Tag Archives: Luke 12

Admonitions

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This coming Sunday is the 3rd Sunday in Lent, Year C.  For parishes with active RCIA programs it is also the beginning of the Lenten Scrutinies when the catechumens/elect (those awaiting baptism) are present at Mass. The presider has the option to use the readings from Year A. So, if this Sunday you are wondering why the Johannine gospel of Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman at the well is proclaimed, you’ll know why! In this post we will stay with the Year C readings.

Coming as it does on this Sunday in Lent, out of sequence with the narrative flow of Luke’s gospel, we would do well to consider the verses that precede our gospel pericope.

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Fearless

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As the disciples will discover in the Passion of the Christ and in their own experience of mission, the power of the world is quite real. Throughout the millennia of Christianity many of those who have given witness to Jesus (the true meaning of martyrs) have also given their lives. And while death remains a primal fear and thus we fear those who wield its power, Jesus tells the disciples: “do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more.  I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna;  yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.” (v.4 in the same chapter)  After all, if we are people who believe in the Resurrection, then the power of mortal death is rather limited, but the authority that extends into immortal life is the real power, without limit.  Continue reading →

A Reflection on Christian Leadership

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This coming weekend is the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time. In yesterday’s post we considered the steward who is neither faithful or prudent – and the associated culpability for failing to do the right. The disciples of Jesus are to be ready to open to the Master “immediately when he comes.” The answer to Peter’s question (v. 41) directs the discourse toward the Christian leaders especially. Continue reading →

Who must listen?

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This coming weekend is the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time. In yesterday’s post we looked at the virtue of preparedness as integral to the true spirit of discipleship. Since the beginning of Luke 12 Jesus has been admonishing and encouraging discipleship, but there seems to be some confusion as to the intended audience. In v.41: Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” Peter perhaps speaks for all the apostles when he asks about the parable. Continue reading →

From gospel to gospel

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This coming weekend is the 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Lectionary Year C. Last weekend our gospel was the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21). You might have noticed that the gospel then jumps ahead to Luke 12:58. What about the passage in between (vv.22-34)? It is not used for a Sunday gospel – yet it carries an important context for our passage and serves as a bridge between the lesson of the rich fool and our text which seems to speak of the second coming of the Son of Man and the judgment that awaits. Continue reading →

A Word About Greed

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This coming Sunday is the 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time with the gospel taken from Luke 12 and, in large part, addresses our relationship to the riches of this life and what constitutes real treasure “in what matters to God.”

“Take care to guard against all greed” The text uses two verbs (horate & phylassesthe) in the present tense imperatives, i.e., continual action, in other words “continually take care” and “continually guard yourself from.”  Perhaps this is a Lucan warning that the human condition is akin to alcoholics and their desire for alcohol, we are never cured of our greediness. We are always in recovery; always in need to watch out for and to guard ourselves from this evil power in our lives. Continue reading →