EPIPHANY - A

And on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Mt 2:1-12

v. 1. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem…

The place is called Bethlehem of Judea because there is another Bethlehem in Zebulun (Jos 19:15). Lk 2:1-7 explains how Jesus came to be born in Bethlehem and then brought up at Nazareth.

King Herod ruled over Palestine from 37-4 B.C.

Magi (magoi ) may be used in two senses: a wise man or a magician. In the NT the only other magus was Elymas (Acts 13:6ff) and he was clearly a magician.

v. 2. …saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."

The magi ask for the king of the Jews because they were gentiles. Jews would say the Christ (v. 4) o the King of Israel (27:42).

The star was the sign of a king. In Num 24:17 we read: “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel”.

In 7 B.C. there was an alignment of Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Matthew might be referring to this phenomenon.

v. 3. When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

We meet the word “troubled” again in Mt 14:26. “When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.” In this passage the Greek word is translated as terrified. In both cases being troubled and being terrified arise from unbelief.

v. 4. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

The chief priests and scribes make up the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews.

There might be a reference to Ps 2:2 “Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the LORD and his anointed”.

v. 5-6. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

The prophecy of Micah might have been combined with a passage from Samuel.

Micah 5:1 - But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.

2Samuel 5:2 - In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.'"

v. 7. Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.

From v. 16 it would seem that the star had appeared two years earlier. “When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.”

v. 8. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."

This is a lie. V. 13 “When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."

v. 10. They were overjoyed at seeing the star.

We see the same reaction in the women when angels announce the resurrection of Jesus and the command to give a message of Jesus to the disciples. “Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples” (Mt 28:8).

v. 11. …and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Worshipping Jesus is often cited in Matthew.

• 8:2 - And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean."
• 28:16-17 - The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

Symbolic meanings have been given to the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

• But they may all be gifts suitable for a king.
• They may be the materials used by a magus/magician. In this case the magi by surrendering them to Jesus may be declaring an end to their practices.

HOLY FAMILY

"Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt."

Mt 2:13-15. 19-23

This Sunday's gospel is divided into two parts:

• vv. 13-15. Flight into Egypt
• vv. 19-23. Return to Israel

v. 13. When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."

In v. 12 the Magi were warned not to return to Herod. V.13 reveals the reason. Herod wanted the baby dead.

In v. 8 Herod tells the Magi: “"Go and search diligently for the child… that I too may go and do him homage.” Contrast this with his real motive as revealed by the angel in this verse: “Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.”

Matthew sees in Jesus the New Moses. This is probably why he shows what happened to Moses repeated in Jesus. The King of Egypt, Pharaoh, wanted the Jewish children dead. Moses was hidden and was saved. Now a King wanted Jesus dead but was saved by fleeing to Egypt.

v. 14. Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt.

The verb used for “departed” is “anachorein”. Matthew uses this verb when he writes that Jesus departed from a certain place due to unbelief. See 2:22; 4:12; 12:15; 14:13 and 15:21.

It is possible that Matthew’s use of the verb “anachorein” was influenced by the Greek version of the OT (LXX or Septuagint). “Moses fled (anachorein) from Pharaoh, and stayed in the land of Midian” (Ex 2:15).

The verb “anachorein” was used in the for the following contexts:
• Withdrawal from public life
• Withdrawal to the desert by peasants who were oppressed by taxes
• Withdrawal into oneself in contemplation

Monasticism took the word in order to describe the withdrawal of monks from the world. Hence, eastern monks were called “anchorites”.

v. 15. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

The quotation is taken from Hosea 11:1. It originally referred to God’s calling Israel out of Egypt at the time of the Exodus.

v. 19. When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt…

Did Matthew make a mistake here? Herod died in 4 B.C. (Before Christ!). There is a mistake here but the mistake was made by Dionysius Exiguus who wrongly accepted the year 753 after the founding of Rome as the year of Christ’s birth.

v. 20. …and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

There is an allusion here to Moses. In Exodus 4:19 we read: “In Midian the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought your life are dead.’"

Notice the contrast between the OT and the NT.

• In the OT the king of Egypt is the enemy of Israel. In the NT it is the king of Jerusalem that is the enemy.
• In the OT Moses flees FROM Egypt to save himself and later returns. In the NT the Holy Family flees TO Egypt to save Jesus and late returns to Israel.
• In the OT Pharaoh and Egypt are symbols of unbelief and hardness of heart. In the NT it is Herod and Jerusalem.

v. 22. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee.

Archelaus reigned over Judea from 4BC to 6AD. Herod Antipas reigned over Galilee from 4BC to 39AD.
Take note of the verb “departed” (anachorein). Again there is a withdrawal from unbelief (Judea) to a place where Jesus will find faith, Galilee of the Gentiles.

v. 23. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spo-ken through the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazorean."

The source of this prophecy is unknown. It has been suggested that Is 11:1 might have something to do with this prophecy. “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” Bud is “neser” which has similarity to the name of the town of Nazareth.

4TH SUNDAY OF ADVENT - A

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins.

Mt 1: 18-24

v. 18 - When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 7 but before they lived together….

Jewish marriage consists of three steps. (1) Engagement. When the couple are still children, their parents or a match-maker arranges their marriage. (2) Betrothal. It is a one-year period when the engaged couple are already considered husband and wife but not yet living together. The betrothal may be broken if the girl does not want to go through with it. Once entered into, it can only be ended through divorce. This was the stage in which the gospel of today finds Joseph and Mary. (3) Marriage proper – at the end of the one-year betrothal.

v. 19. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to ex-pose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.

