Author: yuengerwv

Last Sunday the question was asked, “who is my neighbor?” Today’s first reading show’s Abraham’s response to that question in the way he treats three strangers. When we arc in Church do we reach out to say hello to people we do not know, or do we sit and complain because no one greets us? I remember people complaining one time that the bishop didn’t go around and greet people. What is wrong with people going around and greeting the bishop and each other? Do we expect others to always exhibit hospitality while we are exempt? I think it was Will Rogers who stated, “A stranger is just a friend I haven’t met yet.” The Psalm this week reminds us this week that hospitality is an issue of justice. Two weeks ago, we heard Paul boasting in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today he continues that thought when he says, “I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ on behalf of his body, which is the church.” While Christ’s sufferings lacked nothing, do we take our meager sufferings and unite them to Jesus’? Do we complain about our sufferings, or do we transform our sufferings, as Jesus did? No one likes to suffer, but suffering need not be in vain. When we transform our sufferings by uniting them to Jesus’ we participate in his salvific action. If we are his body, the Church, how is it we strive to avoid the very thing that transforms the evil into a benefit for others, and ourselves? The alleluia verse before the Gospel today stresses, “Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and bring a harvest through perseverance.” Do we have a heart generous enough to suffer willingly for others so as to increase the harvest for Christ?
This Gospel would seem to contradict the story of Abraham, and what it means to show hospitality. Marth seems to be the one who follows Abraham’s example, while Mary seems to be simply lazy. Jesus however reminds us that spending quality time with one another is sometimes more important that providing a party. Sometimes all the work gets in the way of really welcoming someone. While the food and other things are nice and can be important, the challenge is to have our priorities in the right place. Which is more important a person or food? Now if the guests were starving, food might be the inm1ediate need, but in this case Jesus is telling us we cannot just provide for the surface needs. Which one of us do not value a friend who really listens to us? I remember hearing a woman complain that her husband doesn’t listen to her. He responded that he does and offers solutions to her problems. The issue here was that he was being a Martha not a Mary. The wife didn’t want or need a solution, sb wanted the husband to simply listen and “be with her.” When do we play Martha when the person we are with needs a Mary?

Moses challenges the people with the admonition, “If only you would 1eed the voice of the LORD, your God … with all your heart and all your soul.” Do we do that? mmmm Easier said than done! Yet sit? Or do we say like the later Israelites, “it is too difficult.”?  Moses counters that and says the ability is, “very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” Are we too lazy? Do we really care? Do we really make the effort?
The Responsorial Psalm challenges us to “Tum to the Lord in your need, and you will live.” Is turning that hard? Do we not -rather choose to take the easy path we are already on, even if it is a downhill path away from where we desire to be?
Are we not often like the scholar of the law in today’s Gospel who tries to find a loophole, an excuse to not have to invest of ourselves? Notice it says, “because he wished to justify himself.” How often are we more concerned about justifying our current behavior than following the difficult path to inherit eternal life? Like him do we not play word games, “who is our neighbor?”

The first reading from Isaiah tells us that even when things are bad we should rejoice because God will ultimately bring good things. Here the Israelites are given the hope that things their lot improve. This hope is part of what makes our Hebrew traditions special in that we have a God who cares, even in the midst of punishments or external adversities. This sets the groundwork for our hope in the resurrection. We talk of Faith, Hope, and Love. Without Hope where would we be, as Faith and Love alone are not enough. It is Hope that gives us the strength, courage and perseverance to continue forward when all seems lost, when difficulties abound.
Paul in the second reading talks about his boasting in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do we boast of our difficulties? Or do we complain about them? Jesus tells us to pick up our crosses daily. Do we do so joyfully or regretfully? This is connected to the first ready in terms of our Hope. Our hope is that by uniting ourselves to the sufferings of Christ we will rise with him and rejoice with him in heave. If we want the blessing, we need to work through the sufferings. Just as when someone goes through surgery to remove a tumor. It can be a painful experience, yet without such the burden leaves us with no hope for the greater joy that comes from having the tumor gone.
Like the seventy-two in the Gospel, are we sharing with our neighbors, co-workers, friends that “The kingdom of God is at hand for you,” or do we keep to ourselves? After the apostles return rejoicing and Jesus reminds them, “Do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” As Christians, our Hope united with our sufferings gives us the assurance of our entry into heaven. How many of us want to get to heaven? Yet how many of us try to avoid the challenges here on earth that help us prepare for heaven. Do we embrace our crosses in hope for things to come? We are not called to rejoice here on eat1h, we hope to rejoice in heaven. But do we share that hope with others? How can heaven be populated if we keep silent?

In the first reading we have the call of Elisha, who left his family and followed Elijah as his attendant.  How many of us are ready to walk away from the worldly goods, family, friends, inheritance, job?  How many parents discourage their children from doing so?  If a child considers becoming a priest, brother or sister, do we support them or tell them to get real.  Letting go of family and friends is hard enough for someone with a call from God, do we make it harder or easier for them?  Do we make fun of those who have chosen the less conventional life of priest, brother or sister?  People complain when they do not have enough priest to provide for masses at convenient times, or for not being available 24/7/366.  Have we done our part to support men and women who are called to serve the Lord?
Paul reminds us that we were called for freedom.  But he reminds us we must not abuse the freedom.  We must not see freedom as something for ourselves or for our good but the good of others as he reminds us: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  How often do we forget that and use our freedoms to continue biting and devouring one another?
The Gospel says that Jesus was “resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem.”  Are we focused on the mission God has given us?  Do we even know where we are going?  Are we determined to follow Jesus wherever it may lead us?  Or do we follow him when it is convenient?  What if he asks of us to do more?  Are we willing or are we too busy?  In the Gospel not everyone was called to follow Jesus, but those who were called were expected to go forward without measure of looking back.  Jesus said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Are we fit?

