TWO SONS - 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Homily for the 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 21:28-32 (Gospel), Ez 18:25-28 (First Reading) and Ph 2:1-11 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

TWO SONS

“My boy, go and work in the vineyard today” (Mt 21:28)

The Gospel for this  26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A) is taken from Mt 21:28-32

Verses 28, 29 and 30 say: ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today”. He answered, “I will not go”, but afterwards though better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir”, but did not go.

Parallel text of verse 28 is Si 3:8 that says: Respect your father in deed as well as word, so that blessing may come on you from him…

Verse 31 says: Which of the two did the father’s will?” “The first” they said. Jesus said to them, “I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you.

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Lk 7:29-30 - All the people who heard him, and the tax collectors too, acknowledged God’s plan by accepting baptism from John (v. 29); but by refusing baptism from him the Pharisees and the lawyers had thwarted what God had in mind for them (v. 30).

2.       Lk 18:9-14 - He spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else (v. 9), “Two people went up to the Temple to pray; one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector (v. 10). The Pharisee stood and said this prayer to himself, ‘I thank you  God that I am not  grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here (v. 11). I fast twice a week,  I pay tithes on all I get (v. 12).’ The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring to raise his eyes to heaven; but  he beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner (v. 13).’ This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted (v. 14).

Verse 32 says: For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness,^f but you did not believe him; and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him. Footnote  ^f says “Lit. ‘in the way of righteousness’. Biblical expression: John practiced and preached that conformity with the divine will which makes a man ‘righteous’.”

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Mt 3:6 - And as they were baptized by him in the river of Jordan they confessed their sins.^d Footnote ^d says “The rite of immersion, symbol of purification or of renewal, was familiar to the ancient religions and to Judaism (baptism of proselytes, Essence purification (3:2,6,8,11; Lk 3:10-14); it takes place once only and for this reason appears as a ceremony of initiation; it has an eschatological value in so far as it enrolls its recipients among the number of those who professedly and actively prepare  themselves for the imminent messianic community in anticipation (3:2,11: Jn 1:19-34). It produces a real effect upon the soul but this effect is nor produced sacramentally since it depends on something that has not yet taken place: this future event is God’s Judgment embodied in the coming Messiah whose ‘fire’ will purify or consume according to the good or bad dispositions it meets with; he alone, and not John, will baptize ‘in the Holy Spirit’ (3:7m10-12). John’s baptism continued to be administered by the disciples of Jesus (Jn 4:1-2) until it was absorbed by the new rite which he had instituted (Mt. 28:19; Ac 1:5+; Rm 6:4+).”

2.       Mt 8:10 - When Jesus heard this, he was astonished  and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith^b like this. Footnote ^b says “The faith that Jesus asks for from the outset of public life (Mk. 1:15) and throughout his subsequent career, is that act of trust and self-abandonment by which people no longer rely on their own strength and policies but commit themselves to the power and guiding word of him in whom they believe (Lk. 1:20,45; Mt. 21:25p,32). Christ asks for this faith especially when he works his miracles (8:13; 9:2p; 22p, 28-29; 15:28; Mk 5:36p;10:52p; Lk 17:19) which are not so much acts of mercy as signs attesting his mission and witnessing to the kingdom (8:3+; cf. Jn 2:11+), hence he cannot work miracles               unless he finds the faith without which the miracle lose their true significance (13:58p; 12;38-39; 16:1-4). Since the faith demands the sacrifice of the whole man, mind and heart, it is not an easy act of humility to perform; many decline it, particularly in Israel (8:10p; 15:28; 27:42p; Lk 18;8), or are half-hearted (Mk 9;24; Lk 8;13). Even the disciples are slow to believe (8:26p; 14;31; 18;8; 17:20p) and are still reluctant after the resurrection (28;17; Mk 16:11-14; Lk 24;11,25,41). The most generous faith of all, of the ‘Rock’ (16:16-18), the disciples leader, was destined to the shaken by the outrage of the Passion (26:69-75p) though it was to triumph in the end (Lk 22:32). When faith is strong it works wonders (17:20p; 21:21p; Mk 16:17) and its appeal is never refused (21:22p; Mk 9:23) especially when it asks for forgiveness of sin (9:2p; Lk 7:50) and for that salvation of which it is the necessary condition (Lk 8;12; Mk 16:16, cf. Ac 3:16+).”

3.       Lk 7:37-50 - The woman who was a sinner^g…a woman^h came in, who had a bad name in the town. She had heard he was dining with the Pharisee and had brought with her an alabaster jar of ointment (v. 37). She waited behind him at his feet, weeping, and her tears began fell on his feet, and she wiped them away with her hair; then she covered his feet with kisses and anointed them with the ointment (v. 38). When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who this woman that is touching him and what a bad names he has(v. 39).”Then Jesus took him up and said, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you. ’‘Speak, Master,’ was his reply (v.40). ‘There was once a creditor who had two men in his debt; one owed five hundred denarii, the other fifty (v.41). They were unable to pay, so he pardoned them both. Which of them will love him more? (v. 42)’  ‘The one who was pardoned more, I suppose’ answered Simon.” Jesus said, ‘You are right (v.43)’.Then he turned to the woman. ‘Simon,’ he said “you see this woman? I came into your house, and you poured no water over my feet, but she has poured out her tears over my feet and wiped them with her hair (v.44). You gave me no kiss, but she has been coveringmy feet with kissing ever since I came inⁱ (v.45).You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment (v.46) For this reason I tell you that her many sins, must have been forgiven her; or she would not have shown such great love.^j It is the man whois forgiven little who shows littlelove (v. 47).” Then he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven (v. 48).” Thosewho were with him at table began to say to themselves, “Who is this man, that he even forgives sins?”’ (v. 49). But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace (v. 51). Footnote ^g says “Lk only. This episode is not the same as the same as the anointing at Bethany.”; Footnote ^h says “Most probably not Mary of Magdala, 8:2, and still less, Mary, sister of Martha, 10:39; Jn 11:1,2,5; 12:2-3.”; Footnote ^I says “Var. ‘ever since she came.’”; and Footnote ^j says “Not, as is usually translated, ‘her many sins are forgiven her because she has shown such great love’. The context demands the reverse: she shows so much affection because she had so many sins forgiven.”

