A Parable of the Talents

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Today’s gospel is known as the Parable of the Talents. While we are reading Matthew’s version, the Gospel of Luke has a similar recounting. The Greek word used in the parable, talanton, has no metaphorical meaning. It is simply a weight measure of a precious metal such as gold or silver. Our English use of the word to mean an aptitude or ability really only dates to the late 13th century when it appeared in a metaphorical musing on the parable. Prior to that time, even the middle French and Latin equivalent to the Greek talanton meant “weight.” We point this out to remind us all that before one moves to a metaphorical sense of Scripture, one should consider the literal sense. Continue reading →

One’s Life; one’s motivation

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This coming Sunday is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. In the earlier Matthean reference to “taking up one’s cross” (10:38-39) there was a simple contrast between “finding” and “losing” one’s psyche (life, soul). The first part of v.25 speaks not of “finding” life but “wishing” to save one’s life, again emphasizing the volitional aspect already expressed in v. 24, “Whoever wishes to come after me….” A clear choice is thus offered between self-preservation at all costs and the risky business of following Jesus. But the self that is preserved by such a “safe” option is not worth preserving, since the true self is lost. By contrast, the loss of psychē (in the sense of physical life) is the way to find psychē (soul), the essence of the true life which transcends death. Loss of life as such is no gain; it is life lost out of loyalty to Jesus which ensures that true life is gained. Continue reading →

A passing thought

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What American does not think about or prepare for the future? We Americans save for a rainy day, to get married, to buy a home, to send the children to college, and to retire in comfort. Americans also protect themselves against future misfortunes with varieties of insurance. Jesus’ advice to his contemporaries, “Stay awake!” (gospel for today) and be prepared for an imminent event, belabors the obvious for Americans. However, future events did not seem to have the same grasp upon the people whom I served in Kenya. Continue reading →

A Note from Brandon

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From time to time, with permission, I post one of the weekly reflections from Brandon Jubar, our parish youth minister. This week’s reflection is a reminder to us all on the need to be mindful of the movement of the Spirit in our lives and the goodness that surrounds us.

Although I’m getting older, one thing I still have in common with teens is that it’s easy to get caught up in daily life, heads-down, and focusing on personal stuff. Unfortunately, doing that can make it feel like there’s nothing but bad news out there because that’s the only news that cuts through the daily clutter. Continue reading →

Discipleship and Its Consequences

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This coming Sunday is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. “Then Jesus said to his disciples” With these words the scene moves from the personal debate with Peter to a general pronouncement about discipleship, the first part of it echoing what Jesus has already said to his disciples in 10:38–39: “whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” The disciples’ first reaction was not the softened “self-denial” or “take up one’s burden.” They understood the cross as the sign of Roman torture and death: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (16:24) These words are about literal death, following the condemned man on his way to execution. Continue reading →

Peter’s Response, Jesus’ Rebuke

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This coming Sunday is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” Peter’s typically direct and immediate response is not likely his alone. Just as he spoke for the other disciples in proclaiming Jesus to be the “Son of the living God,” the Messiah, now he gives voice to the horror they all share upon hearing Jesus’ description of the messianic mission. Given his confession (v.16), Peter may well feel particularly let down by the idea that his Messiah should prove to be anything less than a success. Continue reading →

Denouncing the Prophet

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Today is the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist. The gospel reading, from Mark, is the familiar account of Herod’s step-daughter asking for the head of John the Baptist. “Herod was the one who had John the Baptist arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”

One wonder’s how this event would be treated in today’s communications milieu. Continue reading →

The Suffering Messiah

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This coming Sunday is the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Lectionary Cycle A.  “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do” (v.23) neatly summarizes the nature of the problem. The way the disciples react to the idea of messianic suffering and “defeat” shows that this concept of Messiahship is going to be very hard to get across. Here, as elsewhere, the mention of resurrection on the third day gets lost. It is apparently so overshadowed by the suffering and death which precedes it that resurrection seems to pass unnoticed. Continue reading →