that Christ guides the Church. Titles are used to identify roles and responsibilities.
The problem is not hierarchy, structure, or titles. The problem is lack of humility and an attitude of privilege. The gospel says, “The greatest among you must be your servant.” Jesus was a servant who did not look, and actually shunned, power and privilege. While there are leaders who fit this ideal, we all know there are those who don’t.
Jesus warns us, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted." This is a warning all those in authority (and everyone, for that matter) should paste on their bathroom mirror so they can see it everyday. When we look for earthly rewards, we shouldn’t expect heavenly ones.
The first reading from Malachi is one that all in authority should read. Malachi places the blame for the collapse of the community on the shoulders of the priests and God is not happy: “And now, O priests, this commandment is for you:
If you do not listen, if you do not lay it to heart, to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, I will send a curse upon you and of your blessing I will make a curse.” The priests are supposed to set an example for the faithful by their lives and teachings. If they fail in this way, they will suffer the consequences.
In the second reading, Paul is distinguishing himself from other prophets and false teachers who wanted payment for their work because he supported himself. He also stresses the importance of preaching the gospel with our actions as well as our words. His preaching rang true to his mode of living. Paul was well aware that it was by God’s grace that the Good News was spread, not by his own actions. We should all be so humble.
Fr. Phil
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #60
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 23, 2011
READING 1: EX 22:20-26
Thus says the LORD:
"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.
If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry.
My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;
then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.
"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,
you shall not act like an extortioner toward him
by demanding interest from him.
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,
you shall return it to him before sunset;
for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.
What else has he to sleep in?
If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."
The Word of the Lord
READING 2: 1 THES 1:5C-10
Brothers and sisters:
You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,
receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit,
so that you became a model for all the believers
in Macedonia and in Achaia.
For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth
not only in Macedonia and in Achaia,
but in every place your faith in God has gone forth,
so that we have no need to say anything.
For they themselves openly declare about us
what sort of reception we had among you,
and how you turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God
and to await his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead,
Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL: MT 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law tested him by asking,
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
He said to him,
"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."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s Gospel is known as “The Great Commandment”. The first part about loving God comes from Deuteronomy 6:5 (Jews would say this as part of their great prayer known as the Shema) and the second part about loving others is from Leviticus 19:18. So we see that these are not new commandments. Jesus puts them together and puts loving others on the same level as loving God. And we will see in the parable of the Good Samaritan that the definition of neighbor is expanded from fellow Israelites to everybody.
Having the great commandment does not negate any other laws, but puts them into perspective. Laws are something that define us, give us direction, and help us to gain an end. Law is not an end in itself. Law should direct us and support us in our quest to imitate God by loving God and each other. In other words, it’s not enough to follow the Law: we must be loving people. To paraphrase St. Paul in 1Corinthians, regardless of what we do, if we don’t love, then we are missing the point.
It is also a good way to remember what we are about – God is love, as it says in 1 John, and we should be about love also. If anyone asks what our faith is all about, tell them it is to love God and each other. It’s hard to remember all the different laws, anyway. At one point, some rabbis counted 613 commandments in the Torah (the first 5 books of the bible) – 248 positive (“you shall”) and 365 negative (“you shall not”). To put that into perspective, the Code of Canon Law in the Catholic Church has 1,752 canons (laws) and many of them are broken down into 2 or more sections. The Catechism of the Catholic Church published in 1994 has 2,865 paragraphs in 688 pages trying to define who we are as Catholics (that’s not even counting the 115 pages of appendices). How are we supposed to remember all that?
It seems to me that the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism are both specific descriptions of how we are to love. If we concentrate on building our relationship with God through prayer and sacraments, and serving each other like Jesus did, we will be following God as best we can. We can always refer to the Code and to the Catechism when we have specific questions on how we are to love.
To me, loving God means to spend time with God in prayer and sacraments. How else are we to build a relationship with God? When we want to develop a relationship with another human being, we spend time together, talk, and do things together. After awhile we have a bond with that other person that no one or nothing can break. That’s exactly how we build our relationship with God. We will develop that bond with God that will never be broken.