4.       Lk 19:1-10 - He entered Jericho and was going through the town (v. 1), when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance;  he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man (v. 2). He was anxious to see what kind of a man Jesus was; but he  was short and could not see him for the crowd (v. 3); so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way (v. 4). When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and spoke to him: “Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I must stay at your house today (v. 5).” And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully (v. 6). They all complained when they saw what was happening. “He has gone to stay at a sinner’s house” they said (v. 7). But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, “Look, sir, I am going to give  half of my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount (v. 8).”^a And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a son of Abraham (v. 9); ^b For the Son of Man has come to seek out and to save what was lost (v. 10).” Footnote ^a says “Fourfold restitution was imposed by the Jewish law (Ex 21:37) for one case only; Roman law demanded it of all convicted thieves. Zaccheus goes further: he acknowledges the obligation in the case of any injustice he may have been responsible for”.; and Footnote ^b says “Notwithstanding his despised profession. No social rank excludes ‘salvation’, cf. 3:12-14. All the Jewish privileges follow from ‘sonship of Abraham,’ cf. 3:8; Rm 4:11f; Ga 3:7f.”

The First Reading is taken from Ez 18:25-28 that says: But you object, ‘What the Lord does is unjust”. Listen, you House of Israel: is what I do unjust? Is it not what you do that is unjust? When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins; he shall certainly live; he shall not die.

The Second Reading is taken from Ph 2:1-11.

Verse 1 says: If your life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all,^a or the Spirit^b that we have I common, or any tenderness or sympathy. Footnote  ^a says “Lit. ‘If there is any exhortation in Christ, if there I s any incentive in love’; this is a very friendly but a very powerful appeal, in the name of all that is holiest.”; and  Footnote ^b says “Almost certainly meant to be taken as a Trinitarian reference: in this case ‘love’ is appropriated to the Father, cf. 2 Co 13:13+.

Parallel texts  are:

1.       2 Co 10:1 - This is a personal matter; this is Paul himself appealing to you by the gentleness and patience of Christ-I, the man who is so humble when he is facing you, but bullies you when he is at a distance.^a Footnote ^a says “Allusion to the sarcastic remarks of Apostle Paul’s opponents, cf. v. 10.”

2.       2 Co 13:13 - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.^e Footnote ^e says “The Trinitarian formula probably derived from liturgical usage, cf also Mt. 28:19, is echoed in many passages of the epistles where the several functions of the three Persons are referred to as the various contexts suggests: Rm 1:4+; 15:16,30+; 1 Co 2:10-16; 6:11,14, 15, 19; 12:4-6; Tt 3:5f; Heb 9:14; 1 P 1:2; 3:18; 1 Jn 4:2; Rv 1:4f; 22:1; cf Ac 10:38; 20:28; Jn 14:16,18,23. Note in 1 Co 6:11; Ep 4:4-6 the triple formulation emphasizing the Trinitarian thought. Cf also the trio of the theological virtues in 1 Co 133+.”

3.       Ga 5:10 - I feel sure that, united in the Lord, you^d will agree with me, and anybody who troubles you in future will be condemned, no matter who he is. Footnote   ^d says “Or else ‘I have confidence in the Lord that you’.”

Verse 2 says: then be united in your convictions and united in your love, with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy^c Footnote  ^c says “The urgent plea for unity suggests that internal divisions threatened the peace of the Church of Philippi, cf. 1:27; 2:14; 4:2. Note how Paul keeps insisting that he is addressing all of them, 1:1,4,6,25; 2:17,26; 4:21.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Rm 15:5 - And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other,^a following example of Christ Jesus… Footnote ^a says “i.e. to be thoughtful for each other. Others interpret ‘to live in good understanding of each other’, ‘to live in agreement with each other’”

2.       Ph 1:4…every  time I pray for all of you, I pray with joy,^b Footnote   ^b says “Joy is one of the chief characteristics of this letter; cf. 1:18,25; 2:2,17,28,29; 3:1; 4:1,4,10.”

Verse 3 says: There must be no competition among you, no conceit; but everybody is to be self-effacing. Always consider the other person to be better than yourself,

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ac 20:19…how I served the Lord with all humility, and with the sorrows and trials that came to me through of the plots of the Jews.

2.       Rm 12:3,10 - In the light  of the grace  I have received I want to urge each one of you not to exaggerate his real importance. Each of you must judge himself soberly by eth standard of the faith God has given him (v. 3). Love each other as brothers should; and have a profound respect for each other ^d (v. 10). Footnote   ^d says “Or ‘outdo each other in mutual esteem’.”

3.       1 Co 1:10f  - All the same, I do appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice.

4.       Ga 5:26 - We must stop being conceited, provocative and envious.

Verse 4 says: so that nobody thinks of his own interests first but everybody thinks of the other people’s interests instead.

Parallel text of verse 4 is 1 Co 10:24 that says:  Nobody should be looking for his own advantage, but everybody for the other man’s.

Verse 5 says: In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus:^d Footnote   ^d   says “Vv 6-11 are a hymn, though whether composed or only quoted by Paul is uncertain. Each stanza deals with one stage of the mystery of Christ: divine pre-existence, kenosis in the Incarnation, his further kenosis in death, his glorification, adoration by the cosmos, new title of Lord. This hymn is concerned solely with the historical Christ in whose personality godhead and manhood are not divided; Paul nowhere divorces the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ, though he does distinguish his various stages of existence, cf. Col 1:13f.”

Parallel text is Jn 13:15 that says: I have given you an example to follow, so that you may copy  I have done to you.

Verse 6  says: His state was divine,^e  yet he did not cling to his equality with God^f …Footnote ^e says “Lit. ‘Who subsisting in the form of God’: here ‘form’ means all the attributes that express and reveal the essential ‘nature’ of God; Christ, being God, had all the divine prerogatives by right.”; Footnote ^f  says “Lit. ‘did not deem being on an equality with God as something to grasp’ or ‘hold on to’. This refers not to his equality by nature ‘subsisting in the form of God’, and which Christ could not have surrendered, but to his being publicly treated and honored as equal to God which was a thing that Jesus (unlike Adam, Gn 3:5,22, who wanted to be seen to be like God) could and did give up in his human life;”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Jn 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word,^a the Word was with God and the Word was God (v . 1). He was in the beginning with God (v.2). Footnote ^a- The O.T. speaks of the Word of God, and of his wisdom, present with God before the world was made, cf. Pr. 8:22+; Ws. 7:22+, by it all things were created, it is sent to earth to reveal the hidden designs of God; it returns to him with its work done, Is. 58:10-11, Pr. 8:22-36, Si. 24:3-22, Ws. 9:9-12.  On its creature role, cf. also Gn. 1:3,6 etc.: Is 40:8,26, 44:24-28; 48:13, Ps. 33:6, Jdt. 16:14, Si.42:15; on its mission, cf. Ws. 18:14-16, Ps.107:20; 147:15-18.  For John, too, 13:3, 16:28, the Word existed before the world in God, 1:1-2, 8:24+, 10:30+. It has come on earth, 1:9-14, 3:19, 12:46, cf. Mk 1:38+, being sent by the Father; 3:17,34,5:36, 43, 6:29, 7:29, 8:42, 9:7, 10:36, 11:42, 17:3,25,cf. Lk 4:43, to perform a task, 4:34+, namely, to deliver 3:11+, 8:21, 12:35, 13:3, 16:5, 17:11, 13, 20:17.  The incarnation enabled the N.T. and especially John, to see this separately and eternally existent Word-Wisdom as a person.

