Monthly Archives: September 2023

Background of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah

Posted on by
Reply

The first readings for the beginning of this week are taken from the Book of Ezra – a book that might not be familiar to you. Today’s post attempts to give you some background, content, and not overwhelm with arcane facts and details.  Here is the big picture: The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah are two of the historical books of the Old Testament. They tell the story of the return of the Israelites from exile in Babylon and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Continue reading →

Conflict in Jerusalem

Posted on by
Reply

This coming Sunday is the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. Jesus has already entered Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1 ff) and been received by the people, proclaimed as Messiah, overturned the moneychanger’s tables (21:12-17), and had his authority questioned by the chief priests and elders. Jesus is performing signs and speaking in a way that the people are interpreting as Messianic – and there is a history there. Jesus is not the first messianic figure to come to Jerusalem and the chief priests and elders want to protect the people – although they have already concluded that Jesus is another false claimant. They have been amassing charges and accusations against Jesus and are simply waiting for the opportunity to bring him to trial and be done with him. Continue reading →

The Landowner

Posted on by
Reply

The gospel for today is about the landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. Have you ever thought about the labors of the landowner? The landowner has a foreman who he calls upon to issue the pay at the end of the day. You’d think that part of the foreman’s job was to secure laborers for the harvest. Maybe so, but in this parable of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is the landowner who labors first and most fundamentally throughout the parable. Continue reading →

Obsessions

Posted on by
Reply

In today’s first reading we are warned against “a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds.” (1 Tim 6:4-5)  When you hear those words again, what comes to mind?  Do you view yourself as someone who values the importance of maintaining peaceful and constructive interactions with others? Do you like a good, lively, robust debate? Of course there is “lively” and there is “lively.” Continue reading →

Caught in the Midst of Assumptions

Posted on by
Reply

This coming Sunday is the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The work day is over and now it is time to distribute the wages for all the workers. It is interesting that it is the “manager” or “steward” (epitropos), not the owner, who calls the workers and gives them their pay/reward (misthos). They are the ones who dispense what the owner considers right and just. They are also the ones who take the flak from those who disagree. I think we can all relate to being the one thrust into the middle of something not necessarily of our own making. Continue reading →

The Laborers

Posted on by
Reply

This coming Sunday is the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The landowner has “hired” (misthoomai) the workers (ergates), which implies an offer to pay (misthos) them for their work. In contrast, Mt 21:28 has a father telling his son, “Go and work (ergazomai) in the vineyard today,” which may not involve payment for work done. An agreement (symphoneo) is reached between the landowner and the first workers. “I will give you what is just.” (Mt 20:4) Continue reading →

The Parable of Workers in the Vineyard

Posted on by
Reply

This coming Sunday is the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This is a well-known parable in which a landowner goes out to the village to find day laborers. He goes out several times to engage more workers. The parable never says he needed more production, in fact, the landowner’s initial intention is never stated. Nonetheless, more and more workers are added to the labor force. One might hear an echo of Matthew 9:37 – “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.” Continue reading →

Authority and the Kingdom

Posted on by
Reply

The gospel for today tells the Lucan story of Jesus’ encounter with the Roman centurion whose servant “was ill and about to die.” When the centurion hears that Jesus is coming to his house, he sends another servant with a message: “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.” Continue reading →