A just man is one who observes the Law. St. Jerome asks: How can Joseph be a just man if he seeks to hide the sin of his spouse (adultery)? He will only be a just man if he had insight into the origin of the child, that is, the child to be born was not the fruit of adultery but of divine intervention.

v. 20. Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

Jesus did not become a man through ordinary means.

v. 21. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Naming the child Jesus means that Joseph was adopting Mary’s son. Since Joseph belonged to the House of David, Jesus also becomes part of David’s House. In this way Scripture was fulfilled. The Messiah was to come from David’s House.

Jesus is the Greek form of Yehoshuah. Joshua is the Jewish form. It means “Yahweh saves”. Jesus was born to be a savior.

v. 22. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet….

The Greek word that is translated as “fulfill” can mean two things: (1) To realize, for example, a prophecy; (2) to fill, for example, a container. Here it means to realize the full meaning of the prophecy or to bring it to perfection.

3RD SUNDAY OF ADVENT - A

Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see?"

Mt 11:2-11

The Gospel consists of two parts:
• Mt 11:2-6. Who is Jesus?
• Mt 11:7-11. Who is John the Baptist?

v. 2. When John heard in prison of the works of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to him….

According to Josephus, Herod put John the Baptist in jail for fear that he might start a rebellion. Mt 14:3-12 instead blames it on Herodias who took offense when John told Herod that it was not right to take his brother’s wife.

The works of THE Messiah. “The Christ” or "the Messiah" - for it was a title. And this is how Matthew uses it in his gospel – 1:17; 2:4; 16:16. 20; 22:42; 23:10; 24:5. 23; 26:63. 68.

v. 3. “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"

“He who is to come” may be a title of the Messiah (3:11; 21:9; 23:39) and may have been derived from Ps 118:26 (Blessed is he who enters in the name of the Lord).

“Or shall we look for another”. In Greek “proskdokomen” means “wait for” or “expect” as in 24:50.

v. 4. Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you hear and see."

Jesus does not answer directly but asks John to consider what the messengers see and hear – the deeds and words of Jesus. These are the way to come to faith. Hence, those who do not believe are said to be deaf and blind (cf. 13:16).

v. 5. The blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.

The miracles of chapters 8 and 9 of Matthew are summarized in this list. They (the miracles) accompany the preaching of the Kingdom.

• Blind – 9:27ff
• Lame – 8:5ff; 9:1ff
• Lepers – 3:1ff
• Deaf – 9:32ff. The Greek “kophos” translate either as deaf or dumb.
• Dead – 9:18ff

The climax of the list is the poor having the good news preached to them (Is 61:1).

See also Is 29:18ff; 35:5f; 9:27ff; 61:1f.

v. 6. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.

To take offense is to sin. Jesus cause the Pharisees to sin. Their sin is their unbelief in him (12:24. 31ff).

v. 7. As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, "What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?

John preached in the wilderness as Isaiah prophesied in 40:3 (Greek transla-tion). An abundance of reed can be seen in the Jordan valley shaken by the wind and not in the desert.

The reed can also stand for a weak and vacillating person, carried away by what people say. This cannot be said of John who was imprisoned for denouncing the behavior of Herod (Mt 14:3f).

v. 8. Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.

Those who dress in fine clothing are people of the King’s court. John in fact is in prison and his clothing was that of a prophet: woven camel’s hair and leather belt.

v. 9. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.

A prophet is not one who foretells the future. He is one who speaks the word of God. When the last of the prophets died—Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, the Jews believed that the Holy Spirit ceased to be present in Israel. The appearance of another prophet meant a new epoch in the history of Israel.
Jesus says that John was more than a prophet for he is the messenger who comes before the Messiah and prepares his way.

v. 10. This is the one about whom it is written: 'Behold, I am sending my mes-senger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.'

This seems to be a fusion of two verses: Ex 23:20 and Mal 3:1.

Although Ex 23:30 is traditionally translated as “Behold, I send an angel before you”, angel may also be translated as “messenger”.

The wording in all the synoptic gospels (“before you”) differs from the Greek and Hebrew Malachi, which has “before my face” or “before me”.

v. 11. Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

No one has appeared in the world with a greater function than that of John, which is to proclaim the coming of the Messiah.

Anyone who shall gain entry into the Kingdom will be greater than John the Baptist is now.

Yet "the least in the kingdom" may also be interpreted as Jesus who came to serve and not to be served. This would agree with what John said that he who is coming after me is great then I (Mt 3:11).

2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT - A

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Mt 3:1-12

Today’s gospel is divided into three parts:
• vv. 1-6. John the Baptist in the wilderness.
• vv. 7-10. John warns the Sadducees and Pharisees.
• vv. 11-12. John preaches the coming Judge.

Who is John the Baptist?

John is the herald of the King and announces the nearness of the Kingdom. He fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: he preaches in the wilderness and prepares the way of the Lord. He dresses like Elijah who was expected to return before the Messiah. He preaches repentance and Baptism and people come to him. He baptizes them and they confess their sins.

According to Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews, Herod was afraid of John because of his influence over the people. He put him to death so that he would not raise a rebellion.

There is a similarity between the teachings of John the Baptist and the Essenes.

v. 2. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

The word used for repent is metanoia which means a change of mind. It involves turning from one’s evil ways to the commandment and love of God.

The message of John the Baptist is the same as that of Jesus in Mk 1:14-15.

Kingdom of heaven is the same as Kingdom of God. These terms do not refer to heaven in the after-life. Instead, it refers to the condition where man is in perfect harmony with God and each other and where man lives in a way that he reflects perfectly the image of God.

v. 3. It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: "A voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'"

The Hebrew version states: “"A voice of one cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord….”

v. 4. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

The clothing of John the Baptist is the same as that of Elijah (2Kings 1:8). This was to identify John as the Elijah who was believed to return before the Messiah.

