Mark 12: 1-12 Memorial Day

Today's Gospel is a story we have heard countless times and is even alluded to within the passage that the Master is the God the Father, who sends his servants, the prophets, that are run off.  Then he sends his only son to the tenants, who then kill him, as did truly would through his Crucifixion. 

The question then becomes, which characters in the story are we?  Are we servants who come to the tenants on the Lords behalf?  Are we the tenants trying to live ordinary lives, worried about day to day living and thinking of ways to acquire wealth to live comfortably? 

In reading a newsletter with an article by Fr. John Hampsch I chucked because we sometimes get into thoughts, like, if this was my last day, what would I do, or what is on my bucket list that I can accomplish now?  We focus so much on the doing.  Fr. Hampsch pointed out, that we ought to be looking at instead, how will God see us on the day we die?  In thinking about that, how tricky since none of us knows the day nor hour of our death except the Father in Heaven. How then can we put forth our best selves so that we'd be prepared at a moment's notice to meet the father? 

Perhaps the answer lies in today's parable.  If we are those to whom the master sends his servants and his son, wouldn't it be wise then, to be good stewards, to be hospitable to others, to live honestly, to act justly? 

Today in thinking of those Veterans who fought for our rights, our freedoms, I think of my grandfather and Godfather who fought in WWII.  They had horrible tales, the worst of which were never shared, but they also had tales of hope and hospitality from strangers in both Europe and in the Philippines.  We are all called to be good stewards in our different vocations in life.  May we rise to the expectation set by Our Father.

Mark 10: 17-27 All things are possible for God

In today's Gospel we encounter the young man seeking Jesus, the Master, "What must I do to inherit eternal life."  We may all seek the answer to that same question.  When we reflect on that question though, don't we realize that we have placed the burden on our selves alone, "What must I do?" as if salvation and the act for it are found within us, as if we have that extraordinary power of God and can do this.  It reminds me a little of an RCIA candidate that I worked with years ago.  She'd worked for a municipality and believed in the black box: if you put something into one side, you get something out the other side.  She didn't understand how that box worked, and wanted to have it for herself so that she could become Catholic immediately without having to go through the process of initiation. 

It brings us back to the question of faith.  Is faith something that we create ourselves?  No.  It is that impuse within us set by God that draws us closer to him and yearn for him.  The young man in today's Gospel say the goodness in Christ, but as Christ willingly admits, that goodness comes from God and is merely reflected in Christ because of his faith and relationship with the Father. 

This story is a great story because it illustrates that we can live a good life being devoted to the Lord, but still harbor those things within us that keep us temporality bound.  Perhaps it really is more possibly for a camel to pass through the eye of a tiny needle than for the rich man to pass into Eternal Life, but thankfully Jesus Christ reminds us that "all things are possible for God."  He sent his only begotten son (an incredible and seemingly unlikely thing) to suffer and die, to descend into hell the be raised (wait, that was only possible for God!), and ascend into Heaven so that we all may be united with him in his glory within the Kingdom.  Jesus in these few words of faith and omnipotence of God brings us right back to the Passion and Resurrection.  Alleluia!  Praise be to God!

Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 The Master of the Vinyard

Pharisees and Sadducees surround Jesus to hear him preach.  What does Jesus present to them?  The allegory of the vineyard master to sends his servants and then his son to collect the rent from the wicked tenants.  Jesus' message is clear in Matthew:  The Pharisees and the Sadducees are those tenants. In reality the talk about having Jesus executed has already begun. 

Wait, what did Jesus say?  Those wicked tenants would be killed and the land rented to others?  Isn't God kind and loving?  Did Jesus really say that?  We could imagine the evangelist writing it down or others invented the story or embellished it to make it more dramatic.  Some people tend to do that to make themselves feel safe with the idea that God wouldn't do that, that he truly loves everyone. 

However, maybe it serves as a big red WARNING sign that hey, you should feel uncomfortable.  Be awake and aware of what you are doing.  One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is fear of the Lord (Timor Dei) and this is what Jesus is invoking in us.  Be on guard, think.  Act righteously.  How can Jesus' words help shake us up and help us get back on track?