“We Too Were Once ‘Foreigners’.”–the Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

In the very first sentence of today’s reading from Exodus, its author tells us that we “must not mistreat or oppress foreigners in any way.”  It also exhorts us “to remember that we ourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt” (see Exodus 22:21).  This entire sentiment is then linked to the message of today’s Gospel in which Jesus speaks clearly about love of God and neighbor.  He states a nearly universally accepted commandment for people of all faiths that they must “love the Lord, their God, with all their hearts, with all their souls, and with all their minds.”  Jesus clearly states this teaching about love for God “is the greatest and the first commandment.”   Then he adds a decisive factor in measuring one’s love for God when he proclaims that the second commandment is “like the first.”  He says: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself . . . and the whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments” (see Matthew 22:37).

Simply put, these teaching proclaim that if we fail to show love and respect for all our fellow human beings, it’s impossible to love God.  Also, we can clearly link them to another maxim observed nearly universally by people of every faith, and known as “the golden rule.”  It states: “do to others whatever you would have them do to you” (see Matthew 7:12).  Jesus tells us this way of treating others also “sums up the teaching of the law and the prophets.”

In response to the Scriptures, and as people of faith, the questions for us today are quite simple: (1) “who are the foreigners among us?” and (2) “how do we treat them?”  I believe those “foreigners” might simply be people “who are different from us.”  They might also be those among us who “don’t share our faith or our values.”  They might even be our own family members, friends or acquaintances who have greatly disappointed us, and/or with whom we have had difficulties.

There are laws in this great country of ours that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, disability, and the list goes on.  And so, considering last week’s Scripture readings (see Matthew 22:15-21 that challenged us to be good citizens while always remaining faithful to God), perhaps we might also pause for a moment and examine our own consciences today.  How do we treat “the foreigners” among us, or those against whom we might wish to discriminate in our own time and place?  If we regularly excuse ourselves from our obligation to show such people the most basic forms of respect and kindness, how can we ever truly claim to love God?

My sisters and brothers, if in all honesty we can admit we have truly neglected to love God as well as our neighbor, then today is the day to change our hearts and to begin anew!   May we always be committed to, and never fail to put into action, the words we proclaim to believe!   And let’s never forget that, like the Chosen People of God, we ourselves too were once “foreigners.”

Praise God!  Friar Timothy


** I originally posted this reflection on October 26, 2014  

     Find me on Facebook by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/frayteo

“Trapped Between a Rock and a Hard Place?”–the Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

It seems to me we live at a time when everyone is expected to take very specific positions on every question, topic, issue, and/or matter with which he or she might be confronted.  Once an individual makes known his or her opinion, feelings, and/or sentiments about any particular subject, then it seems he or she is immediately labeled in one way or another (e.g., liberal, conservative, radical-leftist, ultra-rightist, progressive, traditionalist, open-minded, close-minded, etc., and the list goes on and on).  And often, those who don’t agree with particular or conventional viewpoints, political perspectives, and/or ideas are strongly criticized, condemned, and even shunned and ostracized.  Isn’t it true that in this “Facebook generation” those who don’t “properly conform” to the most popular of opinions of certain and distinct groups of people, and who don’t pledge allegiance to whatever is thought by them to be the correct wisdom of the day, are simply “defriended” with swift clicks of the mouse?  It seems to me that all too often in this time and age, people can’t anymore even seem “to agree to disagree.”  But then again, I suppose this probably is not something altogether new to the human condition.

To be sure, something of this kind of dynamic was at play in the scene presented in today’s Gospel.  According to the account “the Pharisees plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech, and they sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?’” (see Matthew 22:15-21).  As in previous situations, the scheming of the Pharisees at that moment demonstrated how utterly corrupt they were.  So much so they even violated their own strict rules about associating with “sinners” as they openly colluded with the Herodians, a Jewish sect known for its cooperation with the Roman and “pagan” authorities (in any other situation, the Pharisees would have had nothing to do with those “wicked” Herodians).  Once again, the hypocrisy of the Pharisees proved to have no limits!  Seeking to trap Jesus “between a rock and a hard place” with their question about the paying of taxes to Caesar, they hoped he would take a very specific position allowing them to “label” him as either an enemy of God or an enemy of the state.  They thought if they pinned him to one position or another regarding the taxes, he’d surely be criticized, condemned, and ostracized (we might even say: “defriended”) by one camp or another; it seemed like the perfect scheme!  Ultimately of course, they sought to put Jesus to death, so any trap they utilized was done in order to reinforce their sinister plans.