Locusts was the food of poor people in Arabia, Africa and Syria.

v. 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

The Pharisees recognize both the written and unwritten law. The Sadducees accept only the written law, the Pentateuch. They lived mainly around and in Jerusalem.

Viper stands for wickedness and murder.

“Who told you to flee….” The Pharisees and Sadducees come to John as if repenting to escape the wrath. But in fact, they have not repented.

v. 8. Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.

Produce fruit (or bear fruit) is “poiein” which also translates as “do”. Fruit stand for deeds. To produce good fruits, therefore, means “to do good deeds”.

v. 9. For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

In Aramaic, “stone” and “children” sound almost the same.

v. 10. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

To cut down a fruitless tree is to pass judgment.

Fire stands for condemnation. See 3:12; 5:22; 7:19; 13:40.42; 18:8; 25:41.

vv. 11-12.
The coming Judge is greater than John himself, greater than John’s baptism nad divide men for reward and punishment.

v. 11. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.

The baptism of John is baptism of repentance. The baptism of Jesus is baptism with Holy Spirit and fire.

Joel 2:28 speaks about the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and fire are mentioned together as an allusion to the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2:3).

Fire may also be an allusion to the coming judgment which either purifies o destroys (1Cor 3:13).

v. 12. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Wheat and chaff stands for the wicked and the righteous. The wicked will receive punishment and the righteous, reward. Jesus also speaks of reward and punishment (Mt 25:46 ).

1ST SUNDAY OF ADVENT - A

For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

Mt 24:37-44

This section of St. Matthew’s gospel is directed at those who live carelessly and unprepared as if the judgment were not coming.

vv. 37-39.

The story of Noah and the Flood.
• The Genesis story emphasizes the wickedness of the people while Matthew emphasizes the unexpected coming of the flood for those who are unprepared.
• Noah is a model for a man who lived by faith and was preserved from de-struction because of his obedience to God.

Verses 37 and 39 are examples of “inclusio”. They both speak of the coming of the Son of Man. Only Matthew makes use of the term “Parousia” (coming).

v. 37. For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.

The ordinary meaning of son of man is a man. But in Dn 7:13-14 it refers to the Messianic King. Son of Man is how Jesus referred to himself in Matthew and was applied by the Church to Jesus after his Resurrection.

vv. 40-41. Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.

The end comes as a surprise. One is taken to the Kingdom; the other, left for destruction. The criterion is readiness for the coming of the Son of Man.

vv. 42-44. 

Vigilance and readiness for the coming of the Son of Man is compared to that of the coming of a thief. See also 2Pt 3:10; 1Thess 5:4; and Rev 3:3. 16:15.

v. 42. Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.

Staying awake is alertness to the will of God.

v. 43. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.

The Palestinian house had mud walls. You gain entry by just making a hole.

v. 44. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

Regarding the end of time, the right attitude is alertness and preparedness and not speculation and fear. For this reason, Luke does not place vv. 42-44 immediately after 24:1-36 (called the “Little Apocalypse”).

By being alert and ready you will not suffer loss in the coming judgment.

CHRIST THE KING OF THE UNIVERSE (C)

"Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Lk 23:35-43

v. 35 - The people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said, "He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the Messiah of God."

Luke presents to us the different attitudes of the spectators: the silent curiosity of the crowd; the contempt of the rulers; the callousness of the guards; the bitter invectiveness of one criminal and the goodness of the other.

“Chosen one” alludes to the transfiguration (Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my chosen Son; listen to him" Lk 9:35.) and to the Servant chosen by God for his work of salvation and despised by men (Is 49:7).

v. 36 - Even the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine….

In Luke the offer of vinegar was an act of mockery and not of compassion. See Ps 69:21.

v. 37 – 38 - They called out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the Jews."

Luke wants to point out the majesty of Jesus. Ironically truth about Jesus is proclaimed in the derision of the soldiers.

v. 40 – 41 - The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal."

This intervention of the good thief is found only in Luke who is interested in episodes of conversion: 7:36-50; 19:1-10; Acts 9:1-25; 10; 16:14-15. 29-34.

v. 42 - Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

This request echoes the prayer of the dying found frequently in Judaism.

Again Luke highlights the majesty of Jesus when he returns.

v. 43 - He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Paradise comes from a Persian word which means park or garden. In the Septuagint (Greek bible), it is used for the Garden of Eden which is believed to be a copy of the heavenly paradise, the future home of the just.

The Jewish belief in the after-life takes two forms. One believes in Sheol, the universal graveyard. There all the dead waited in the sleep of death until the general judgment and resurrection. The other is the just going to heaven immediately after death. This second belief is behind the promise of Jesus to the good thief.

In the parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, we find another description of the after-life: the rich man found himself in the netherworld while Lazarus found himself in the bosom of Abraham, that is, heaven (Lk 16:22-31).

33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Jesus said, "All that you see here--the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."

Lk 21:5-19

The announcement of the destruction of the Temple is the last discourse of Jesus in Luke. It is also the moment when Jesus prophesied about the tribulations that will herald the end of time and his return in glory. The language that Jesus uses is the apocalyptic language of the time.

In Luke Jesus speaks to the people in the Temple. He distinguishes the announcement of the end of time from the events that will precede it (the persecution of the disciples and the destruction of Jerusalem). He concludes by exhorting the people to perseverance (endurance) and vigilance.

v. 5 - While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings…

Construction of the Temple began in 19BC by Herod the Great. It was a whole new Temple at the time of Jesus. Votive offerings were either for construction or for decoration.

v. 6 - All that you see here--the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.

Numerous prophets of old had announced the destruction of the first Temple (Jer 7:1-15; 26:1-19) because the people had broken their covenant with Yahweh. Jesus now announces the destruction of the second Temple because the people have refused God’s invitation made through him (Mt 26:61).

v. 7 - Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"

In Lk and Mk the question is about the date and the sign of the destruction of the Temple. In Mt it is not only the date and the sign of the destruction of the Temple but also of the Parousia (second coming of Jesus) and the end of time.

