Jesus’ parables, in addition to being enjoyable and thought provoking, are a means to speak truth to privilege. This Sunday’s parable is one example. It is a long parable that tells a story about invited guests who reject a meal and kill servant messengers. It is basically an account of the destructive history of…
What are the responsibilities of an Old Testament prophet? Overall it was to call people to convert back to Yahweh. Old Testament prophets could fulfill their responsibilities by lording sinner’s guilt over them. They could threaten doom until offenders repented. Jesus’ witness was not centered on guilt or doom or harm of any type.…
At various times, for our own reasons we have felt within us an ache – for something that seemed unable to be satisfied. We have felt a longing – for things to be different than they are. Often, it’s a personal ache: for a spouse to love us as they once did, for a…
St. Lawrence, whose feast day is next week, fits well with Jesus’ teaching this Sunday; “the Community of God is like a treasure.” Lawrence lived in Rome and was a disciple of Jesus (?225-258). He served his faith community by caring for those who were poor, distributing the goods of the community to people…
Jesus’ deep connection with nature is apparent in his parables. We see it this Sunday with his parable about the sower, the seeds, and the ground on which the seeds fall. The wise people listening know Jesus is speaking truths about nature as well as truths about humanity. People who are wise are like…
In the Gospel, Jesus is called the Bread of Life, meaning a source of nourishment shared for all. Jesus calls disciples to be nourishing as well. Helping to nourish people, physically and spiritually, is a basic ingredient of discipleship in Christ. As author Monika Hellwig wrote, disciples learned that to be true to Jesus…
Jesus spent his life in nature. He consistently identified with nature. He used nature in his parables. He used it for metaphors when teaching people about life. Jesus is speaking about nature, sheep and shepherds specifically, and about life in general this Sunday when he says, “A thief comes only to … destroy; I…
Included in this Sunday’s Gospel are the stories of Simeon and Anna. They are both prophets who present prayers of thanksgiving in response to Jesus’ birth. Simeon and Anna are just a few of the many common people who are drawn from the background to the foreground in the Gospel. The Gospel’s habit of…
Prayer is the loving communion we all share with divine power. Jesus tells a parable of a Pharisee and a tax collector in this Sunday’s Gospel to exemplify loving communion. The parable shows the difference between his own witness of prayer and that of hierarchs like the Pharisee. It was the difference between loving…
Pesky widows are a power to be reckoned with. I know. I had a pesky widow for a mother. Jesus’ choice of a pesky widow with a legal concern in this Sunday’s parable lauding prayer is intriguing. Jesus reverses the Old Testament reading lauding prayer. Moses, a man and a warrior, is praying for…