Throughout St. Matthew’s Gospel, one of the subplots is the relationship between Jesus and the Pharisees, who were influential teachers of the tradition of Moses; but as we know, the Pharisees’ behavior did not match their rhetoric and they saw Jesus as a serious threat to their authority. Once again today we are told how [...]
The Pharisees understood life and faith as literal adherence to the Law; by this criterion they judged others, judged themselves, and judge Jesus. If they could show that He was breaking or ignoring the Law, they could declare Him a blasphemer, unrighteous, someone who was a danger to the people of Israel. Buth they struggled [...]
Today’s Gospel has a message for all of us, and the message is that we need to invest more of our time in our family life. The Gospel story shows us Jesus at the age of 12. That was the age that every Jewish boy was expected to make his bar mitzvah and so become [...]
The vineyard is a favorite image of God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments. It brings out the closeness of the Lord to His people, the way He is prepared to work with them to produce fruit, his long-term investment in their success. But things can go wrong. If the vineyard is not [...]
In today’s readings we are given our own bit of persuasion. The Gospel reading comes from the part of St. Matthew’s Gospel when Jesus is teaching in the Temple in Jerusalem. He has just thrown out the dealers and is being grilled by the most important members of the Jewish priesthood. Their agenda is to [...]
At the end of today’s Gospel story, the landowner asks the grumbling worker, “have you got the evil eye because I am generous?” In the Gospel reading we have the contrast of the generosity of the landowner and the envious reaction of the laborers. We might see the landowner as representing God, and the worker [...]
A Prayer for Our Country I pray for the survivors of the attack on September 11, 2001. I pray for the families who have lost loved ones. I pray for the rescue workers and police on the scene. I pray for the doctors and nurses caring for the hurting. I pray for the reporters who [...]
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus offers us a courageous solution to life’s hurts. When someone wrongs the community in some way, rather than immediately resorting to litigation, both the offender and the offended should come together and try to sort out their difficulties. The courts should only be a last resort when all else has [...]
Jesus tells the disciples that He is going to suffer. The one on whom all their hopes are pinned states that His journey will be on the road of pain and death. Despite their protestations, Jesus says that is the way it has to be. They may not be able to understand now, because human [...]
Jesus, with His friends, has travelled far north into the region of Caesarea Philippi. In this secluded spot He asks them who people think He is. There’s variety of opinions: perhaps He’s John the Baptist, or Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. But what about the apostles themselves: what do they think? It’s [...]