Jesus however didn’t allow himself to be tricked into answers that would “trap him between rocks and hard places.”  He didn’t give “literal” or “fundamentalistic” answers to treacherous questions, and I believe he likewise doesn’t want us to do so with the similar and cunning ones posed to us.  Jesus’ clever answer to those conniving Pharisees, and to their Herodian cohorts, was “to give to Caesar what belonged to him, and to God what belonged to God.”  The lesson was simple: Christians were called to be good citizens during their earthly lives, but at the same time people who always remained faithful to their Father in Heaven.  Somehow Jesus’ wisdom, so sharply demonstrated by his answer to the question about taxes, permitted his followers to have respect for the many different perspectives they encountered in this complicated world.  We might say it gave them the freedom “to agree to disagree” with others along the way, and I believe we too are called to abide by such wisdom!  Therefore, may this wisdom always guide us as we gently attempt to navigate “between the rocks and the hard places” in our own lives.  My friends, let’s not be treacherous and vindictive like the Pharisees and Herodians of old.  And even in this “Facebook generation,” let’s not be very quick to judge harshly and then to “defriend” others with whom we might not always agree!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

     Find me on Facebook by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/frayteo

"A Feast for All Peoples"–the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers: 

Today’s Scriptures teach us about the wonders of God’s Kingdom, and they tell us something about how the faithful are to prepare themselves to participate in its glory.  In the first reading and the Gospel, the images of banquets and feasts are used to illustrate the awesomeness of that Kingdom.  The Prophet Isaiah wrote: “The Lord of hosts will provide a feast for all peoples of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines” (see Isaiah 25:6).  In Matthew’s “Parable of the Great Banquet” Jesus taught: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who for his son gave a wedding feast with sumptuous foods, including calves and fattened cattle killed for the occasion” (cf. Matthew 22:1-14).

But Jesus also reminded his disciples about the need to be “properly disposed and dressed” for entrance into the Great Banquet.  And he warned his listeners: “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”  Symbolically, the “wedding dress” cited by Jesus in the parable really referred to the “inner dispositions” of those invited to the banquet. Participation in it necessitated a complete submission of the mind and of the will to all those things expected of anyone attending.  The “proper attire” of those “dressed for the occasion” was analogous to (and perhaps evidence of) the guests’ willingness to do everything expected of those invited, and there were no exceptions!

We might recall many types of “uniforms” and “dress codes” to which we’ve had to defer in order to be “dressed for the occasion” during various situations and events of our lives.  I remember when I first entered my parish school as a young boy, I was suddenly forced to wear a uniform that included navy blue pants, a white shirt, and something I truly disliked called a necktie.  Because I complained about the uniform and my new school so much, there’s no-doubt I caused my mother great heartache!  And I begged my parents to send me to another school where such formalities were not required; as you might imagine, I didn’t win them over to my way of thinking! Eventually, I accepted the uniform, and the tie, and the new school, and I turned my attention to the great tasks of learning and of being a responsible student and son.

For wedding receptions, we always dress in our finest attire, and we are courteous and respectful toward all who are present. In this way, we honor the bride and the groom and their parents who want to make the feast as special and as beautiful as possible; our very selves become part of the splendor of such moments by the way we dress and behave!  Such was the expectation at the wedding feast described in Jesus’ “Parable of the Great Banquet.”  Even though those “first-invited” failed to come, the “second-choice” guests (those otherwise thought “unworthy” to attend) were still required to wear “proper clothing” and to behave nobly for the occasion.  The same standards applied to all.

The feast is for “all peoples,” but because we are all sinners (that is, those who are thought to be “unworthy”), we might believe that God just tolerates our presence at the feast, and that he doesn’t expect greatness from us. The truth is, even if we are “latecomers,” we’ve in fact been invited to God’s banquet, and therefore much is expected of us! And so, may we always strive to be the best possible Christians we can be! In our hearts, let’s always be resolved to embrace and faithfully wear the “uniform” of our faith! What’s more important, let’s be sure there’s always harmony between our “outward actions” and our “inner dispositions;” that’s how we will truly honor and serve the Father who’s invited us to the table! My friends, let’s enjoy the feast and all the wonders the Kingdom promises to provide for us!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

     Find me on Facebook by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/frayteo

“Of Vineyards, Grapevines, and their Fruits”–the Twenty-seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

We hear a lot about vineyards and grapevines in today’s Scripture readings (see Isaiah 5:1-7 and Matthew 21:33-43). Regarding these, I’m told that once planted in the right kind of soil, but before they can produce good fruit, a vineyard owner and his workers must plan on enduring as many as three years of careful planting, watering and pruning of the vines. Assuming all of this would be done well, and the weather would cooperate, there would normally be grapes in abundance after a third season of growth. Isn’t it true three years is a long time to wait–especially if you’re as impatient as I am!

