The Gospel story is about celebrating a wedding. But those who are invited “refused to come.” “Some ignored the invitation and went away.” “The rest laid hold of the messengers, mistreated them, and killed them.” Other messengers went to “the main roads and invited” all “to the feast,” “and the hall was filled with…
Jesus told a parable “to the chief priests and the elders,” “There was a landowner who planted a vineyard… Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one…
“Jesus said to the chief priests and elders, “A man had two sons. To the first he said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He…
Isaiah tells us of the distance between “the Lord” and the people. Those who are obedient should “call on the Lord while he is near.” To those who are disobedient and thus far from the Lord, he says, “Turn to the Lord for mercy… as high as the heavens are above the earth, so…
Today’s Old Testament reading focuses on the Chosen people to whom the Lord God Yahweh says, “I have appointed you watchman for the house of Israel.” “If I tell the wicked, ‘O wicked one, you shall surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall…
“Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to…
The Pharisees and Sadducees have been testing Jesus about who he is. Later, “Jesus asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ Jesus is letting rulers know who he is, a person of integrity. He is letting the people know through the communities he’s building that they too are…
A “Canaanite woman” “called out to Jesus, ‘Have pity on me,’” “My daughter is tormented by a demon.” But Jesus did not say a word in answer to her. Jesus’ disciples came and asked him, “Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.” He said in reply, “I was sent only to…
Today’s Psalmist calls upon his Lord Yahweh who is a warmaker to save the land of Israel, “Restore us, O Lord, our savior.” In the Gospel, Peter sees his peacemaker teacher in a boat on the water and calls upon him, “Have me to come to you.” Jesus does, “Come” he says, and so…