I think it is interesting that this commandment says not just to love others, but to love them as you love yourself. We all want to be forgiven, we all want others to treat us with love, respect and dignity, and we all want to be helped in time of need. If we want these things for ourselves, we must offer them to others; that is how this commandment defines loving each other.
Both the first and second reading tell us a little about loving each other. The first reading is picked to have a similar theme to the Gospel, but it is only a coincidence when the second readings’ theme matches the Gospel. Normally, a New Testament book is selected and we hear passages from that book for some weeks. We started with 1 Thessalonians on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary time and will continue this book until the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Aliens, widows, and orphans coming to a foreign land were very susceptible to mistreatment. Many people came to escape war and famine, or some other hardship, and many times had no one to protect them. The book of Exodus tells the people that if they wrong one of these vulnerable people, they will be in trouble with God and will be punished. They are reminded of God’s love, compassion, and mercy to them when he freed them from the land of Egypt, and were required to treat others the same way.
It was against the law to exact interest from a fellow Israelite, so lenders expected to receive a pledge from the borrower; if it was a cloak, they had to return it before sunset because the borrower would need it. We are told to be compassionate as God is compassionate.
In the second reading, we see that the people of Thessalonika had taken to heart the message of the gospel as preached by Paul and his companions, and they began to enthusiastically spread the Good News to surrounding towns with some success. They were great examples in word and deed to others. Are we great examples? Do we do anything to spread our faith?
Fr. Phil
THIRTIETH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 23, 2011
READING 1: EX 22:20-26
Thus says the LORD:
"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,
for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt.
You shall not wrong any widow or orphan.
If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry.
My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;
then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans.
"If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,
you shall not act like an extortioner toward him
by demanding interest from him.
If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,
you shall return it to him before sunset;
for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body.
What else has he to sleep in?
If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate."
The Word of the Lord
READING 2: 1 THES 1:5C-10
Brothers and sisters:
You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake.
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,
receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit,
so that you became a model for all the believers
in Macedonia and in Achaia.
For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth
not only in Macedonia and in Achaia,
but in every place your faith in God has gone forth,
so that we have no need to say anything.
For they themselves openly declare about us
what sort of reception we had among you,
and how you turned to God from idols
to serve the living and true God
and to await his Son from heaven,
whom he raised from the dead,
Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL: MT 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,
they gathered together, and one of them,
a scholar of the law tested him by asking,
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?"
He said to him,
"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."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
Today’s Gospel is known as “The Great Commandment”. The first part about loving God comes from Deuteronomy 6:5 (Jews would say this as part of their great prayer known as the Shema) and the second part about loving others is from Leviticus 19:18. So we see that these are not new commandments. Jesus puts them together and puts loving others on the same level as loving God. And we will see in the parable of the Good Samaritan that the definition of neighbor is expanded from fellow Israelites to everybody.
Having the great commandment does not negate any other laws, but puts them into perspective. Laws are something that define us, give us direction, and help us to gain an end. Law is not an end in itself. Law should direct us and support us in our quest to imitate God by loving God and each other. In other words, it’s not enough to follow the Law: we must be loving people. To paraphrase St. Paul in 1Corinthians, regardless of what we do, if we don’t love, then we are missing the point.
It is also a good way to remember what we are about – God is love, as it says in 1 John, and we should be about love also. If anyone asks what our faith is all about, tell them it is to love God and each other. It’s hard to remember all the different laws, anyway. At one point, some rabbis counted 613 commandments in the Torah (the first 5 books of the bible) – 248 positive (“you shall”) and 365 negative (“you shall not”). To put that into perspective, the Code of Canon Law in the Catholic Church has 1,752 canons (laws) and many of them are broken down into 2 or more sections. The Catechism of the Catholic Church published in 1994 has 2,865 paragraphs in 688 pages trying to define who we are as Catholics (that’s not even counting the 115 pages of appendices). How are we supposed to remember all that?
It seems to me that the Code of Canon Law and the Catechism are both specific descriptions of how we are to love. If we concentrate on building our relationship with God through prayer and sacraments, and serving each other like Jesus did, we will be following God as best we can. We can always refer to the Code and to the Catechism when we have specific questions on how we are to love.