We can just imagine how frustrating it would be for a vineyard owner, like the one mentioned in today’s reading from Isaiah, when after all of that time and work, only sour and “wild or rotten grapes” would be produced at harvest time. According to Isaiah, “the owner had spaded the ground, cleared it of stones, planted choice vines, built a watchtower, hewed a wind press, but after all that simply yielded a crop of wild or rotten grapes” (see verse 2). “Wild or rotten grapes” are completely useless; it’s impossible to use them to make a good grape juice or a fine wine, or to sell them at the market. It’s no surprise such a disappointed vineyard owner, especially after all of his patient, enthusiastic, and strenuous efforts, would then have decided to destroy those useless grapevines, and then let the good-for-nothing vineyard go barren.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presented his disciples with another kind of story depicting a nearly useless vineyard–except in this narrative, the vineyard owner was frustrated by his workers who robbed, cheated, and even killed, in their attempts to keep all of the profits for themselves. Of course, this Gospel story offered clear comparisons to the mistreatment of the ancient prophets, to John the Baptist, and even to Jesus himself, who as the Son of God would eventually be put to death by the “religious leaders” (i.e., “the tenants”) of the time who should have known better. The landowner in the Gospel story, much like the one in the account from Isaiah, “planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and then built a tower” (see verse 33a). But to elaborate the story a bit, and to make those comparisons, the Gospel account reported the landowner also “leased it to tenants before going on a journey” (see verse 33b). And although in this second story the grapes themselves were not “wild or rotten,” the misbehavior of the tenants toward the landowner’s emissary-servants, and even toward his own son, prevented him from enjoying the fruits of his vineyard. The “bottom line” of both narratives was that the respective owners (who each are obviously analogous to God the Father), weren’t able to receive any good fruits from their investments, their labors, their time, and their patience.

We might compare ourselves, and our works and fruits within the Christian life, to both vineyard stories. The Father in heaven, the “owner,” desires that we be faithful and “fruitful” in our Christian lives. Our God wants us to acknowledge his sovereignty over all things, including the air we breathe, the ground upon which we walk, and all of the blessings we have received. And so, through every “fruit of our faith,” through our works and through our prayers, may we always give God all of the glory–and let us always be thankful and praise God for every good gift and grace we have received!  Then through him, and with him, and in him, may we always produce “good fruits” on the “grapevines,” and in the “vineyards,” to which we’ve been entrusted!   May we always have absolute respect for God as we offer back to him the firsts of those fruits!  And certainly, may we never return to our loving Father any kind of useless “wild or rotten grapes!”

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

     Find me on Facebook by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/frayteo

“Are ‘Sinners’ Holier-than-thou?”–the Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time–Year A

My Sisters and Brothers:

Last Sunday, Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel: “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.” I believe today’s “Parable of the Two Sons,” contains a perfect follow-up to last week’s message (see the parable in Matthew 21:28-32). In it Jesus taught a lesson that specifically criticized many of the so-called “religious people” of his time. And he made a point to say some of the so-called and worst of “sinners” were actually more righteous than such people. In fact, there were “holier-than-thou” people of the time (and maybe even today) who used all of the correct “God words” when speaking to others, who prided themselves on their noticeable and strict observance of religious laws, and who even dressed the part of pious people, but who at the same time actually failed to follow through with the living out of God’s will in their daily lives. And very unfortunately for us, doesn’t this sound familiar!

The champion of today’s Gospel parable was actually the son who at first refused to do his father’s will, but who later and never-the-less had a change of heart, repented, and then went about doing what he had been asked to do. The other son, the one who loudly proclaimed his obedience but then did nothing to remain faithful to it, was sharply criticized by Jesus. As we contemplate these two responses to the Father, we are invited to consider if we ourselves, or others among us today, might somehow and also fit these contrasting descriptions of loyalty and/or faithlessness.

Remarkably, Jesus compared the first son in the parable to “tax-collectors and prostitutes.” They were those who in the eyes of “the righteous” were automatically condemned and who were considered to be incapable of receiving salvation. But Jesus made it clear such people were actually very much able to be “saved.” Ironically, Jesus compared the second son to the “religious people” who would have said all the right things, and who would have presented themselves as holy and respectable, but who in fact miserably failed to do what God wanted of them. Therefore, the parable makes it clear the “tax-collectors and prostitutes” would have had less difficulty entering the Kingdom of God than those otherwise ostensible “religious people” whom he condemned in this parable, and in so many other instances!

As we reflect on the message of Jesus today, we are invited to contemplate honestly about which of the two sons we can most identify. Do we call ourselves Christians, go to church regularly, routinely pray our prayers, outwardly follow the teachings of the Church, but at the same time really fail to do what God wants us to do? Do we love our God with all of our hearts, with all of our understanding and with all of our strength . . . and truly love our neighbors as ourselves (see Matthew chapter 22, verses 36 and following), or do we simply give lip-service to God while actually living lives far different from what God would want us to do? 

As we reflect on the today’s Gospel, let’s truly examine our consciences, and if necessary let’s be like so many other “sinners” before us who have come to a knowledge of their sinfulness, who have repented, and who have turned toward a God with sincere and honest hearts. Above all, let’s not forget that whoever we are, even if we have not lived perfect lives, and have been the worst of sinners in our pasts, our God loves us more than we can ever possibly imagine! Let’s joyfully share this message with others, especially those around us who we might otherwise consider automatically condemned and not capable of being saved. Amen!

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

     Find me on Facebook by clicking on the following link: http://www.facebook.com/frayteo