The response of Jesus is about the date of the Parousia and the end of time which is different from the destruction of the Temple.

v. 8 - He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them!"

The verb deceive may also be translated as “seduced” or “lead into error”. In Hebrew apocalyptic literature it refers to messianic, diabolical, political and doctrinal error.


“I am he.” The false Messiah is he who give to himself the role and authority of Jesus.

“The time has come.” For Luke the teachers of error announce the nearness of the end of time.

v. 9 - When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end."

Luke may be thinking of the military and political upheaval that accompanied the suicide of Nero in 68 when there arose four claimants to the throne.

Wars and insurrection do not mark the end of time.

v. 10 - Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”

These are signs that will mark the end. But before these signs occur persecution of the disciples will take place (v. 12).

Wars are apocalyptic themes (Is 19:2; 2 Chron 15:6).

v. 11 - There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.

In 79 Vesuvius erupted, causing earthquakes.

The sky will also bring awesome terrifying sights (Lk 21:25-26).

v. 12 - "Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.”

Just as Christ had to endure suffering in order to enter into his glory so also the disciples have to pass victoriously through the test – persecution, which will lead to the final phase, the end of time.

Local synagogues had small Sanhedrins which became important after the fall of Jerusalem.

Being led before kings and governors – Acts 25:13 – 26:32.

v. 13 - It will lead to your giving testimony.

Giving testimony is the essential function of the Twelve (Lk 24:48); of Stephen (Acts 22:20); of Paul (Acts 22:15).

It consists in proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus and his Lordship. The Greek word for testimony is the origin of our word for “martyr”.

v. 19 - By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

Perseverance and endurance (Lk 8:15) refers to facing the dangers which threatens the Word of God. It frequently used by Paul (1Thess 1:3; Rom 2:7).

32ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him….

Lk 20: 27-38

Parallels are: Mt 22:23-33; Mk 12:18-27.

v. 27 - Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to him….

• The Sadducees were priests and aristocrats. They were wealthy and collaborated with the Romans. The Pharisees were apolitical.
• The Sadducees did not expect any Messiah. The Pharisees did.
• The Sadducees believed in free will. The Pharisees believed in fate.
• The Sadducees only accepted the Torah. The Pharisees accepted all of Scrip-tures as well as the oral and ceremonial laws.
• The Sadducees did not believe in the after-life, in the resurrection, in angels and demons. The Pharisees believed in all of these (Acts 23:8). But their belief in the after-life is very physical and carried to the extreme. For example, they believed that women will give birth every day.

Belief in the Resurrection appeared only 2 centuries before and can be found in Daniel 12:2-3. Since the Sadducees did not accept Daniel, they did not accept the belief in the Resurrection.

The Sadducees contested the Resurrection by using an argument that shows the resurrection to be ridiculous.
The response of Jesus was based on Exodus whose authority the Sadducees accept.

v. 28 - Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If someone's brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.'

This is called the Levirite law and found in Dt. 25-5-6. This, however, is prohi-bited by Lev 18:16 and 20:21.
The purpose is the perpetuate the name of the family and to assure an heir for the deceased. But the law was already in disuse at the time of Jesus. Moreover, the law became less important when daughters were allowed to inherit (Num 36).

This practice is also found among the Hittites and the Assyrians.

v. 35-36 - But those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise.

The phrase “deemed worthy” seems to suggest that it is a grace to be admitted to the world to come.
Jesus gives us an idea of what the resurrection entails, “we shall be like the angels”. The material will pass away.

Instead of children of God, read “sons of the resurrection”. They are heirs of the new world to come and of the life in that world.

There is no intention to devalue marriage. The intention is to stress that in the after-life there is no other preoccupation but to serve and praise God.

v. 37-38 - That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called 'Lord' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.

Jesus quotes Ex 3:6 because the Sadducees accept the authority of the Book of Exodus, being part of the Torah. “I am the God of your father," he continued, "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob." Take note that God says: “I AM the God your father” not “I WAS the God of your father.”
God takes care of the living. God revealed himself to Moses as the God of the Patriarchs, as a living God who guides the history of the living. Moreover, men may lose their friends to death. But not God.

v. 39 - Some of the scribes said in reply, "Teacher, you have answered well."

The scribes applaud Jesus because he has proven the Sadducees wrong. We can also find in Mk 12:32, a scribe commending Jesus for his answer. The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.'”

30TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

Lk 18:9-14

The parable is not a simile, nor a comparison, but an example which presents a behavior to be imitated or to be avoided. Cf. 12:16-21; 14: 28-32; 16: 1-8; 18:9-14.

v. 9 - He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else.

Jesus criticizes those who are secure in their justice (5:32; 15:7) and who want to show it off (16:15; 10:29). The parable is an appeal to humility (v. 14).

v. 12 - I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.

The Pharisee truly fulfills the practices of piety of his sect (5:33; 11:42) and he finds in them the security of his justice; but he expects nothing from God.

v. 13 - But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, 'O God, be merciful to me a sinner.

What the publican says is true: he is a sinner. But this sincere confession opens him to God and to his grace.

v. 14 - I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.

That justice which the Pharisee pretends to have acquired through his works, is a gift which only God can give (Phil 3:9).

This sentence (for everyone who exalts himself….) which we also find in 14:11 was probably put here by Luke in order to show that this parable is an invitation to humility.

29th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

Lk 18:1-8

vv. 2-5 – This parable was originally with Lk 11:5-8 to form a doublet. Their purpose was to invite us to persevering prayer. Other doublets can be found in: 5:36-38; 13: 1-5. 18-21; 14:28-32; 15:4-10.

v. 1 - Then he told them a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.