To me, loving God means to spend time with God in prayer and sacraments. How else are we to build a relationship with God? When we want to develop a relationship with another human being, we spend time together, talk, and do things together. After awhile we have a bond with that other person that no one or nothing can break. That’s exactly how we build our relationship with God. We will develop that bond with God that will never be broken.
I think it is interesting that this commandment says not just to love others, but to love them as you love yourself. We all want to be forgiven, we all want others to treat us with love, respect and dignity, and we all want to be helped in time of need. If we want these things for ourselves, we must offer them to others; that is how this commandment defines loving each other.
Both the first and second reading tell us a little about loving each other. The first reading is picked to have a similar theme to the Gospel, but it is only a coincidence when the second readings’ theme matches the Gospel. Normally, a New Testament book is selected and we hear passages from that book for some weeks. We started with 1 Thessalonians on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary time and will continue this book until the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Aliens, widows, and orphans coming to a foreign land were very susceptible to mistreatment. Many people came to escape war and famine, or some other hardship, and many times had no one to protect them. The book of Exodus tells the people that if they wrong one of these vulnerable people, they will be in trouble with God and will be punished. They are reminded of God’s love, compassion, and mercy to them when he freed them from the land of Egypt, and were required to treat others the same way.
It was against the law to exact interest from a fellow Israelite, so lenders expected to receive a pledge from the borrower; if it was a cloak, they had to return it before sunset because the borrower would need it. We are told to be compassionate as God is compassionate.
In the second reading, we see that the people of Thessalonika had taken to heart the message of the gospel as preached by Paul and his companions, and they began to enthusiastically spread the Good News to surrounding towns with some success. They were great examples in word and deed to others. Are we great examples? Do we do anything to spread our faith?
Fr. Phil
Saturday, October 15, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #59
TWENTYNINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OCTOBER 16, 2011
READING 1: IS 45:1, 4-6
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus,
whose right hand I grasp,
subduing nations before him,
and making kings run in his service,
opening doors before him
and leaving the gates unbarred:
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
of Israel, my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the LORD and there is no other,
there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
people may know that there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, there is no other.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2: 1 THES 1:1-5B
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God,
how you were chosen.
For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL MT 22:15-21
The Pharisees went off
and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.
They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you teach the.
And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.
Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?
Show me the coin that pays the census tax."
Then they handed him the Roman coin.
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus. Why? Is it because he is getting more popular than them? Do people believe more in what Jesus teaches than what they teach? Are afraid that the Romans would back Jesus and they would lose their power, never mind their job? In any case, I’d bet that they think that Jesus is pulling the people away from God.
Their intention is to discredit Jesus. They are not seeking guidance in a difficult moral situation. If he says to pay taxes, he will lose face with his own people. If he says not to pay taxes, he will be in trouble with the Romans. When they approach Jesus, there are insincere but true: He does teach the ‘way of God in accordance with the truth’ and is not concerned with the opinion of others. As we would say, Jesus is being ‘buttered up’ or schmoozed.
Jesus recognizes that for what it is and calls them hypocrites; people who say one thing but believe another; play actors.
The tax mentioned is a poll tax, imposed in A.D. 6, and levied upon men, women, and slaves from about age 12 to sixty-five. The amount was a denarius, a full day’s pay for a laborer and payable in Roman currency.
Jesus recommends that the tax be paid since the coins are the emperor’s anyway: ‘then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar’. He then redirects their thought to something that is more important ‘(repay) to God what belongs to God.’
Not only does Jesus defuse the situation, he uses it to make an invitation to become closer to God. What belongs to God? Everything! He is inviting us to give all of ourselves to God. Jesus advocates a limited position of cooperation with the emperor, but a position of full cooperation with God.
Giving to Caesar can be defined, but how about giving to God? That’s a little harder. God is love. What does it mean to love? Giving to Caesar is something that we do; giving to God is something that we are. It is a philosophy of life that guides and directs every thought and action. Are we good stewards, ready to give back to God for all that God has done for us?
