The Gospel according to John (Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46)

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people: “Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. 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 they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures:

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
    by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?

Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.” When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

Opening Prayer:  Lord, help me to pray well to overcome my selfishness. Instead of thinking of myself and my own comfort, enjoyment, and entertainment, help me to think first of the needs of others and especially how I might help them take a step closer to you today.

Encountering Christ: We have all heard OR used the saying” Me, Myself and I”. That term puts us in a position of making ourselves better than others because we are saying in essence, that we are better than others. Simply put, we are taking a selfish approach to looking at our relationship with God and others. Me first.

How often have you taken the stance – and tell God, “I’m just too tired today to get up and go to mass” OR “I just can’t do that for so and so”. We become complacent eventually and find ourselves slowly – but steadily – drifting away from the “PRIZE”….our relationship with God and our destiny to be in Heaven one day. We tend to step away from tending the vineyard of our own lives and their relationships.

Fortunately, the Church has provided us with the annual Lenten Season in order to re-focus our lives and behaviors. We are called to move away from “me first” and move to a collaborative relationship with God. He leads and we follow along.  Think about it…. God has been at this whole “leading” thing a lot longer than we have. He has a lot more experience than we do PLUS he already knows where we are going on our life’s journey! We just need to realize that with God our own potential is almost limitless.

But here is the real challenge before us today. Just like the Chief Priests and the Pharisees, in this upside down world we are living in today, it is easy to become cynical and selfish – not wanting to let go of our own comfort zone, whatever you define that as.

The Pharisees admitted that they knew Jesus was talking about them and their behavior AND they still could not find it within themselves to alter their lifestyles and begin to put God first AND relationships second. In fact, the parable describes the killing of the owner’s son as a greed driven response. So the question we should be asking ourselves is do we put greed and other failings first in our lives OR do we have a way to keep those tendencies in check in our day-to-day living.

Our Lenten Journey should be about putting ourselves squarely in front of the mirror AND we should be asking ourselves how can I make myself a better person and how do I increase my love for God and those around me. We have to spend more time in prayer to find those answers and that is exactly what Lent is about!

Tend to your own internal vineyard. Inspect your inner self and prune what needs pruning and feed what needs feeding. In the end you will have a better and healthier vineyard that will produce a bountiful harvest at the end of Lent. Remember you can liken this experience to feeding your lawn – It only takes a couple short weeks to see a marked result.

Spend some extra time this Lent tending the field of your life. Enjoy the closeness of God during this special time and when Easter comes you are going to be amazed at how you have bloomed!

Closing Prayer: Lord, so often I forget about you and end up focused on my own goals and desires. Yet you put me here to cooperate with you in your saving mission. You gave me the tools I need to fulfill this mission. Help me to remember this truth throughout my day, to “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks me for a reason for my hope” 

Action for the Day: Find a place of quiet in your favorite chair, room, yard, wherever you find peace and quiet. Set your cell phone or watch or timer for just 10 minutes. During that time place this question before God… “Lord, what selfish tendency of mine is keeping me at a distance from You. How can I be more productive in your world, my vineyard. Help me see more clearly what needs pruning in my life.”

That quick question should only take a minute or two and the other eight minutes are to listen to God speak! Listen carefully!

Where are you in this field?

The Gospel according to Luke (16: 19-31) 

Jesus said to the Pharisees: “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.’ But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, Father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, help me in this prayer to open my heart more and more to you so that I may begin to open it to others. They are your children. Help me to love them as you do.

Encountering Christ: If there is any time of the year that the message in today’s gospel should call to us it is Lent.  Aren’t we supposed to be focusing on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving?  Well, for that matter, should there be a time of the year that we are not working on all facets of our faith life in action.  Did I just sound like a “Dad”?

This is one reading that has always made me nervous.  It makes me think if I have too much stuff.  Is my house too big, my car too nice, do I have too much money in my savings account?  The answer to these questions, for most of my life, was no.  However, we have been blessed after years of hard work and prudence with more than we need.  So, should I feel guilty.  If you are in the same boat, should you?

There is a verse from 1 Timothy (6:10) that helps pull me out of a tailspin, “For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.” Some have misread this passage as, money is the root of all evil, when in fact it says that love of money is the root of evil.

Money in and of itself is an inanimate thing.  Sure, having lots of it can make life a lot easier but it can also have the opposite effect as well.  How many times have we dreamed of winning the big lottery?  And how many times have we heard of people’s lives being destroyed after winning large sums of money.  It was not the money that brought them many pains but the emotions, contortions, and grief that comes with the desires having money can evoke.

It was not money or wealth that caused rich man to suffer in the afterlife, it was his choices, blinded by his wealth that resulted in ignoring the needs of others.  We too have many opportunities to assist those less fortunate than ourselves.  We may not be wealthy but most of us have been in situations where we have or had more than what we need.  Although we cannot do anything about our past inattention in sharing our over abundance there is always someone or some cause that is in need of help now.  There are also those in need of our spiritual overabundance.  We can share what overflows from our cups with those who struggle with loneliness, depression, isolation, or other forms of spiritual need.