2.       Jn 17:5 - Now, Father, it is time to glorify me with the glory I had with you^f before ever the world was. Footnote ^f says “Var. ‘the glory which was with you’ or ‘the glory with which I was’ or ‘the glory with you’.”

3.       Col 1:15-20 - Christ is the head of all creation^e. He is the image of the unseen God, and the firstborn of all creation, for him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers - all things were created through him and for him. Before anything was created, he existed, and he holds all things in unity. Now the church is his body, he is the head,^f As he is the Beginning, he was first to be born from the dead, so that he should be first in every way. Because God wanted all perfection to be found in him^g,and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,^h everything in heaven and everything on earth,ⁱ when he made peace by his death on the cross. Footnote ^e says “In this poem Paul introduces two ways in which can claim to be the ‘head’ of everything that exists:1. He is the head of creation, of all that exists naturally, vv. 15-17; 2. He is head of the new creation and all that exists supernaturally through having been saved, vv. 18-20. The subject of the poem is the pre-existent Christ, but considered only in so far as he is manifest in the unique historic person that is the Son of God made man, cf. Ph 2:5+. It is as the incarnate God that Jesus is the ‘image of God’, i.e. his human nature was the visible manifestation of God who is invisible, cf.Rm 8:29+, and it is as such, in this concrete human nature, and as part of creation, that Jesus is called the ‘first born of creation’ - not in the temporal sense of having been born first, but in the sense of having been given the first place of honor.”; Footnote ^f says “On the church a Christ’s body, cf. 1 Co. 12:12f, he is called the ‘head’ of his own body both in a temporal sense (v. 18, i.e., he was the first to rise from the dead) and in a spiritual sense (v. 20, i.e. he is the leader of all the saved).”; Footnote ^g says “Lit. ‘because (God) wanted the pleroma to dwell in him”. The exact meaning of the word ‘pleroma’ (i.e. the thing that fills up a gap or hole, like a patch, cf. Mt. 9:16) is not certain here. Some writers have thought it must mean the same as in 2:9 (the fullness of divinity that filled Jesus) but since vv. 15-18 have already dealt with the divinity of Jesus, it seems likely that the reference here is to the biblical concept of the entire cosmos as filled with the creative presence of God, cf. Is. 6:3, Jr. 23:24, Ps. 24:1, 50:12, 72:19, Ws. 1:7, Sir. 43:27, etc. The concept was also widespread in the Graeco-Roman world. Paul teaches that the incarnation and resurrection make Christ head not only of the entire human race, but of the entire created universe (cosmos), so that everything that was involved in the fall is equally involved in salvation, cf. Rm. 8:19-23, 1 Co. 3:22f, 15:20-28, Ep. 1:10, 4:10, Ph. 2:10f., 3:2f, Heb. 2:5-8, Cf. 2:9+.”; Footnote ^h says “i.e. through and for  Christ, cf. the parallel ‘though him and for him’ of v. 16. Alternatively, it could read “God wanted everything…to be reconciled to himself, though him who made peace…’ cf. Rm 5:10; 2 Co 5:18f.”; and Footnote ⁱ says “This reconciliation of the whole universe (including angels as well as human beings) means not that every single individual will be saved, but that all who are saved will be saved by their collective return to the right order and peace of perfect submission to God. Any individual who do not join this new creation through grace will be forced to join it, cf. 2:15; 1 Co 15:24-25 (the heavenly spirits) and 2 Th 1:8-9; 1 Co 6:9-10; Ga. 5:21; Rm 2:8; Ep 5:5 (men).”

4.       Heb 1:3 - He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature,^c sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. Footnote ^c says “These two metaphors are borrowed from the Sophia and logos theologies of Alexandria, Ws 7:25-26; they express both the identity of nature between Father and Son, and the distinction of person. The Son is the brightness, the light shining from its source, which is the bright glory, cf. Ex. 24:16+, of the Father (‘Light from Light’). He is also the replica, cf. Col 1:15+, of the Father’s substance, like an exact impression made by a seal on clay or wax, cf. Jn 14:9.”

Verse 7 says: but emptied himself^g to assume the condition of a slave,^h and became as men areⁱ;  Footnote ^g says ‘He emptied himself’; this is not so much a reference to the fact of the incarnation, as to the way it took place. What Jesus freely gave up was not his divine nature, but the glory to which his divine nature entitled him, and which had been his before the incarnation, Jn 17:5, and, which ‘normally’ speaking would have been observable in his human body (cf. the transfiguration, Mt 17:1-8). He voluntarily deprived himself of this so that it could be returned to him by the Father, cf. Jn 8:50,54, after his sacrifice, vv.9-11.”; Footnote ^h says ‘slave’ as opposed to ‘Kyrios’ v. 11, cf. Ga 4:1; Col 3:22f. Christ as man led a life of submission and humble obedience, v. 8. This is probably a reference to the ‘servant’ of Is 52:13-53:12, cf. Is 42:1”; Footnote ⁱ says “Not just ‘a human being’ but a human being ‘like others’; sharing all the weaknesses of the human condition apart from sin’.

Parallel texts are:

1.       2 Co 8:9 - Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was:^b he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. Footnote ^b says “Lit. ‘the generosity (or perhaps ‘grace’) of the Lord Jesus’.”

2.       Rv 5:12…shouting, ‘The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches,ⁱ  wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing.’ Footnote ⁱ says “Vulg. ‘divinity.’”

3.       Mt 20:28…just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom^g for many.^h’ Footnote  ^g says  “By sin man incurs, as a debt to the divine justice, the punishment of death demanded by the Law, cf. 1 Co. 15:56; 2 Co. 3:7,9; Ga. 3:13; Rm. 8:3-4, with notes. To ransom them from this slavery of sin and death, Rm. 3:24+. Christ is to pay the ransom and discharge the debt with the price of his blood, 1 Co. 6:20; 7:23; Ga. 3:13; 4:5, with notes, By thus dying in place of the guilty, he fulfills the prophesied function of the ‘servant of Yahweh’ (Is. 53). The Hebr. word translated ‘many’, Is. 53:11f, contrast the enormous crowd of the redeemed with the one Redeemer: it does not imply that the number of redeemed is limited, Rm. 5:6-21. Cf. Mt. 26:28+.”;  Footnote ^h says “At this point some authorities insert the following passage, derived probably from some apocryphal gospel ‘But as for you, from littleness you seek to grow great and from greatness you make yourselves small. When you are invited to a banquet do not take one of the places of honor, because someone more important than you may arrive and then the steward will have to say, “Move down lower”, and you would be covered with confusion. Take the lowest place, and then if someone less important than you comes in, the steward will say to you, “Move up higher”, and that will be to your advantage.’ Cf. Lk. 14:8-10.”