In the first reading from Isaiah, we see King Cyrus described as an instrument of God’s graciousness to his people. While the Israelites were enslaved in the past by other kings and this was seen as God working in their lives, so receiving freedom through Cyrus is seen as God’s initiative. “Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp” signifies that Cyrus is doing God’s work. Instances like these make the Israelites see that there is only one God; not that God is more powerful than pagan gods, but that pagan gods don’t exist: “I am the LORD, there is no other”.
In the second reading, St. Paul is reminding us that God and Jesus are the primary agents in the Thessalonian church, as well as in our church. While Paul planted the seed of faith, and the people accepted it, it is really God who needs to be thanked for the gift of faith. Just as St. Paul prays for this church, so we must pray for one another.
Fr. Phil
TWENTYNINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OCTOBER 16, 2011
READING 1: IS 45:1, 4-6
Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus,
whose right hand I grasp,
subduing nations before him,
and making kings run in his service,
opening doors before him
and leaving the gates unbarred:
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
of Israel, my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the LORD and there is no other,
there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
people may know that there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, there is no other.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2: 1 THES 1:1-5B
Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God,
how you were chosen.
For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL MT 22:15-21
The Pharisees went off
and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech.
They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you teach the.
And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.
Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?"
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites?
Show me the coin that pays the census tax."
Then they handed him the Roman coin.
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?"
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
The Pharisees are trying to trap Jesus. Why? Is it because he is getting more popular than them? Do people believe more in what Jesus teaches than what they teach? Are afraid that the Romans would back Jesus and they would lose their power, never mind their job? In any case, I’d bet that they think that Jesus is pulling the people away from God.
Their intention is to discredit Jesus. They are not seeking guidance in a difficult moral situation. If he says to pay taxes, he will lose face with his own people. If he says not to pay taxes, he will be in trouble with the Romans. When they approach Jesus, there are insincere but true: He does teach the ‘way of God in accordance with the truth’ and is not concerned with the opinion of others. As we would say, Jesus is being ‘buttered up’ or schmoozed.
Jesus recognizes that for what it is and calls them hypocrites; people who say one thing but believe another; play actors.
The tax mentioned is a poll tax, imposed in A.D. 6, and levied upon men, women, and slaves from about age 12 to sixty-five. The amount was a denarius, a full day’s pay for a laborer and payable in Roman currency.
Jesus recommends that the tax be paid since the coins are the emperor’s anyway: ‘then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar’. He then redirects their thought to something that is more important ‘(repay) to God what belongs to God.’
Not only does Jesus defuse the situation, he uses it to make an invitation to become closer to God. What belongs to God? Everything! He is inviting us to give all of ourselves to God. Jesus advocates a limited position of cooperation with the emperor, but a position of full cooperation with God.
Giving to Caesar can be defined, but how about giving to God? That’s a little harder. God is love. What does it mean to love? Giving to Caesar is something that we do; giving to God is something that we are. It is a philosophy of life that guides and directs every thought and action. Are we good stewards, ready to give back to God for all that God has done for us?
In the first reading from Isaiah, we see King Cyrus described as an instrument of God’s graciousness to his people. While the Israelites were enslaved in the past by other kings and this was seen as God working in their lives, so receiving freedom through Cyrus is seen as God’s initiative. “Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand I grasp” signifies that Cyrus is doing God’s work. Instances like these make the Israelites see that there is only one God; not that God is more powerful than pagan gods, but that pagan gods don’t exist: “I am the LORD, there is no other”.
In the second reading, St. Paul is reminding us that God and Jesus are the primary agents in the Thessalonian church, as well as in our church. While Paul planted the seed of faith, and the people accepted it, it is really God who needs to be thanked for the gift of faith. Just as St. Paul prays for this church, so we must pray for one another.
Fr. Phil
Friday, October 14, 2011
BIBLE STUDY #58
TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 9, 2011
READING1: IS 25:6-10A
On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2: PHILIPPIANS 4:12-14, 19-20
Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.
My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL: MT 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
"Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
This is the third week in a row we have had a parable (the parable of the 2 sons two weeks ago, the parable of the vineyard last week, and the parable of the wedding feast this week). Each of the parables is aimed at the religious leadership who should have understood God’s message as sent through Jesus and should have responded affirmatively to that message. This parable also offers hope to those who thought that they were not acceptable to God.