Pray always and pray without growing weary are Pauline expressions.

Pray always: 2 Thess 1:11; Phil 1:4; Rom 1:10; Col 1:13; and Philemon 4.

Pay without growing weary: 2 Thess 3:13; 2Cor 4:1.16; Gal 6:9; and Eph 3:13.

This prayer is centered on the eschatological return of Jesus. Lk 18:6-8 and Lk 17:20-27 (preceding discourse).

v. 2 - "There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being.”

This was not a judge under the Jewish Law. Ordinary disputes were brought before an elder. In matters of Jewish Law demanding arbitration, there were three judges. One judge is chosen by the plaintiff, the second by the defendant and the third, was independently chosen.

Therefore, the judge here was appointed either by Herod or the Romans. They were called Dayyaneh Gezeroth, judges of prohibition. However, they were popularly called Dayyaneh Gezeloth, robber judges because they demanded and received bribes.

v. 4-5 - For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, 'While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.'"

In the parables of Luke, characters often express their inner thoughts by means of a monologue: Lk 12:17; 15:17-19; 16:3; 18:4; and 20:13.

It seems that instead of “lest she finally come and strike me” the translation should be: “lest she pester me to death”. This is because it is the widow’s insistence that finally brought her justice.

v. 6 - The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.

Luke uses this title “Lord” 20 times in the narrative section. This count excludes the vocation use of “Lord”. Matthew (21:3) and Mk (11:3) use the title only once.

By using the title “Lord”, Luke wants to emphasize the mysterious majesty of Jesus.

v. 7 - Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?

Luke does not hesitate to compare God to the dishonest judge. But in this case, comparison does not mean similar but different.

Also , he uses an “a fortiori” line of reasoning, that is, if dishonest judge acts this way, how much more will God act on your behalf.

This verse seems to be a reassurance in the face of seeming inaction of God regarding the evil in the world or the delay of the Parousia (Second Coming of Jesus). Cf. 2Pt 3:9 and Rev 6:9-11.

v. 8b - But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

The coming of the Son of Man is a judgment that will happen in the indeterminate future. And therefore, will your faith be strong enough in the face of the delay of the Parousia?

The second half of verse 8 is independent of the parable. It refers to the apostasy that will grow until the end of time. This is a classic theme of eschatology. Cf. 2Thess 2:3 and Mt 24:10-12.

28th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!

Lk 17:11-19

v. 11 - As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.

The mention of going to Jerusalem indicates that a new section is starting (17:11-19:28). We see the same sign post in 9:51 and 13:22.

The structure of Luke’s gospel is a journey to Jerusalem.

Examining the geography of Palestine, we should be surprised that the Jesus traveled through Samaria and Galilee. The order of Jesus’ journey should be Galilee and then Samaria. It is perhaps because of this error that some manuscripts attempted a correction by indicating instead that Jesus “traveled along the border of Samaria and Galilee”.

v. 12 - As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him….

Those who were put under the classification as lepers were not only those af-flicted with Hansen’s disease but other kinds of skin diseases.

They are to live separated from the general population. They have to warn others of their presence by ringing a bell and shouting “unclean, unclean”. They are to keep themselves at a distance from healthy people – 50 yards if they are windward from them. Cf. Lv 13:46.

v. 13 - and raised their voice, saying, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!"

“Master” is used to translate “epistates”. This is common in Luke but the only time used by someone who is not a disciple. “Epistates” expressed a more profound faith in the authority of Jesus in contrast to “didaskalos” which is also used to translate “master” (Lk 5:5).

v. 14 - And when he saw them, he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests."

The priests were authorized to certify that a person has truly been healed and can, therefore, return to the community. Cf. Lv 14:2-3

v. 15 - And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice.

To praise God and to give glory to God is the usual reaction of those present who witnessed a divine manifestation or a miracle. Lk 2:20; 5:25.26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15.18.

v. 16 - He was a Samaritan.

Luke makes use of the Samaritan, the centurion, the non-Jew in order to provide an unexpected twist in the narration. It may be a way of indicating the acceptance of the gospel by the pagans.

27th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

"If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."

Lk 17:5-10

v. 5. And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."

The apostles were the Twelve who were chosen from the disciples. They were sent to bring the good of news of salvation. The apostles are mentioned in the following passages in Luke: 6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; and 24:10.

Matthew and John uses the term only once, while Mark uses it twice.

Unlike Paul, the gospel of Luke reserves the title “apostle” for the Twelve (Acts 14: 4.14).

v. 6. The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.”

Other texts read “sycamore tree”.

v. 8. “Would he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished'?

An alternative translation to “put on your apron” is “gird your loins”. It actually means to take the folds of your garment (long tunic) and tie them at the waist. This is done to facilitate movement when one works.

This was how the Passover was celebrated (Ex 12:11). Although it originally pointed to the hurried departure of Israel from Egypt, it took on a new meaning—readiness to meet the Messiah who was coming.

v. 10. “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.'"

The disciple is reminded that no one is indispensable in the service of the Lord.

26TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Abraham replied, 'My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented."

Lk 16: 19-31

The first reading from Amos and the Gospel share a common concern. Amos declares that lack of concern for others will not go unpunished by God. Luke states that an element of Christian discipleship is care for the poor and the outcasts.

The rich man remained unnamed. (Preachers though have named him “Dives” which is the Latin for “rich”). On the other hand, the poor man was given a name in the story, Lazarus. (He is not to be confused with Lazarus in John’s Gospel. In that gospel, he is certainly not poor. He also has two sisters, Martha and Mary, who would have surely taken care of him.) This shows reversal of values. The poor is given more importance than the rich.

