26TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table.

Lk 16:19-31

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25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.

Lk 16:1-13

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FROM MOBILE GABRIEL

* 16:1-8a The legal system of the time allowed the steward to make agreements that were binding on his master. Although the practice of charging usurious interest was forbidden by the Old Testament it was quite common in first century Palestine. Typically, the interest was not indicated separately on the agreement. The original amount owed (principal) and the interest were added together and only the total "owed" was shown in the contract. The steward is accused of squandering his master's property (Luke 16:1) and not of any subsequent graft or theft. It was the job of such an agent to make money for his master.

* 16:1 The rich man seems to be an absentee landlord. They were no more popular in ancient Israel than they are today. The Greek word used here for charged or accused or reported is "diaballo" which means to accuse with hostile intent. He may well have been innocent of the accusation. In terms of the story it doesn't matter.

* 16:2 The master believes the accusations and prepares to dismiss the steward.

* 16:3 The steward's soliloquy acts to engage the hearer into identifying with him and to show that he will not waste time feeling sorry for himself or protesting the master's action. Rather he will take decisive and immediate action to secure a place for himself somewhere else.

* 16:5-8a Here the steward instructs the debtors to rewrite the contracts so that only the original amount owed is shown without the master's usurious profit. Although it is often stated by commentators that the steward was foregoing his commission, there is no evidence in the text or in what is known about the practices of the day to support this idea. In fact the text says twice that the sums are owed to the master. The manager gets even with the master and ingratiates himself with the debtors at the master's expense.

* 16:6 The amount is literally, "one hundred baths." A bath was a Hebrew unit of liquid measure which equaled about eight or nine gallons.

* 16:7 A kor was a Hebrew unit of dry measure for grain or wheat which was equal to ten or twelve bushels.

* 16:8 The term "dishonest" is used of the steward. This is not a simple repeat of the charge in verses 1-2 where dishonesty was not the charge. Rather it refers to his actions in verses 5-7. The master here is the rich man of verse 1 and not Jesus. The steward is not punished but praised. Prudent refers to practical action toward a particular end. It does not necessarily refer to virtue in the sense of justice.

* 16:8b-13 Luke has gathered together several originally unconnected sayings of Jesus and used them as conclusions of application to his story.

* 16:9 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 literally, "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."

* 16:10-12 Jesus urges constant fidelity as an absolute requirement for those in positions of responsibility.

* 16:13 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.

24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him. 

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This has traditionally been called the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Prodigal comes from the Latin word “prodigere” which means to squander. The adjective “prodigal” is defined as being characterized by profuse or wasteful expenditure. If we take “prodigal” to mean profuse instead of wasteful expenditure, then we can change the title of the parable into “The Prodigal Father”. The father of the two sons was profuse or superabundant in the love he has shown for his sons, especially the younger one.

The parable is bundled with two other parables. The parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Therefore, the parable of the Prodigal Son may also be called the Parable of the Lost Son. Some scholars, however, prefer to call it the Parable of the Lost Sons because in his own way, the elder was also lost.

The parable of the Prodigal Son, a marvellous revelation of God’s unending love and mercy for the repentant sinner.

Steps in the story:

• The son receives his share of the inheritance from a loving father. Asking for his inheritance while his father was still alive was tantamount to saying he could not wait until his father had died.

• He goes off to a far country, far from his father. The physical distance is but a sign of the emotional distance the son has put between him and his father.

• He is not only far in distance but also in thinking: he wastes the inheritance he has been given in pleasures and enjoyment of the most immoral kind.

• In the end, he has nothing.

• A famine strikes the place and he has nothing to eat, no money to buy food.

• He is forced (horror of horrors for a Jew) to feed pigs and is so hungry he is ready even to eat the slops given to them. Slop is food waste (as garbage) fed to animals. One can hardly imagine a lower level of abasement and poverty.

• Then, he comes to his senses. Sometimes one needs to hit rock-bottom to come to one’s senses. That’s why he remembers home and how good his situation was. There the lowest servants/slaves are better off than he is. He will try to go home. But after what he has done, he does not expect to be accepted back. He will beg to be taken as one of the lowest servants. What a humiliation! He was being served before as master. Now he will just be one of them. This is a desperate act on his part. He now prepares a carefully worded speech for his father.

• Then he starts the journey back in fear. He knows he deserves very severe treatment, if not outright rejection. “I do not know you! My son died a long time ago.”