4.       Rm 8:3 - God has done what the Law, because of our unspiritual nature, was unable to do. ^c God dealt with sin by sending his own Son in a body as physical as any sinful body, and in that body^d God condemned sin. Footnote  ^c says “The mosaic Law, imposed from without, could not be an inward principle of salvation, 7:7+. Christ alone, who by his death destroyed our unspiritual nature (lit. ‘flesh’) in his own person, could destroy sin whose domain the ‘flesh’ was. Man formerly carnal is now, though union with Christ, spiritual.”;  and Footnote ^d says “Lit. ‘in the likeness of sinful flesh and in that flesh…’

5.       Ga 4:4 - But when the appointed time^c came, God sent his son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law. Footnote ^c - Lit. ‘fullness of time’; the phrase indicates how when the messianic age comes it will fill a need felt for centuries, rather like filling up a jug. Cf. Ac 1:7+ and Mk 1:15; 1 Co 10:11; Ep 1:10; Heb 1”2; 9:26; 1 P 1:20.

6.       Heb 2:17 - It was essential that he should in this way become completely like his brothers so  that he could be a compassionate  and trustworthy high priest of God’s religion, able to atone for human sins.

Verse 8 says: and being as all men are,^j  he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.

Footnote ^j says  “Lit. ‘And in fashion found as man’.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 49:4 - While I was thinking, ‘I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing, and all the while my cause was with Yahweh, my reward with my God.

2.       1 P 5:6 - Bow down, then before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day;^g Footnote ^g says “Add (Vulg.) ‘of the coming;’, cf. 2:12.”

3.       Mt 26:39 - And going on a little further he fell on his face and prayed. ‘My Father,’ he said ‘if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it’ⁿ Footnote ⁿ says “Jesus feels the full ‘force of the human fear of death; he feels the instinctive urge to escape, gives expression to it and then stifles it by his acceptance of the Father’s will.”

4.       Rm 5:19 - As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.^m Footnote ^m says “Not only at the Last Judgment (for Paul regards justification as a present condition, cf. 5:1, etc.)’ but progressively as each individual becomes reborn in Christ.”

5.       Heb 5:8 - Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering.

6.       Heb12:2 - Let us not lose sight of Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which was still in the future, he endured the cross, disregarding the shamefulness of it, and from now on has taken his place at the right hand of God’s throne.

Verse 9 says: But God raised him high^k and gave him the name^l which is above all other names^m. Footnote ^k says “Lit ‘super-raised him’; by the resurrection and ascension”; Footnote ^l says “Named him ‘Lord’, v. 11; or, at a deeper level, gave him an ineffable and divine name which, through the triumph of the risen Christ, can now be expressed by the title Kyrios, Lord, cf. Ac 2:21; 3:16+; Footnote ^m says “Greater even than the angels, cf. Ef 1:21; Heb 1:4; 1 P 3:22”; 

Parallel texts are:

1.       Is 52:13 - See, my servant shall prosper, he shall be lifted up, exalted, rise to great heights.

2.       Mt 23:12 - Anyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and anyone who humbles himself will be exalted.

3.       Jn 10:17 - The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.

4.       Ep 1:20-23…at work  in Christ when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven (v. 20), far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power or Dominion,^t or any other name that can be named, not only in this age but also in the age to come (v. 21) He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church (v. 22), which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation^u (v. 23). Footnote ^t says “Names traditional in Jewish literature for angelic hierarchies.”; Footnote ^u says “Lit. ‘fills all in all’. The Church, as the body of Christ, 1 Co. 12:12f, can be called the fullness (pleroma); cf. Infra 3:19, 4:13) in so far as it includes the whole new creation that shares (since it forms the setting of the human race) in the cosmic rebirth under Christ its ruler and head, cf. Col. 1:15-20f. The adverbial phrase ‘all in all’ is used to suggest something of limitless size, cf. 1 Co. 6, 15:28, Col. 3:11.”

Verse 10 says: so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and the underworld,ⁿ should bend the knee at the name of Jesus. Footnote ⁿ says “The three cosmic divisions that cover the entire creation, cf. Rv 5:3,13”; and Footnote ^o says “Var. ‘and every tongue shall acclaim’

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ep 4:10 - The one who rose higher than all the heavens to fill all things^g is not other than the one who descended. Footnote ^g says “By ascending through all the cosmic spheres and taking possession of them all one after another, Christ became the head of the whole pleroma or total cosmos, 1:10+, and makes the entire universe acknowledge him as ‘Lord’; cf 1:20-23; Col 1:19; Ph 2:8-11.”

2.       Is 45:23 - By my own self, I swear it; what comes from my mouth is truth, a word irrevocable: before me  every knee shall bend, by me every tongue shall swear.

3.       Rm 14:11 - For scripture says: By my life- it is the Lord who speaks- every knee shall bend before me, and every tongue shall praise God.”

Verse 11 says: and that every tongue should acclaim ^o Jesus Christ as Lord, ^p to the glory of God the Father. ^q   Footnote ^p says “Om. ‘Christ’. This proclamation is the essence of the Christian creed, Rm. 10:9, 1 Co. 12:3, cf. Col. 2:6. The use of Is. 45:23 (in which this homage is addressed to Yahweh himself) is a clear indication of the divine character that is meant to be understood by the title Kyrios, cf. Jn. 20:28, Ac. 2:36’; Footnote ^q says “Vulg. Interpretation is ‘proclaim that Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father’”.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Ac 2:36 - For this reason the whole House of Israel can be certain that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.

2.       Rm 1:4 - It is about Jesus Christ our Lord who is the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that is in him, was proclaimed^c Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead.^d Footnote ^c says “Vulg. ‘predestined’.”; and Footnote ^d says “For Paul Christ rose only because God raised him, 1 Th. 1:10; 1 Co. 6:14; 15:15; 2 Co. 4:14; Ga. 1:1; Rm. 4:24; 10:9; Ac. 2:24+; cf. 1 P. 1:21, thus displaying his ‘power’, 2 Cor. 13:4; Rm. 6:4; Ph. 3:10; Col. 2:12; Ep. 1:19f; Heb. 7:16;  and because God raised him to life through the Holy Spirit, Rm. 8:11. Christ is established in glory as Kyrios, Ph 2:9-11+; Ac 2:36; Rm 14:9, deserving anew, this time in virtue of his messianic work, the name he had from eternity, ‘son of God’, Ac 13:33, Heb 1:5; %:5. Cf. Rm 8:11+; 9:5+.”

3.       Rm10:9 - If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, ^e then you will be saved. Footnote ^e says “Profession of faith, such as is made at baptism, is the outward expression of the inward commitment of the ‘heart’.”