One last thought.  We know when we share of our time, treasures, and talents that we can not out give God.  He repays us many times over when we share what he ultimately provides us.

Closing Prayer: Dear generous provider of all good things please help us to be wise stewards of our material blessings.  May we learn from our mistakes and those of others not to hold on too tightly to what may bring pleasure for a moment but suffering for a lifetime.  Guard our minds from the temptation that misleads our hearts to desire the power of money over the love of people. 

Action for the Day: Return one of the envelopes you receive in the mail asking for financial help to a worthy cause with a donation.  Increase your weekly donation to your church.  Reach out to someone you have not spoken to in a while.  Find a way to share of your time, treasure, or talents.

Matthew 20:17-28

As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him; “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said; “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Opening Prayer: Keep your family, O Lord, schooled always in good works, and, so comfort them with your protection here as to lead them graciously to gifts on high. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen

Encountering Christ:

In today’s Gospel, Jesus has encounter with the mother of the sons of Zebedee. It is a teaching moment on what it means to be a disciple. What does it mean to be conformed to the person of Jesus Christ? Now the mother of Zebedee’s sons is focused on getting a position of importance for her sons. She’s intent on securing a place of honor and power at Jesus’ right and left hand. And in response, Jesus turned her request into a lesson on the meaning of Christian discipleship. Ambition is a powerful force in people’s lives. And in this Gospel passage we see how even a mothers simple ambition, can be covered with what appears to be good intention. Divisive ambition leads to other vices that lead to sin. In fact, in the gospels it is ambitious people who seek to trap Jesus. And eventually succeed in putting Jesus to death. Ambition made them see Jesus as a threat. Ambition became a chain that traps them in sin. It made them see others not as persons created and loved by God, but as threats to their ambitions, that needed to be destroyed. Now Jesus invites his disciples and us to see life through a different lens. He invites them to live in the liberating power of sacrificial love, instead of striving for selfish ambition. Jesus speaks of the path of self- giving love as the path to genuine happiness and peace. Lent is the perfect time to renew our desire to live in the power of that divine love revealed perfectly in the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. Lent invites us to live by the words of Jesus who says; “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant, for the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. It is a self-giving love. That is the most powerful force on earth. (Jem)

Things taken out of context or twisted to suit another’s agenda can be destructive to people on both sides of the equation. Even in this gospel, as the disciples (and their mother) argue over who will have the best position, it is words spoken too quickly and without deeper thought that get them into trouble. They do not understand the significance of what they are saying and what they are asking. They will find out all too soon when they, too, have to suffer for being followers of Jesus.  

Even in this time and space, words matter, especially when we wield them against another in an attempt to better ourselves or our position, whether in the church, the public arena, or around our own dinner table.

Conversing with Christ: Bestow upon your servants, Lord, abundance of grace and protection; grant health of mind and body; grant fullness of fraternal charity, and make them always devoted to you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Resolution: When we reach out to our neighbors, we are following in Jesus’ footsteps. And there is no better way to see things from someone else’s perspective, then by walking in their shoes. This is not hard to do. By visiting the sick, comforting the sorrowful, doing small favors for others before they ask, being kind and welcoming to people who aren’t popular or who are newly arrived… The possibilities are literally limitless. This week, the choice is yours.

The Gospel according to Matthew (23:1-12) 

Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying,
“The scribes and the Pharisees
have taken their seat on the chair of Moses.
Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you,
but do not follow their example.
For they preach but they do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry
and lay them on people’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger to move them.
All their works are performed to be seen.
They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels.
They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues,
greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’
As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’
You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one on earth your father;
you have but one Father in heaven.
Do not be called ‘Master’;
you have but one master, the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

Opening Prayer: Jesus, help me see that all the good I do is nothing, except to the extent that it is being done for Your glory, not mine.  Help me today to see myself more as a servant, wanting to do good, not to be repaid in compliments or any kind of reward, except that it makes You smile to see it.  Amen.

Encountering Christ:

In this hyper-competitive world we live in, doesn’t it always seem like we are competing, even in the race to be the “best”, “most faithful”, “most devout” Catholic?  And, at this early point in Lent, with a little over a month until Easter, we are reminded that if we are competing that way in our faith, we are absolutely missing the point of our faith entirely.

At Jesus’ time, if you wanted to know who was the most “religious” of the Jews, you only had to look for the Pharisees.  They were the scholars of the law, and knew every one of the hundreds of precepts that faithful Jews were expected to follow.  The tradition of these laws was passed down from generation to generation.  That was the “chair of Moses” that Jesus mentioned.  The Pharisees had authority, because it had come down through the years to their current day.

