Sep 30, 2020
The stone rejected by the builders that is the keystone: Jesus continues to challenge the leaders of Israel. Adopting the symbol of a Vineyard for God's chosen people, he accuses those who have been entrusted to care for it. They are only interested in themselves. When harvest time comes they refuse to deliver its...
Sep 22, 2020
Putting our lives where our words are: Jesus has now entered Jerusalem, and driven out those who would make the Temple into a robbers' den. He resumes conflict with the leaders of Israel: "the chief priests and the elders of the people." They are forced to admit that it is not so much what you say that matters, but what...
Sep 16, 2020
The Kingdom of Heaven is different: Jesus' final moment teaching his disciples is dedicated to increasing their understanding of the strangeness of God. The payment of a denarius is agreed between the Master of the vineyard and the workers at the beginning of the day. No further agreement is made. We can understand, and...
Sep 9, 2020
Be compassionate as I am compassionate: Peter thinks that we can put a number on the people whom we forgive. Jesus continues to insist on the radical nature of Christian forgiveness with his parable on the behaviour of the two servants. Forgiveness must be practised everywhere and always. Compassion leads the Master to...
Sep 1, 2020
See how they love one another: Today's Gospel comes from Matthew's description of to Jesus' formation of disciples. He delivers a discourse on how the Christian community is to behave in a hostile world. Jesus' teaching that we do our best to resolve conflicts among ourselves is challenging. We are to reach out...