In the first reading we hear that, “Melchizedek, king of Salem brought out bread and wine,” for the blessing of Abram.  As Christians we see this as a forerunner of the Eucharistic celebration.
Paul in the second reading confirms the importance of the real presence of Christ.  While some say this is merely “figurative” or that the mass didn’t exist until centuries later, it is clear Paul takes this to be quite literal and of significance.
In the Gospel we have Jesus feeding the multitude, Jesus continues to feed us with his Body and Blood each week. I remember when speaking of the real presence one person telling me it isn’t possible for Jesus to do that.  I said if Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, as we professed last week, are you telling me that God cannot do whatever God chooses to do?  The Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is among the earliest teachings of the church and is affirmed today still by the Orthodox and Catholics alike.  Some protestant churches even use the similar language even though they do not adhere to the same understanding.  Jesus gave himself on the cross and continues to reach out and nourish his disciples with an abundance of grace through the Eucharist.

In the first reading from Proverbs, we hear a personification of wisdom, often referred to as the Holy Spirit. Present before the worlds were created.
In the second reading we hear that “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us”
In the Gospel Jesus says, “Everything that the Father has is mine.” In this he is equating himself to the Father. The Trinity is not explicit in the Scriptures, but it is clearly here in the readings when properly understood. When we think of “God” do we think in Trinitarian terms? When we pray to “God” do we have a particular person of the trinity we think of? Do we pray only to the “Father”? Do we pray only to the “Son”? How often do we pray to the “Holy Spirit”? Jesus said to baptize people “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” At the climax of the mass when the cup and paten are elevated prior to the great Amen we pray through him, with him and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours Almighty Father. We clearly have a Trinitarian faith, let us appreciate this revelation provided to us by Scriptures, even if it is difficult to understand and articulate.

In the first reading the hearers of the disciples questioned how it was that, “we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God!” In our own environment do we proclaim the might acts of God for people to hear? Are we willing to allow the Spirit to use our voices, our language, our presence to proclaim the marvelous things God has done? Our proclamation may be the only one someone hears, are we always ready to let the glory of God be known?
Paul reminds us in the second reading that, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.” Do we use the gifts we have been given? Do we allow others to use the gifts they have been given? Do we try to fit God into our own boxes and only allow those things we like to be available or used?
The Gospel has Jesus telling the disciples, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Do we forgive the sins of others against us? If God forgives them, who are we to not forgive? Remember in the Our Father we ask that our trespasses be forgive as we too forgive others. Is there someone whom we have not forgiven?

ln the first reading the disciples ask, ‘”‘Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” They are still focused on a “this world” kingdom. We are challenged because we want things ”NOW”. We are not focused on the long haul. We want things to be quick and easy, no fuss no mess. Jesus never said such was his plan, so when he was lifted up the disciples were standing around not knowing what to do next. The men in white robes that appeared asked, “”Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky?” Sometimes the same could be asked of us. What are we doing? Do we stand with our hands in our pockets, or do we have our hands out, ready to get to work in bringing the good news of Jesus to others?
In the second reading Paul prays, “May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened … to the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones.” Do we allow our eyes to focus on the inheritance or are we filled with what we see at the moment? Paul asks that God will, “give you a Spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him.” Notice wisdom and revelation is not for ourselves but for knowledge of God. Do we seek such wisdom and revelation or are we stuck using wisdom and revelation for our earthly advancement? Do we see wat all wisdom all knowledge is primarily for us to know and love God?
In the Gospel, after Jesus ascended it said the disciples, “did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God.” When we think of our faith, do we do so with joy? When it comes time to give God praise, do we resent having to go to church or do we look for continual opportunities to be in his temple giving him praise?

ln the first reading we hear, “Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.” Throughout the history of our church there have been those who believe in a rigorist, law observing, behavior. In our times we have those who want to throw out the mercy of God in favor of the judgment of God. Without strict guidelines and mles and regulations from which one cannot waver, they seem lost. They forget that life is messy and not always bound up in a neat little package.
Of course, they see themselves as the true observers the ones who have everything right, even at the expense of declaring fellow believers to be going to hell because they don’t practice as they do. The second reading continues a vision by John written to encourage the faithful to hang on to the faith despite persecutions and difficulties. Each of us in our own way need to remember that our ultimate goal is not to live here forever but to join Jesus in heaven. When we have difficulties, we need to remember what Paul says in Romans: “we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope.” Like the readers of Revelations let us continue to hope in the future promised us by God and remain faithful in our trials and tribulations. Following on the heels of Revelations the Gospel reminds us that Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” We say we want peace, but do we want earthly peace or the peace that comes from following Jesus. Jesus said, if we follow him, we need to pick up our cross each day. Does that sound like peace? It does if we seek the peace from God not the peace from the world.

It says that Paul and Barnabas exhorted the disciples to persevere in the faith, saying, “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Do we want an easy faith? A faith with no hardships, with no cost? There are many who preach such a form of Christianity today. They seem to forget that Jesus told us we need to pick up our cross daily. That doesn’t sound like a feel-good thing.
We continue with John’s vision of a new Jerusalem. But remember, like Paul, John reminded us last week, we need to be ready to undergo the tribulations of discipleship before we reap the rewards.
Jesus reminds us that people will know we are his disciples if we have love for one another. How are we doing? Do we love our neighbors? Do we love our enemies? Do we forgive those who persecute us? Do we willing suffer for the good of those we may not even like?