Giving importance to the poor is a favorite them of St. Luke’s gospel. We find this in the Beatitudes and in the Canticle of Mary.

"Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh” (Lk 6:20-21).

He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty” (Lk 1:52-53).

Does God love the poor because they are poor? Yes. And it is, I think, in this sense. Cardinal Sin used to say that he was his mother’s favorite because he was the ugliest child. (In reality, it was because he was a sickly child.) In the same way God loves the poor in the sense that it is they who need more attention than the rich.
Does this mean that God wants us to be poor? Of course not. Mother’s don’t want any of her children to be ugly or sickly.

Take note that the rich man was condemned to Hades not because he did anything bad to Lazarus. In fact, he did nothing to Lazarus. His was the sin of omission. He failed to do anything to alleviate the hardship of Lazarus. The rich man lacked compassion. Lazarus was just outside his home, at the door of his house. But he closes his eyes and his heart to him.

The Christian way is to use one’s money not only for oneself and also for others.

There is a place in Mabini, Batangas called “Little Italy”. You can easily set apart this barangay because of its beautiful houses. They belong to OFW’s who work in Italy. These OFW’s, however, do not only send money to build their houses but also for the construction of public buildings, like classrooms.

It is not unusual for an aunt or uncle who have to work to earn a living to sponsor the studies of a nephew or a niece.
Knowing how expensive it is to bury the dead, neighbors and friends willingly give their “abuloy” to help defray the expenses.
Sometimes, it is not a question of money. When I was small, a very strong ty-phoon struck Metro Manila. Our neighbor’s roof was made of nipa. It was easily blown away like a piece of paper. My mother welcomed them into our house and gave them a change of clothing.

A statement of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines is worth remembering: “No one is so poor as to be incapable of giving anything and no one is so rich as to be in need of nothing.”

While generosity is to be appreciated and promoted, it is also important not to create an attitude of perpetual dependence. The barangay captain of Little Italy laments the fact that since the OFW’s send money every month without fail, the people there have become lazy. They have found no reason to work anymore.

For this reason, GK does not just dole out houses to the poor. GK demands community participation. It requires the members of the community to do the work of building the houses that they will live in.

25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

You cannot serve God and mammon.

Lk 16:1-13

The situation

The master or owner lived elsewhere. He had a steward or administrator who can enter into agreement on behalf of his master (power or attorney?).

Charging of interest was forbidden by the OT. In order to skirt this prohibi-tion, only the sum of the principal and the interest appeared in the document (a sort of I.O.U.).

vv. 1-2. A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.'

The steward was accused of squandering the property of the master, not of any dishonesty.

The Greek word for “reported” meant “accusing someone with hostile in-tent”. The steward could have been innocent but the master believed the report.

vv. 3-4. The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.'

The steward did not waste time engaging in self-pity. He studied the situation and took decisive action.

vv. 5-7. He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' Then to another he said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.'

The steward re-wrote the I.O.U.’s of the debtors. He removed the interest and left only the principal.
In today’s terms, the oil owed was somewhere between 210 and 450 liters. It was reduced to somewhere between 105 to 225 liters.

The grains owed (using volume and not weight) was somewhere between 21,000 to 45,000 liters. It was reduced to somewhere between 10,500 to 22,500 liters.

The amount owed show that the debtors were probably merchants and not tenants.

v. 8. And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

The master here is the rich man. He praises the steward for his prudence. Here prudence is to be understood as practical action toward a particular end and does not necessarily refer to virtue.

v. 9. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

We are told by Jesus that we (the children of light) must be at least as clever and enthusiastic about the things of heaven as the children of this world are about the things of earth.

The Greek words translated here and in verse 11 as "dishonest wealth" is lit-erally, "mammon of iniquity." Mammon is the Greek transliteration of a Hebrew or Aramaic word that is usually explained as meaning "that in which one trusts."

vv. 10-12. The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustwor-thy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?

Jesus urges constant fidelity as an absolute requirement for those in positions of responsibility.

v. 13. No servant can serve two masters. 8 He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

Dependence on wealth is opposed to the teachings of Jesus who insists on complete dependence on the Father as an important characteristic of the Christian disciple (Luke 12:22-39). A disciple must give complete and exclusive loyalty to God or he runs the risk of being enslaved by mammon. One shows this loyalty to God by sharing mammon (wealth) with others.

22nd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

Lk 14: 1. 7-14

v. 1 - On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.

Many times Luke makes use of a meal as a setting for Jesus to make a point, to teach a lesson. He addresses the Pharisees who Luke considers to be representatives of Israel’s thought.

Luke alone among the Evangelists shows the Pharisees to not be entirely adversarial toward Jesus. They invite him to dinner (11:37) and even warn him about Herod (13:31). Luke’s attitude was probably influenced by Paul who was proud to identify him as a Pharisee (Phil 3:5; Acts 23:6; 26:5). His portrayal of the Pharisees vis-à-vis Jesus was probably closer to the truth.

v. 7 - He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

Jesus also criticized the scribes for this kind of behavior (20:40).
At first glance Jesus seems to be giving a lesson on how to behave in polite society as we also see in Prov 25:6-7. Instead, it is a lesson opposed to preoccupation on rank found in Jewish society.

v. 9 - and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, 'Give your place to this man,' and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place.

He has to take the lowest place because all the other seats have been taken.

v. 11 - For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who hum-bles himself will be exalted.

We find the same declaration in Ez 21:31.

Jesus condemns the proud security and certainty of the Pharisees (16:15; 18:14).

v. 13 - Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.

Luke gives special attention to the poor (those without the goods of the earth), the humble and the little ones. He invites compassion for them.