4.       1 Co 12:3 - It is for that reason that I want you to understand that on the one hand no one can be speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit and say, ‘Curse Jesus’, and on the other hand, no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ unless he is under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

GENEROUS LANDOWNER - 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Homily for the 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 20:1-16 (Gospel), Is 55:6-9 (First Reading) and Phil 1:20-24,27 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

GENEROUS LANDOWNER

“Why be envious because I am generous?” (Mt 20:15)

The Gospel for this  25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time  (Cycle A) is taken from Mt 20:1-16, under the title “Parable of the vineyard laborers^a.” Footnote ^a says “The owner of the vineyard goes on into the evening hiring workmen and yet gives all a full day’s pay. He is generous to some without being unjust to the others. So God acts. Into his kingdom he brings late-comers-sinners and pagans. Those who were called first (the Jewish people who, from Abraham’s time, had been privileged with the covenant) have no right   to be offended.”

Verses 1 to 8 say: ‘Now the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the market place. And said to them, “You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage”. So they went. At about the sixth hour and again at about the ninth hour, he went out and did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, “Why have you been standing here all day?” “Because no one has hired us” they answered. He said to them, “You go into my vineyard too”.

In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, “Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first”.

Parallel texts of verse 8 are:

1.       Lv 19:13 - You must not exploit or rob your neighbor. You must not keep back the laborer’s wage until next morning.

2.       Dt 24:14-15 - You are not to exploit the hired servant who is poor and destitute, whether he is one of your brothers or a stranger who lives in your towns (v. 14) You must pay him his wages on each day, not allowing the sun to set before you do, for he is poor and is anxious for it; otherwise he may appeal to Yahweh against you, and it would be a sin for you v. 15).

Verses 9 to 15 say: So those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but they too received one denarius each. They took it, but grumbled at the landowner. ‘The men who came last” they said ‘have done only one hour, and you treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.” He answered one of them and said, ‘MY friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last-comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous?”

Parallel text of verse 15 is Rm 9:19-21 that says: You will ask me, ‘In that case, how can God ever blame anyone, since no one can oppose his will (v. 19)?^f  But what right have you, a human being, to cross-examine God? The pot has no right to say to the potter: Why did you make me this shape (v. 20)? Sure a potter can do what he likes with the clay? It is surely for him to decide whether he will use a particular lump of clay to make a special pot o an ordinary one (v. 21)?  Footnote ^f says “If man’s perversity thus becomes part of God’s design, how can man be accused of not doing the will of God? Apostle Paul replies, as before in a similar case (3:7; 6:1,15), by disallowing the objection. God being the absolute master of what he has made, the question of injustice cannot arise. Cf. Mt 20:15.”

Verse 16 says: Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.’^b Footnote  ^b  says “Add. ‘For many are called, but few are chosen’, probably borrowed from 22:14.”

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Mt 19:30 - Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.

2.       Lk 13:30  - ‘Yes, there are those now last who will be first, and those now first who will be last.’

The First Reading is taken from  Is 55:6-9.

Verse 6 says: Seek Yahweh while he is to be found, call to him while he is still near.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Si 5:7 - For with him are both mercy and wrath, and his rage bears heavy and sinners.

2.       Ho 5:6 - Though they go in search of Yahweh with their sheep and oxen, they do not find him; for he has withdrawn from them.

Verse 7 says: Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to Yahweh who will take pity on him, to our God who is rich in forgiving;

Parallel texts  are:

1.       Dt 4:7 - And indeed, what great nation is there that has its gods so near as Yahweh our God is to us whenever we call to him?^a Footnote  ^a  says “Whereas the other Pentateuchal traditions emphasize the distance between God and man, cf. Ex. 33:20+, Dt calls attention to God’s loving intimacy with his people in whose midst he dwells, 12:5. This same outlook is found in the narrative of the dedication of the Temple, 1 K 8:10-29 and the idea recurs in Ezk 48:35. The NT gives it supreme expression, cf. Jn 1:14+.

2.       Ps 145:18…standing close to all who invoke him, close to all who invoke Yahweh faithfully.

3.       Jr 29:13 - When you seek me you shall find me, when you seek me with all you hearts.

4.       Jn 7:34 - You will look for me and will not find me:ⁿ where I am you cannot come. Footnote ⁿ says “Christ, like God himself, must be sought while there is still time to find him. But the Jews will let his ‘time’ slip by and instead of coming to them, salvation will come to pagans (the ‘Greeks’). Cf. 12:20.”

5.       Ac 17:27 - And he did this so that all nations  might seek the deity^s and, by feeling their way towards him,  succeed in finding him. Yet in fact he is not far from us… Footnote ^s says “Var. ‘God’ or ‘the Lord’.”

6.       Lm 3:40 - Let us examine our path, let us ponder it and return to Yahweh.

7.       Zc 1:3-4- Cry out to the remnant of this people and say to them,  ‘Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Return to me,^d and I will return to you, says Yahweh Sabaoth. (v. 3). Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the prophets in the past cried: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: Turn back from your evil ways and evil deeds. But-it is Yahweh who speaks- they would not listen or pay attention to me (v. 4). Footnote ^d says “‘Cry out to the remnant of this people’ corr., cf. 8:6,11,12. After ‘Return to me’ Hebr. adds ‘it is Yahweh Sabaoth who speaks’ (lit. ‘oracle of Yahweh Sabaoth’), absent from Greek.”

8.      Lk 15:20 - So he left the place and went back to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity.^a He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Footnote   ^a  says “The father’s pity symbolizes divine mercy; it contrasts with the elder son’s resentment which is like that of the Pharisees and scribes.”

Verse 8 says: …for my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways not your ways—it is Yahweh who speaks.

Parallel texts are:

1.       1 S 16:7…but Yahweh said to Samuel, ‘Take no notice of his appearance or his height for I have rejected him; God does not see^b as man sees; man looks at appearances but Yahweh looks at the heart’. Footnote ^b says “‘God sees’ Greek.”

2.       Qo 3:11 - All that he does is apt for its time; but though he has permitted man to consider time in its wholeness,^b man cannot comprehend the work of God from beginning to end. Footnote ^b says “Or ‘God has set eternity in their heart’. This phrase, however, is not to be taken I the Christian sense; it means simply: God has given the human heart (mind) awareness of ‘duration’, he has endowed him with the power of reflecting on the sequence of events and thus of controlling the present. But, the author adds, this awareness is deceptive; it does not reveal the meaning of life.”

3.       Mi 4:2…nation without number will come to it; and they will say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, to the Temple of the God of Jacob so that he may teach us his ways and we may walk in his paths; since from Zion the Law will go out, and the oracle of Yahweh from Jerusalem.’

Verse 9 says: Yes, the heavens are as high above the earth as my ways are above your ways, my thoughts above your thoughts.

