Two commandments into one
In the gospels the scribes or lawyers are generally portrayed as in conflict with Jesus . In today’s gospel, however, Jesus and a Jewish scribe are very much of the same mind. Jesus says to this particular scribe, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Both are agreed on what..
Seeking what is right
Seeking basic human virtue — like compassion, forgiveness, prayer, understanding, loyalty, loving affection — makes the difference between heaven and hell, life and death. Jeremiah expressed this very clearly: “Only if you reform your ways and your deeds…will I [the Lord, your God] remain with you.”…
Banking on Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy says that laws do not exist for their own sake, but to help us show faithfulness to God. This fifth book of the Bible is not so much a “second law” (the Greek “Deutero” means 2nd) but a series of fervent motivational homilies…
Making a fresh start
The destruction of Israel’s life, as described in the book of Daniel, is devastating. “We have in our day no prince, prophet or leader, no sacrifice, oblation or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favour with you.” All had gone up in flames!..
Not a narrow-minded God
Jesus challenges the rather narrow view that his townspeople of Nazareth had of God. Just as they felt that Jesus belonged to them..
The Lord has the message of eternal life: in Lent we come to know this message and deepen our relationship with the Saviour of the world.
Moving House: One of the benefits derived from this unwelcome exercise is getting rid of all the junk accumulated since our last move. It could perhaps be argued that people’s dread of moving is directly proportionate to the amount of stuff they have gathered…
There’s always Hope.. Today’s parable tells of an inheritance, “squandered … on dissolute living.” But the prodigal son hopes that the Father will somehow take him back. The Micah passage also talks about hope. The people of Judah have been “trampled underfoot,” and driven off to a foreign land…
Providence at work.. The story of Jacob’s sons is told in detail (Gen 37-50) to conclude the book of Genesis. It has one overriding motif found at the end in Joseph’s words to his brothers: “Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his purpose, the survival of many ” (50:19-20). Mysteriously yet powerfully God can bring a convoluted, mixed-up and even misguided life to a positive end..
In spite of appearances Jeremiah was bearing fruit, and Lazarus kept his integrity even though sitting with dogs and begging for crumbs at Dives’ door! Destitution can destroy one’s confidence and self-respect, but in principle it can and does coexist with inner peace and strength. The beggar can be nearer to God than the banker, the cardinal, the CEO or the government minister…
Drinking from his cup.. Jesus asks James and John, “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” He was asking them if they were prepared to share his cup, to throw in their lot with him, to follow where he leads, even though it may mean the cross. In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus prayed..
Burdens.. Jesus refers to the Pharisees as those who tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders. Rather than imposing unnecessary burdens on others, our calling is to help carry each other’s burdens, to make life less burdensome for each other…
Confessing to God: This public confession on the part of the people of Israel is one that we, the church, can make our own. We know that we too have failed, as individuals and as a community. Yet, it is to such individuals and to such a community that the Lord issues the invitation in today’s gospel, “Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.” Jesus is calling on us to be nothing less than God-like…
As we continue to celebrate Lent, it’s important that we keep the goal of our journey before us. The gospel of the transfiguration is read on this lenten Sunday each year, to remind us to hold firm to a vision of glory, on dark days. Easter and its joy will follow this season of penance, just as the resurrection followed the passion and death of Jesus.
What must be cast aside? The story of Abraham and Isaac is full of high drama. The demand that Isaac be sacrificed seemed to utterly contradict God’s promise that the boy would pass on Abraham’s line into the distant future. It was a radical trial of faith, and no greater test of obedience could be set. Abraham’s heart was pierced by the boy’s innocent question, “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?..
Perfect, but not Perfectionist.
If we hear that someone is a perfectionist, it can conjure up in our minds someone who is very demanding and rather fussy about getting everything right down to the last detail. When Jesus says at the end of today’s gospel, “Be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect,” that is not what he means
Autonomy and Responsibility.
Ezekiel calls us to persevere in doing good across a lifetime. In Matthew’s gospel Jesus roots the discernment of good and evil in the depths of the human heart. We must do more than keep a set of rules, stopping short of murdering others; we must aim to be at peace with them and not harbour anger or resentment. Jesus names the objects of our patience and kindness: they are our brother and our sister.
Taking risks.
Esther risked going to the Persian king on behalf of her people. She knew the initiative could cost her life, yet if she just hid in her ivory tower while her people were destroyed, she would be haunted with guilt. How often in life people prefer to turn a blind eye when a risky action is called for.
Exemplary Ninive.
How marvellous that the once pagan city of Nineveh can come to believe in God, proclaim a fast, pray for forgiveness, to become a model of goodness for all the rest of us! Hope can come from unsuspected quarters! Jonah adds that when God saw the repentance of Nineveh, he “repented of the evil he had threatened to do to them.” If God can change his mind, how can we be rigid in condemning others?
Jesus on prayer.
The gospels often portray Jesus at prayer, sometimes even suggesting the content of his prayer. But only once is Jesus presented as teaching his disciples a prayer for them to pray, and that prayer has become known to us as the Lord’s Prayer. It has had a privileged place within the Christian tradition because it is the only prayer Jesus explicitly taught us to pray…