He declares the poor blessed (6:20) in contrast to Matthew who adds “in spirit” (poor in spirit, Mt 5:3) for they are the anawim who rely on the goodness of God.

v. 14 - blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.

Jesus makes a promise of a reward for those who are altruistic, for those who show disinterested goodness, for those who provide loving service to the needy and helpless.

21st SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.

Lk 13:22-30

v. 22. He passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.

The mention of making his way to Jerusalem indicates the beginning of a new section (13:22-17:10). The gospel for this Sunday (13:22-30) gathers various pronouncements of Jesus about entering the Kingdom of God. Luke addresses these pronouncements to the Jews who do not believe in Jesus.

v. 24. "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough”.

Jesus does not answer the question on how many will be saved.

The word that is translated as “strive” may also be translated as “agonize”. Entering the narrow gate is something over which one should agonize.

v. 26. And you will say, 'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'

These are the Jews who witnessed the ministry of Jesus.

v. 27. Then he will say to you, 'I do not know where (you) are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!'

The speaker here is the judge of the last days. He does not know the Jews who do evil.

It is not enough to belong to the line of Abraham. It is necessary to welcome Jesus in faith.

v. 28. And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.

Those who do not respond to the invitation are excluded from the Kingdom.

v. 29. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God.

The kingdom of God is compared to a wedding banquet. The pagans are the people from the four corners of the globe who will participate in the wedding banquet.

19th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Gird your loins and light your lamps.

Lk 12:35-40

Lk 12:35-40 consists of parables regarding vigilance while waiting for the re-turn of Jesus.

v.35. Gird your loins.

The people of Palestine wore long robes. Bringing them up and tying them with a belt would facilitate movement and work.

v. 36. Be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.

The time of return from a wedding was unpredictable. It would be late into the night.

v. 39. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

The walls of Palestinian houses were thin and made of mud. Entry would be easy. You just had to open a hole.

What are the disciples to be prepared for?

Originally, they had to be prepared for the death of Jesus and the crisis into which this would plunge the disciples. They should also be prepared for the destruction of Jerusalem which was punishment for the rejection of the Messiah.

After all these came to pass, the warning of Jesus was applied to the Parousia, that is, to the return of Jesus at the end of time.

18th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.

Lk 12:13-21

Luke 12:13-34 gathers the teaching of Jesus regarding one’s attitudes in front of the goods of this world. This Sunday mentions only two teachings: (a) 13-15 is a warning on greed; and (b) 16-21 is the parable about the rich fool.

v. 13. Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."

Rabbis were sought out to settle criminal, civil, religious and moral disputes.

v. 14. He replied to him, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?"

Jesus refuses to assume a temporal role. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s….”
He differentiates himself from Moses who acted as leader and judge among the Israelites.

v. 15. Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions."

The reason why Jesus does not allow himself to get involved in questions about money is that it is not the source of life.

v. 17. He asked himself, 'What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?'

In Luke’s parables, the characters often engage in monologues. See the Prodigal Son (Lk 15: 17-19).

v. 19.And I shall say to myself, "Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!"

The literal translation would be: “And I shall say to myself , ‘My soul, you have so many good things….”
In the OT, souls refers to the whole person.

v. 20. But God said to him, 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you.”

The identity of the agent is understood. It is God who will demand his life from him. It means this night you will die.

v. 21. Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.

Being rich in what matters to God is the same as laying up for yourself treasure in heaven. This is the teaching of the parable.

17th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Lk 11:1-13

The OUR FATHER is more than just a prayer. It is a personal commitment that has to be examined and renewed everyday:

• If I do not see in every man a brother of mine,

I cannot say: OUR FATHER

• If I worry too much about material goods,

I cannot say; WHO ART IN HEAVEN

• If God has no real place in my life and I am not a true Christian,

I cannot say: THAY KINDGOM COME

• If I concentrate only in doing my will in everything and

I cannot bear suffering as I enjoy pleasure,

I cannot Say: THAY WILL BE DONE

• If I do not care for people who suffer hunger,

Who are illiterate, who are homeless,

I cannot say: GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD

• If I live a life that encourages acts of injustice,

If I lack charity and harbor hatred in my heart towards my neighbor,

I cannot say": FORGIVE US OUR SINS

AS WE FORGIVE THOSE WHO SINNED AGAINST US

• If I close my eyes to the truth and allow myself

To be carried along the paths of lies and vices

And I have the intention of living in sin,

I cannot say: DO NOT LET US FALL INTO TEMPTATION

• If I myself do not actively fight against evil;

I cannot say: DELIVER US FROM EVIL

• If I do not agree with all the demands of the OUR FATHER

I cannot say: AMEN

Lord, help me fulfill what I ask for in my prayer!!!

(I can no longer remember the source of this reflection.)

EXPLANATION OF THE GOSPEL

Structure. (a) Lk 11:1-4. Our Father as model for prayer; (b) Lk 11:5-8. Parable on the importance of persistence in prayer’ (c) Lk 11: 9-13. An invitation to turn to the Father with full confidence.

Lk 11: 1-4 has a parallel in Mt 6: 9-15.

In Lk the “Our Father” was taught after Jesus had prayed and his disciples requested him to teach them to pray. In Mt it occurred in the Sermon on the Mount.

Matthew is longer and was probably used during the Liturgy. Lk is shorter and probably comes closer to the original.

v. 1a. He (Jesus) was praying in a certain place.

Luke often speaks of Jesus in prayer. It is his place of encounter with the Father. Lk 5:16; 6:12; 9:18. 28-29; 10:21; 11:1; 22:32. 40-46; 23:34.46.

v. 1b. And when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.

It was the custom for a Jewish rabbi or teacher to teach his followers a simple prayer they could regularly use.

v. 2a. He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name. 

Jesus begins his prayer with “Father” (Lk 22:42; 23:34.46).