The Kingdom of God is often compared to a wedding banquet in both Jewish and Christian writings. Jesus eating meals with outcasts and sinners, and even the Last Supper, signify what God’s kingdom is about. Today’s parable about the wedding feast, therefore, tells us something about the kingdom.
The King (God) prepares a wedding feast and sends his servants (the prophets) to bring the invited guests (God’s Chosen People), but they refuse to attend this feast.
The King again sends out his servants, and again they refuse; they even mistreat and kill some of these messengers. In response, the enraged king sends his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. This probably represents the burning of Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt of 66 A.D. to 70 A.D., which indicates that Matthew’s Gospel was probably written after this revolt. This idea of God’s wrath in burning Jerusalem would not be a problem for those Jewish people who became Christian because their history is replete with God using foreign powers to punish them (i.e., the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the Persians). Therefore, it seems that God is punishing the people who rejected the preaching and purpose of Jesus. Since this parable is directed at the spiritual leaders of Israel, it laying the responsibility for this destruction at their feet.
In line with this, it is interesting to note that in his travels, St. Paul first preaches to the Jews, and then goes to the gentiles later.
God them sends other servants (Christian disciples) out in the highways and byways to invite everyone to the feast. This invitation represents inviting the marginal people of Israel who would have been ritually unacceptable in the Temple to participate in the feast. It also represents an invitation to the gentiles to participate in the feast, and it maybe Matthew’s way of explaining gentiles in the church.
Notice that God tells his servants to invite ‘whomever you find’ and that they ‘gathered all they found, bad and good alike’. All people are invited to participate in the feast, the banquet of life Christ has prepared for us. All are welcome in our church.
We must be careful not to condemn the Jewish race as a whole because of this parable. It is the leadership that is targeted, not the people as a whole. Remember that most of the early disciples of Jesus were Jews (as was Jesus himself). While some rejected Jesus, some followed him. It’s the same with gentiles; some rejected him, some followed him.
All are welcome, but not all remain in the kingdom, as we see in the last part of our gospel. A man not dressed in a wedding garment was ejected from the banquet. It could be that this wedding garment (like the bib at baptism) represents our Christian commitment to following Jesus; it represents our commitment to respond with our whole lives to God’s call of salvation. This scene is a judgment scene, where the King (God) judges some of his banquet guests to be worthy of the kingdom, while others are not. This ties in well with the last sentence, “Many are invited, but few are chosen."
The first reading from Isaiah is one I like to use at funerals because of its’ beautiful promise of salvation. It speaks of a God who loves us and would not abandon us at the time of our greatest need, the time of our death.
The reading begins ‘On this mountain.’ In scripture, God lives on a mountain (Moses meets God on a mountain, he gets the 10 commandments on a mountain, for example). Whenever we see the word mountain, we know God is near.
Isaiah describes eternal life (living on God’s holy mountain) to be similar to a banquet with “rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines,” which would be very attractive to people living on a subsistence level. Having this kind of abundance would be like paradise.
When we get to this mountain, everything that separates us from God, called a web or a veil, will be removed and death will be destroyed. Not only that, suffering will be no more, and we will be saved. No wonder Isaiah praises God for his bountiful love!
In the second reading, we have one of the famous quotes from St Paul: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” St. Paul was not defined by his wealth or even lack of it, he is defined by his faith and trust in Christ. He has experienced both wealth and poverty, and it is all the same to him.
In this part of the letter, the Philippians are supporting him financially, which he normally didn’t accept (he liked to support himself) but the Philippians were special to him, and he accepted the funds not for himself, but to continue his ministry.
Fr. Phil
TWENTY EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
October 9, 2011
READING1: IS 25:6-10A
On this mountain the LORD of hosts
will provide for all peoples
a feast of rich food and choice wines,
juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the veil that veils all peoples,
the web that is woven over all nations;
he will destroy death forever.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
On that day it will be said:
"Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!
This is the LORD for whom we looked;
let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
The Word of the Lord
READING 2: PHILIPPIANS 4:12-14, 19-20
Brothers and sisters:
I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
In every circumstance and in all things
I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry,
of living in abundance and of being in need.
I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.
My God will fully supply whatever you need,
in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.