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Ps 103:11 - No less than the height of heaven over earth is the greatness of his love for those who fear him…

2.       Qo 3:11 - All that he does is apt for its time; but though he has permitted man to consider time in its wholeness,^b man cannot comprehend the work of God from beginning to end. Footnote ^b  says “Or ‘God has set eternity in their heart’. This phrase, however, is not to be taken I the Christian sense; it means simply: God has given the human heart (mind) awareness of ‘duration’, he has endowed him with the power of reflecting on the sequence of events and thus of controlling the present. But, the author adds, this awareness is deceptive; it does not reveal the meaning of life.” 

The Second Reading is taken from Phil 1:20-24, 27.

Verses, 20, 21 and 22 say: My one hope and trust is that I shall never have to admit defeat, but now as always I shall have the courage for Christ to be glorified in my body,ⁱ whether by my life or by my death. Life to me, of course, is Christ, but then death would bring me something more;  but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results - I do not know what I should choose...Footnote ⁱ says “By baptism and Eucharist a Christian is so closely united to Christ, cf. 1 Co 6:15; 10:17; 12:12f,27; Ga 2:20; Ep 5:30, that his life, sufferings and death can be attributed mystically to Christ living in him, cf. 1 Co 6:20; Rm 14:8. This union would be particularly close I the case of an apostle like Paul, cf. Col 1:24; 2 Co 40f.” 

Parallel texts of verse 21 are:

1.       Ga 2:20…and I live now not with my own life but with the life of Christ who lives in me.^m The life I now live in this bodyⁿ I live in faith; faith in the Son of God,^o who loved me and who sacrificed himself for my sake.  Footnote ^m says “The living acts of a Christian becomes somehow the acts of Christ.”; Footnote ⁿ says “Lit ‘in my flesh’. Though still physically alive, cf. Ep 3:17+; on this paradox, cf Rm 8.”; and Footnote ^o - Var. ‘faith in God and in Christ’.

2.       Col 3:3f  - Because you have died, and now the life you have is hidden with Christ in God(v. 3). But when Christ is revealed – and he is your life - you too will be revealed in all your glory with him ^b(v. 4). Footnote ^b says “Through union with Christ in baptism, 2:12, his followers already live the identical life he lives in heaven, cf. Ep 2:6+, but this spiritual life is not manifest and glorious  as it will be in the parousia.”

Verses 23 and 24 say: I am caught in this dilemma: I want to be gone and be with Christ,^j which would be very much the better, but for me to stay alive in this body is a more urgent need for your sake. Footnote ^j says “As in 2 Co 5:8+, this supposes that the (good) Christian who dies is with Christ at once without any temporal gap between death and ‘last judgment’.”

Parallel text of verse 23 is 2 Co 5:6-9 that says: We are always full of confidence, then, when we remember that to live in the body means to be exiled from the Lord (v. 6), going as we do by faith and not by sight (v. 7) – we are full of confidence, I say, and actually want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord(v. 8).^c Whether we are living in the body or exiled from it, we are intent on pleasing him (v. 9).   Footnote  ^c says “here and in Ph 1:23 Paul has in mind a union of Christians with Christ on the death of each individual. This does not contradict the biblical doctrine of the final universal resurrection, Rm 2:6+; 1 Co 15:44+, but this expectation of happiness for the soul that has left the body after death betrays the influence of Greek thought, an influence already making itself felt in the Judaism of the period, cf. Lk 16:22; 23:43; 1 P 3:19+. Cf also the texts referring to ecstatic states when the soul is ‘out of the body’, 2 Co 12:2f; cf. Rv 1:10; 4:2; 17:3, 21:10.”

Verse 27 says: Avoid anything in your everyday lives^l that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come to you and see for myself, or stay at a distance and only hear about you, I shall know that you are unanimous in meeting the attack with firm resistance, united by your love for the faith of the gospel. Footnote ^l says “Lit. “Live your city-life (i.e. your ordinary social life) worthily of the gospel’. The New City of God’s kingdom has Christ for its ruler, the gospel for its law, and the Christians as its free citizens, cf. 3:20; Ep. 2:19.”

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Ep 4:1 - I, prisoner in the Lord, implore you therefore to lead a life worthy of your vocation.

2.       Col 1:10 - So you will be able to lead a kind of life which the Lord expects you, a life acceptable to him in all aspects; showing the results in all the good actions you do and increasing your knowledge of God (v. 10).

3.       1 Th 2:12 - Teaching you what I right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of the God who is calling you^c to share the glory of his kingdom. Footnote   ^c says “Var. ‘called you’.”

Homily –AVOID GETTING INT DEBTS: “Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations.” (Rm 13:8)

SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN TIMES FORGIVENESS - 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Homily for the 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 18:21-35 (Gospel), Sir 27:30-28:7 (First Reading) and Rm 14:7-9 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

SEVENTY TIMES SEVEN TIMES FORGIVENESS

“Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times” (Mt 18:22)

The Gospel for this  24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A) is taken from Mt 18:21-35. The first title is “Forgiveness of injuries,” with the following parallel texts:

1.       Mt 6:12 - And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

2.       Si 10:6 - Do not resent^c your neighbor’s every offence, and never act in a fit of passion. Footnote ^c says “Hebr. ‘Do not punish’.”

3.       Lk 17:4 - Brotherly correction^a. And if he wrongs you seventy times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, “I am sorry”, you must forgive him.’ Footnote ^a says “Lk apparently, is thinking of a matter that concerns only two of the community; in Mt the offence is more public. Lk does not mention appealing to the community.”

4.       Col 3:12 - You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience

Verses 21 and 22 say: Then Peter went up to him and said, ‘Lord. How often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?  Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.^k Footnote  ^k says  “Others render ‘seventy-times-seven times’, cf. 6:9+.”

Parallel text of verse 22 is Gn 4:24 that says: Sevenfold vengeance is taken for Cain, but seventy-sevenfold^j  for Lamech. Footnote   ^j says “This ferocious song, composed in honour of a desert paladin named Lamech, is recorded here as evidence of the increasing ferocity of Cain’s descendants.”

Second title is: “Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor.”

Parallel text is Si 28:4 that says: Showing not pity for a man like himself, can he then plead for his own sins?

Verse 23-32 say: ‘And so the kingdom may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, the brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents;^l but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. ‘Give me time’ he said ‘and I will pay the whole sum’. And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now, as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii;^m and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. ‘Pay what you owe me’ he said.   His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, ‘Give me time and I will pay you’. But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him . “you wicked servant”, he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Footnote  ^l says “About £3,000,000, $9,000,000: the amount is deliberately fantastic”.; and Footnote ^m says “Less than £5, $15.”

Parallel text of verse 23 is Mt 25:19 that says: Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them.

Verses 33 and 34 say: Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you? And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.

Parallel text of verse 33 is 1 Jn  4:11 that says: My dear people, since God has loved us so much, we too should love one another.