• While still far away, the father sees him. He has been anxiously waiting all this time. Perhaps, every day he would look out the window in the hope that on that day he will see his son returning. Eager for his son, the father cannot wait. He rushes out to welcome his son and takes him in his arms.

• The son tries to make his speech. He is not allowed to continue. Instead orders are given for the best clothes to be brought out and a magnificent banquet to be laid on. “This son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.”It is a time of celebration.

• The elder son, working in the fields comes back at the end of a hard day and hears the sounds of merrymaking. When he is told what is going on, he is extremely angry. Has he not been a loyal, faithful, hard-working son and nothing even approaching this was ever done for him! He refuses to go into his father’s house.

• The father remonstrates with him: “You are always with me and everything I have is yours. But your brother was utterly lost. Now he is back, we have to celebrate.” The parable ends without us knowing if the elder son joined the celebration or if he steadfastly remained outside. This is because the parable is directed to us. And the decision to come in or to remain outside depends entirely on us.

There are three people in this story.

• The son who went far from his Father and followed his own way into the most degrading behaviour.

• The son who thought he was good and observant but, deep down, did not have the mind of his Father at all. He kept the commandments and all the rules but did not have a forgiving heart. He did not belong in his Father’s house.

• The Father whose love never changes no matter what his children do and is ready to accept them back every time without exception.

Which of these three most represents me? Which one would I want to be like?

23RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (C)

Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?

Lk 14:25-33

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This section gathers various teachings of Jesus on discipleship centering on renunciation. It is addressed to all the disciples of Jesus, present and future.

v. 26 - "If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

What is meant here is: “You have to love father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even your own life less than Jesus.” In other words, you have to love Jesus more than all of these things if you want to be his disciple.

We find a similar expression in the OT. “If a man with two wives loves one and dislikes the other…” (Dt 21:15). What is meant here is: “If a man with two wives loves one more than the other….”

Jesus does not minimize the importance of honoring one’s parents. In fact, he mentions the fourth commandment in response to the question about inheriting eternal life (Lk 18:20).

In Mt 10:37, Jesus does not include the spouse in the list of those that a disciple has to love less.

vv. 28 and 31 - Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? […] Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?

Jesus teaches the necessity of reflection before making an important commitment. In this specific case, it is about the decision of following Jesus. This decision involves making the necessary renunciation of family ties and earthly possessions. 


ANOTHER SET OF EXPLANATION

vv. 25-26. Great crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and addressed them, “If any one comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

From Mobile Gabriel:

The English translation seems somewhat more harsh than the original because English does not normally use such extreme language. The use of extreme terms such as love/hate is part of the manner of expression of the place and time. The point is that total commitment is required of a disciple of Jesus. The totality and completeness of the commitment is stated starkly. Nothing, not spouse, not children, not even life itself is to be placed ahead of our commitment to Jesus.

From Living Space:

The word “hate” is a Semitic expression not to be taken literally. It could not be so taken as the whole of Jesus’ teaching is based on love not only of blood relatives but of strangers and even enemies. It is rather a dramatic way of saying that anyone who puts any person, even those closest to them, before total commitment to Christ and his mission is not ready to be a disciple. There can be no compromise here; it is all or nothing.

We also have to say that Jesus is not recommending a literal abandonment of one’s family. That could be highly irresponsible and a violation of that commandment of universal love. But it is clear that, for those who want to be part of Jesus’ work, they have to give themselves completely and unconditionally. And, where there is a choice between the clear call of the Gospel and personal attachments, they have to let go of the latter.

vv. 28-32. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? 29Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him 30and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ 31Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? 32But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

From Mobile Gabriel:

These two parables focus on the need for proper reflection before making the choice and taking action. Those who wish to follow Jesus must carefully consider the cost of discipleship and then after choosing, they must steadfastly refuse to be deterred by any obstacle or required sacrifice. They must be willing to give up anything and everything to follow Jesus.

v. 33. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

From Mobile Gabriel:

This verse is not a command to give up all your possessions. Rather it requires that one must be willing to renounce all for the sake of the Kingdom.

From Living Space:

To be a disciple of Jesus means being absolutely free. It reminds one of Francis of Assisi leaving his family and taking off all his rich and fancy clothes to replace them with a beggar’s rags and being filled with a tremendous sense of joy and liberation.