The Word of the Lord
GOSPEL: MT 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people
in parables, saying,
"The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants
to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
"Tell those invited: "Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast."'
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.'
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests,
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'
Many are invited, but few are chosen."
The Gospel of the Lord
Reflection
This is the third week in a row we have had a parable (the parable of the 2 sons two weeks ago, the parable of the vineyard last week, and the parable of the wedding feast this week). Each of the parables is aimed at the religious leadership who should have understood God’s message as sent through Jesus and should have responded affirmatively to that message. This parable also offers hope to those who thought that they were not acceptable to God.
The Kingdom of God is often compared to a wedding banquet in both Jewish and Christian writings. Jesus eating meals with outcasts and sinners, and even the Last Supper, signify what God’s kingdom is about. Today’s parable about the wedding feast, therefore, tells us something about the kingdom.
The King (God) prepares a wedding feast and sends his servants (the prophets) to bring the invited guests (God’s Chosen People), but they refuse to attend this feast.
The King again sends out his servants, and again they refuse; they even mistreat and kill some of these messengers. In response, the enraged king sends his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. This probably represents the burning of Jerusalem during the Jewish revolt of 66 A.D. to 70 A.D., which indicates that Matthew’s Gospel was probably written after this revolt. This idea of God’s wrath in burning Jerusalem would not be a problem for those Jewish people who became Christian because their history is replete with God using foreign powers to punish them (i.e., the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and the Persians). Therefore, it seems that God is punishing the people who rejected the preaching and purpose of Jesus. Since this parable is directed at the spiritual leaders of Israel, it laying the responsibility for this destruction at their feet.
In line with this, it is interesting to note that in his travels, St. Paul first preaches to the Jews, and then goes to the gentiles later.
God them sends other servants (Christian disciples) out in the highways and byways to invite everyone to the feast. This invitation represents inviting the marginal people of Israel who would have been ritually unacceptable in the Temple to participate in the feast. It also represents an invitation to the gentiles to participate in the feast, and it maybe Matthew’s way of explaining gentiles in the church.
Notice that God tells his servants to invite ‘whomever you find’ and that they ‘gathered all they found, bad and good alike’. All people are invited to participate in the feast, the banquet of life Christ has prepared for us. All are welcome in our church.
We must be careful not to condemn the Jewish race as a whole because of this parable. It is the leadership that is targeted, not the people as a whole. Remember that most of the early disciples of Jesus were Jews (as was Jesus himself). While some rejected Jesus, some followed him. It’s the same with gentiles; some rejected him, some followed him.
All are welcome, but not all remain in the kingdom, as we see in the last part of our gospel. A man not dressed in a wedding garment was ejected from the banquet. It could be that this wedding garment (like the bib at baptism) represents our Christian commitment to following Jesus; it represents our commitment to respond with our whole lives to God’s call of salvation. This scene is a judgment scene, where the King (God) judges some of his banquet guests to be worthy of the kingdom, while others are not. This ties in well with the last sentence, “Many are invited, but few are chosen."
The first reading from Isaiah is one I like to use at funerals because of its’ beautiful promise of salvation. It speaks of a God who loves us and would not abandon us at the time of our greatest need, the time of our death.
The reading begins ‘On this mountain.’ In scripture, God lives on a mountain (Moses meets God on a mountain, he gets the 10 commandments on a mountain, for example). Whenever we see the word mountain, we know God is near.
Isaiah describes eternal life (living on God’s holy mountain) to be similar to a banquet with “rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines,” which would be very attractive to people living on a subsistence level. Having this kind of abundance would be like paradise.
When we get to this mountain, everything that separates us from God, called a web or a veil, will be removed and death will be destroyed. Not only that, suffering will be no more, and we will be saved. No wonder Isaiah praises God for his bountiful love!
In the second reading, we have one of the famous quotes from St Paul: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” St. Paul was not defined by his wealth or even lack of it, he is defined by his faith and trust in Christ. He has experienced both wealth and poverty, and it is all the same to him.
In this part of the letter, the Philippians are supporting him financially, which he normally didn’t accept (he liked to support himself) but the Philippians were special to him, and he accepted the funds not for himself, but to continue his ministry.
Fr. Phil
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