Verse 35 says: And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 6:12 - And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

2.       Jm 2:13…because there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves;^e but the merciful need no fear of judgment. Footnote   ^e says “‘Judgment’ (i.e ‘condemnation’) is merciless to anyone who does not show mercy. ‘the merciful… judgement’; lit. ‘mercy triumphs over judgement’. Cf. Mt 18:35.”

The First Reading is taken from  Sir 27:30-28:7.

Verses 30 and Ch. 28:1-3 say: Resentment and anger, these are foul things too, and both are found with the sinner. He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord, who keeps strict account of sin. Forgive your neighbor the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. Is a man nurses anger against another, can he demand compassion from the Lord?

Parallel text of Chapter 28:2 are:

1.       Mt 5:23-24 - So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you (v. 23), leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering (v. 24).

2.       Mt 6:12p,14-15 - And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us (v. 12). Yes, if you forgive others their failings, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; (v. 14) but if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive your failings either (v. 15).

Verses 4 and 5 say: Showing not pity for a man like himself, can he then plead for his own sins? Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment; who will forgive him his sins?

Parallel text for verse 4 is Mt 18:23-35 that says: “Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor. ‘And so the kingdom may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants (v. 23). When the reckoning began, the brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; (v. 24)^l but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt (v. 25). At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. ‘Give e time’ he said ‘and I will pay the whole sum’ (v. 26). And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt (v. 27). Now, as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii;^m and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. ‘Pay what you owe me’ he said  (v. 28). His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, ‘Give me time and I will pay you’ (v. 29). But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt (v. 30). His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him (v. 31). Then the master sent for him . “you wicked servant”, he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me (v. 32). Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you? (v. 33)” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt (v. 34). And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart (v. 35).’” Footnote  ^l says “About £3,000,000, $9,000,000: the amount is deliberately fantastic.”; Footnote

^m says “Less than £5, $15.”

Verse 6 says: Remember the last things, and stop hating, remember dissolution and death, and live by the commandments.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Sir 7:36 - In everything you do,^j remember your end, and you will never sin.^k Footnote ^j says “‘you do’ following Hebr.; Greek lit. ‘your words’.”; and  Footnote ^k says “Ben Sira may have no sure or clear idea of retribution after death but on several occasions he emphasizes the importance of the last moment, cf. 11:26-28. It may also be that the Greek translation has moved further in this direction, for the Hebr. has simply ‘in all your actions consider the end’, i.e. think of the consequences of your acts; the Greek is more explicit and for ‘the end’ reads ‘your last moments’ (ta eschata sou), inviting reflection on ‘the last things’”.

2.       Sir 38:20 – Do not abandon your heart to grief, drive it away, bear your own end to mind.^q Footnote  ^q  says “or ‘bear the future in mind’.”

Verse 7 says: Remember the commandments, and do not bear your neighbor ill-will; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the offence.

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Lv 19:17-18 - You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbor, of his offence; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself (v. 17). You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your own people. You must love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh (v. 18).

2.       Jm 2:8 - Well, the right thing to do is to keep the supreme law of scripture: you must love your neighbor as yourself…

3.       Ex 23:4-5 - If you come on your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray, you must lead it back to him (v.4). If you see the donkey of a man who hates you fallen under its load, instead of keeping out of his way, go to him to help him (v. 5).

The Second Reading is taken from Rm 14:7-9.

Verses 7 and 8 say: The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord.

Parallel text of verse 7 is Rm 6:10-11 that says: When he died, he died, once and for all, to sin,^e so his life now is life with God (v. 10). And in that way, you too must  consider yourselves to be dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.^f

Footnote ^e says “Christ was sinless, 2 Cor. 5:21, but having a physical body like our own, Rm. 8:3, he belonged to the order of sin; when he became ‘spiritual’, 1 Co. 15:45-46, he belonged only to the divine order. Similarly, though the Christian remains in the flesh for a time, he already lives in the spirit.”; and Footnote ^f says “Text. Rec and Vulg. ‘Christ Jesus our Lord’

   

Verse 9 says: This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living .

Parallel texts  are:

1.       Ac 10:42 - And he has ordered us to proclaim this to his people^o and to tell them that God had appointed him to judge everyone, alive or dead.^p  Footnote ^o says “I.e. the Chosen People, Israel, 10:2; 21:28.”; and  Footnote ^p says “Those still alive at the glorious coming and those who have died before the coming but then rise for judgment. See 1 Th 4:13-5:10. By raising up Jesus, God has solemnly invested him as supreme Judge, Ac 17:31; Jn. 5:22,27; 2 Tm 4:1; 1 P 4:5; to proclaim the resurrection is therefore to invite men to repentance, Ac. 17:30-31.”

2.       …and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them.

BROTHERLY CORRECTION - 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Homily for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

Based on Mt 18:15-20 (Gospel), Ez 33:7-9 (First Reading) and Rm 13:8-10 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

BROTHERLY CORRECTION

“If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone” (Mt 18:15).

The Gospel for this  Ascension Sunday (Cycle A) is taken from Mt 18:15-20 with the title “Brotherly correction.” Parallel text is from Lk 17:3 that says: Watch yourselves! Brotherly correction^a ‘If your brother does something wrong, rep[rove him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. Footnote ^a says “Lk, apparently, is thinking of a matter that concerns only two of the community; in Mt the offence is more public. Lk does not mention appealing to the community.”

Verse 15 says: ‘If your brother does something wrong,^g go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother.  Footnote  ^g says “Many authorities add the specifying phrase ‘to you’, but it is probably to be omitted. The fault in question is grave and notorious; it has not necessarily been committed against the one whose duty it is to correct it. In v. 21 the case if different.”

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Lv 19:17 - You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbor, of his offence; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself.

2.       Ga 6:1 - Brothers, if one of you misbehaves the more spiritual of you who set him right should do so in a spirit of gentleness, not forgetting that you may be tempted yourselves.

3.       Tt 3:10 - If a man disputes what you teach, then after a first and second warning, have no more to do with him;^b Footnote   ^b says “Lit. ‘Avoid any heretical man after one or two warnings’; Paul uses a contemporary philosophical term: etymologically a ‘heretic’ is someone who instead of being open to all truth chooses what truths he will believe: groups of people who agree on the same choice are ‘sects’ (offshoots of parent bodies).”

Verse 16 says: If he does not, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge.

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Dt 19:15 - A single witness cannot suffice to convict a man of a crime or offence of any kind; whatever the misdemeanor, the evidence of two witnesses or three is required to sustain the charge.

2.       2 Co 13:1 - This will be the third time I have come to you.  The evidence of  three, or at least two, witnesses is necessary to sustain the charge.

3.       1 Tm 5:19-20 - Never accept any accusation brought against an elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses (v.19). If any of them are at fault, reprimand them publicly, as a warning to the rest (v. 20).