Alternative translation would be: Father, make known to all who you are. May glory be given to you.
The name of God is the being of God.

God is all-holy. We cannot add more holiness to him. But we do sanctify God by obeying his commandments and in this way recognize his authority over us.

The prayer makes use of the passive voice in order to avoid mentioning the name of God. Thus, it is understood that it is God who will bring about the sanctification of his name.

v. 2b. Your kingdom come.

We pray that this kingdom having come and inaugurated by Jesus may soon be revealed and definitively acknowledged over all the earth.

v. 3. Give us each day our daily bread.

St. Luke might have in mind the manna in the desert which was collected day by day. In contrast, Mt’s version only asks for the bread for today – “Give us today our daily bread.”

v. 4a. And forgive us our sins.

The better translation would be: And forgive us our debts. Here sin is called ‘debt’. Debt is an important obligation which may cause one to lose his freedom. We see this in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Mt 18:24-25).

This is the image of the sinner before God. The sinner cannot pay for his sins. The only thing he can hope for is the condonation of his debt (forgiveness of his sins) as the master of the unforgiving servant did (Mt 18:27).

v. 4b. For we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us.

Another translation would be: For we ourselves forgive everyone who have wronged us.

In Mt forgiveness towards others is especially mentioned in connection with prayer (Mt 5:23-24). On the other hand, Lk does not situate it within a special moment, but at any time in one’s life.

v. 4c. And do not subject us to the final test.

Alternative translation: And do not lead us into temptation.

The disciple of Jesus does not ask God that he be not tempted. Instead, he asks God to help him avoid a test which might be too strong for him to overcome.

Mt adds ”but deliver us from the evil one”, that is, Satan. Nevertheless, Lk is aware that temptation comes from Satan (Lk 4: 1-2).

16th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Mary has chosen the better part.

Lk 10:38-42

The Martha and Mary mentioned here are the same as the Martha and Mary mentioned in Jn 11:1-3.
We also notice that Jn 11:20 confirms the character of Martha as the active one and Mary as the laidback.
Moreover, the Mary in these two passages cannot be identified with Mary Magdalene.

She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak.

This verse portrays Mary assuming the attitude of a disciple. We read the same thing in Lk 8:35.
In the Jewish context, the disciple sits at the feet of the teacher while the latter teaches the former (Acts 22:3).

Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing.

Only a few things are needed. Jesus is telling Martha that she need only to prepare a simple meal.

Martha is being reproached not because she is busy preparing the meal, but because of self-pity. Furthermore, Jesus is not asking her to stop what she was doing.

This verse is not teaching that contemplation is superior to action. But this verse is about listening to God’s Word, and that it is more important than any earthly pre-occupation.

15TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

And who is my neighbor?

Lk 10: 25-37

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?

The scribe was an expert of the Law. The question he posed was probably not to trap Jesus but to see how good his answer was and thus, see for himself how good a teacher he was.

In Mt and Mk, the question of the scribe was: “What is the greatest (or first) commandment?”

The answer of Jesus was a question which demanded from the scribe to publicly state his position.

He said in reply, You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

The first part of the response of the scribe is taken from Dt 6:5 while the second was from Lv 19:18. It was common for Rabbis to quote both verses. But what is unique here was that the scribe made love of neighbor as important as love of God.

He replied to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."

Jesus approved the answer of the scribe.

But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

At that time Jews considered only fellow Jews as neighbors. Non-Jews were not neighbors. In his sincere search for eternal life, the scribe seriously pursued the question as to who belonged to the category of neighbor.

The answer of the parable was: your neighbor is anyone who is in need. It is for this reason that the nationality and religion of the victim was never mentioned.

Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"

This question of Jesus served to further reveal the deeper meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is not a question of who is our neighbor. Rather it is a question of us behaving as neighbors to others. It is not the responsibility of others to merit our assistance. It is our responsibility to assist others no matter who they are.

14TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

Lk 10:1-12, 17-20 or 10:1-9

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

It is the number of elders who were tasked to help Moses in leading the people during their sojourn in the wilderness. It is the number of members of the Sanhedrin, the highest religious governing body of Israel. This indicates that the 70 disciples were to assist Jesus in his ministry and mission.It is also the number of nations in the world. In this case, it may mean that the ministry of Jesus is directed to all peoples of the world.

Behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;and greet no one along the way. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you… Do not move about from one house to another.Eat what is set before you.

The presence of Jesus makes the Kingdom of God present. The forces of evil are banding together to opposes the Kingdom. Hence, the 70 disciples are compared to lambs in the midst of wolves. Because of this, proclaiming the presence of the Kingdom of God becomes urgent. The urgency of their mission requires that they do not burden themselves with material things, that they do not engage in time-consuming ceremonies required in those days for greeting people, that they do not spend their time in seeking comfortable lodgings, and in being choosy about the food that is offered them.

Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.'

Jesus issues a stern warning to those who refuse the invitation to enter the Kingdom. They will merit punishment.

Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky."

The fall of Satan from heaven symbolizes the defeat of evil. It is also a warning to the disciples against being proud about their success. Pride was the cause of the fall from heaven of Lucifer and his cohorts. They must never forget that their success was due to the assistance that God granted them to fulfill their mission.

A story is told of the donkey that Jesus had used for his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus was entering Jerusalem, the donkey was surprised to see many people waving branches and shouting alleluia. His surprise, however, turned into joy. He thought to himself: “Look at how important I must be. So many people have gone out of their homes to admire me. I must really be an exceptional donkey.” Little did he know that people did not even notice him. In fact, they were waving the branches and shouting alleluia for Jesus and not for the donkey.

We behave like that donkey when we forget that the good we have accom-plished and the talents that we have come from God.