Verse 17 says: But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community;^h and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or tax collector.ⁱ Footnote  ^h says “The ekklesia, i.e. the qahal or gathering of the brethren.;” Footnote ⁱ  says “i.e. ‘outcast’, ‘excommunicate’.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Rm 16:17 - I implore you, brothers, be on your guard against anybody who encourages trouble or puts difficulties in the way of the doctrine you have been taught. Avoid them.^h Footnote ^h says “The curt warning is reminiscent of Ga 6:12-17. It probably refers to judaising preachers, cf. Ga 5:7-12 and particularly Ph 3:18-19.”

2.       1 Co 5:11 - What I wrote was that you should not associate with brother Christian who is leading an immoral life, or s usurer, or idolatrous, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or is dishonest; you should not even eat a meal with people like that.

Verse 18 says: ‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.^j Footnote  ^j  says  

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Mt 16:19 - I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatsoever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatsoever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.ⁱ Footnote ⁱ  says “ The City of God, like the City of Death, has its gates too; they grant entrance only to those who are worthy of it. Peter has the keys. It is his function, therefore, to open or close to all who would come to the kingdom of heaven through the Church. ‘bind’ and ‘loose’ are technical rabbinic terms; primarily they have a disciplinary reference; one is ‘bound’ (condemned to) o ‘loosed’ (absolved from) excommunication. Their secondary usage is connected with doctrinal or juridical decisions: an opinion is ‘bound’ (forbidden) or ‘loosed’ {allowed). Of the household of God Peter is controller (the keys symbolize this, cf. Is. 22:22). In that capacity, he is to exercise the disciplinary power of admitting or excluding those he thinks fit; he will also, in the administration of the community, make necessary decision in questions of doctrinal belief and of moral conduct. The verdicts he deliver or the pronouncements he makes will be ratified by God i heaven. Catholic exegetes maintain that these enduring promises hold good not only for Peter himself but also for Peter’s successors. This inference, not explicitly drawn in the text, is considered legitimate because Jesus plainly intends to provide for his Church’s future by establishing a regime that will not collapse after Peter’s death. Two other texts, Lk. 22:31f and Jn. 21:15f, on Peter’s primacy emphasize that its operation is to be in the domain of faith; they also indicate that this makes him head not only of the Church after the death of Christ but of the apostolic group then and there.”

2.       Jn 20:23 - For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.

Title 2 is: “Prayer in common”

Verse 19 says: ‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 7:7-8 - Ask, and it will be given to you; search and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you(v.7). For the one who asks, always receives; and the one who searches, always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door  opened to him (v. 8).

2.       Jn 15:7,16 - If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it (v. 7). ^d You did not chose me, no. I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name (v. 16). Footnote ^d says “Var. ‘and so prove to be my disciples’. In this way the Father is ‘glorified in the Son’, 14:13. Cf. 21:19.”

Verse 20 says: For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with him.

Parallel texts are:

1.       Mt 28:20…and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.

2.       1 Co 5:4 - When you are assembled together in the name of the Lord Jesus,^b and I am spiritually present with you, then with the power of the Lord Jesus he is to be handed over to Satan so that his sensual body may be destroyed and his spirit saved o the day of te Lord.^e Footnote ^b says “Var. ‘of our Lord Jesus Christ’.”; and Footnote ^c says “Not just excommunicated, or expelled from the community, v. 13, but consigned to Satan to be punished. The punishment, however, is intended to convert the man: his ‘spirit’, that is his soul, is to be saved. Cf. 11:30-32.”

The First Reading is taken from  Ez 33:7-9.

Verses 7, 8 and 9 say: ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, warn them in my name. If I say to a wicked man: Wicked wretch, you are to die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked man to renounce his ways, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, however, you do warn a wicked man to renounce his ways and repent, and he does not repent, the he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life.

Parallel text is Ez 3:17-19that says: ‘Son of man, I have appointed you as sentry to the House of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from me, warn them in my Name (v. 17). If I say to a wicked man: You are to die, and you do not  warn him to renounce his evil ways and so live, then he shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death (v. 18). If, however, you do warn a wicked man and he does not renounce his wickedness and his evil ways, then he shall die for his sin, but you yourself will have saved your life (v. 19).

The Second Reading is taken from Rm 13:8-10.

Verse 8 says: Avoid getting into debt, except the debt of mutual love. If you love your fellow men you have carried out your obligations^c. Footnote  ^c says “Lit. ‘fulfilled the law’-apparently law in general, not only the Mosaic Law.”

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Mt 22:34-40 - But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they got together (v. 34) and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question  (v. 35), “Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?” V. 36) Jesus said, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind (v.37). This is the greatest and the first commandment (v.38). The second resembles it: You must love your neighbor as yourself (v. 39) On these two commandments  hang the whole law and the prophets also (v. 40).

2.       Jn 13:34 - I give you a new commandment:^t love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one another. Footnote ^t says “The reference to Christ’s departure, v. 33, (which leads up to the prophecy of Peter’s denial, vv. 36-38) makes this command, vv. 34-35, a solemn legacy from Christ. Though enunciated n the Mosaic Law, this precept of love is ‘new’ because sets the standard so high by telling his followers to love one another as he himself loved them, and because love is to be the distinguishing mark of the ‘new’ era which the death of Jesus inaugurates and proclaims to the world.”

3.       Col 3:14 - Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love.

Verse 9 says: All the commandments: You shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal,^d you shall not covet, and so on, are summed up in this single command: you shall love your neighbor^e as yourself. Footnote  ^d  says “Add (Vulg.)’you shall not bear false witness’.”; and Footnote ^e says “In Lv the ‘neighbor’ was a fellow countryman, here it is any member of the human family which is made one in Christ, Ga. 3:28; Mt 25:40.”

Parallel text of verse is that says:

1.       Ex 20:13-17  - ‘You shall not kill (v. 13). You shall  not commit adultery (v. 14). You shall not steal (v. 15). You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (v. 16). You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his servant, man or woman, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is his (v. 17).’

2.       Dt 5:17-21 - ^bYou shall not kill (v. 17). You shall not commit adultery (v. 18). You shall not steal (v. 19). You shall not bear dishonest witness against your neighbor (v. 20). You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, you shall not set your heart on his house, his field, his servant - man or woman - his ox, his donkey or anything that is his (v. 21). Footnote ^b says “vv. 17-20 are one verse in the Greek.”

  

Verse 10 says: Love is the one thing that cannot hurt your neighbor; that is why it is the answer to very one of the commandments.^f Footnote  ^f says “Lit. ‘that is why love is the law in all its fullness’.”

Parallel texts are:

1.       Lv 19:18 - You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your own people. You must love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.

2.       Ga 5:14 - since the whole Law is summarized in a single command: Love your neighbor as yourself.

3.       1 Co 13:4-7 - Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish, it does not take offence, and it is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.