The problem, though, is that the faith was not about all of those hundreds of rules.  It was quite literally about only two: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.  Jesus said to His listeners in Matthew’s Gospel exactly what He says to us: Yes, follow the rules of the faith, because they will help you be the best version of yourself, but don’t think that following the rules alone is enough to be a true follower of Mine.

In our world today, it is so easy to think that if we only go to mass, do our best to keep the Ten Commandments, abstain from meat on Fridays, it’s enough.  No, it isn’t.  Does that mean that we should not stick to the guidelines of our Catholic faith?  Of course not.  But, we do have to go beyond the rules to see what following them can teach us about Jesus, and our place in the family of God.

I think back to my “pre-Catholic” days.  I liked to think that I knew a lot about being a Christian “in my head”.  I could recite the names of books of the Bible (the Protestant version) in order, all the way from Genesis to Revelation.  I knew John 3:16, Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:9, and a dozen or more important Scriptures.  But, I realize now that my faith was largely in my head, not in my heart.  When I moved away from home to go to college, I really struggled in my faith because it was all academic.  Did I know that God was with me?  Yes, but only in some abstract, intellectual way, not as one who truly wanted me to companion Him every day.  That may be one reason that many young people are falling away from the faith.  They know the rules and the guidelines as facts, not as signposts of the faith.

Until the faith is truly from our deepest part of our hearts, it will ultimately fail to fulfill the deepest desires we have.  Those desires are the ones that call us to the God who loves us.  They call us to live a life of a servant, who wants the best for the other, because that is truly “what Jesus would do”.  Lent is a season that can help us to re-center on that fact, and to turn to that God who loves us, and ask Him to show us how to love Him better by loving the people He placed us with.  Getting to the point where we do live our faith from our hearts is not some sort of magic switch.  It is something that we grow into throughout our lives.  Let us take a step today – now – to start that journey.  The way may not be easy, but we never go alone, and the destination is one that we can scarcely imagine for its beauty, light and joy!

Closing Prayer: Lord, help me move beyond mere knowledge of You to being able to see Your presence in my life, and to see that You call me to love like You do.  Give me the grace to surrender my fears to You, knowing that You will replace them with grace and peace, and a yearning to serve You better each day.  Amen.

Action for the Day: Take a few minutes today and ask God what it is that He wants you to see today that reminds you that you are His beloved.  Then, keep your eyes open for it!

The Holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 6:36-38)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

Opening Prayer: Lord, help me to listen and understand your words so that I may be more and more the disciple that you intended me to be when you made me. 

Encountering Christ: Simple but powerful words from the Gospel. Interesting enough these words are accurate for us to live our daily lives and also appropriate especially during this Lenten season. Judgement, condemnation, forgiveness, and mercy are traits that Jesus taught us by example, and He asks us to do the same to others or reciprocate the act from your sister or brother. These are gifts that we can share with each other and in return we will receive these gifts (“will be poured in our lap”). But why do we have to do something only to get re-paid? Why can’t we just do something and forget about it? Or do something for someone else just to make them smile? Did Jesus do these things because He wanted some type of payment or thanks?

Mercy is a two-way street. It is part of the very essence of mercy that it can only be received if it is also given. In the Gospel passage above, Jesus gives us a truly clear command about judgment, condemnation, mercy and forgiveness. Essentially, if we want mercy and forgiveness, then we must offer mercy and forgiveness. If we are judgmental and condemning, then we will also be judged and condemned. As I said before, simple but powerful words but these words are very clear.

“You do not become good by trying to find good but by finding that goodness that is always within you and allowing that goodness to emerge. But can only emerge if you change your fundamental processes”.  – Eckhart Tolle

I deal with these traits daily at Mary’s Village. When these men lived on the streets, they were ignored, judged, and condemned; and were rarely given mercy or forgiveness. Therefore, that is one of the first lessons that we must teach these gentlemen, treat each other as you would want to be treated. We are one family under one roof so learn to respect and love each other. I must say that it is not that easy for some.

Perhaps one of the reasons that many people struggle with being judgmental and condemning of others is because they lack a true awareness of their own sin and their own need for forgiveness. We live in a world that often rationalizes sin and downplays the seriousness of it. We need to rekindle a sense of the seriousness of our sin. This is not done simply to create guilt and shame. It’s done to foster a desire for mercy and forgiveness.

If you can grow in a deeper awareness of your own sin before God, one of the effects will be that it is then easier to be less judgmental and condemning of others. A person who sees his sin is more apt to be merciful to other sinners. But a person who struggles with self-righteousness will most certainly also struggle with being judgmental and condemning.

Jesus didn’t merely ask us to forgive—he asks for our generosity. We are not in this world merely to seek our own salvation. Jesus asks us to reach out and share our God-given gifts with others. An old saying warns, “No one gets into heaven by themselves—everyone must bring a friend.” Every day, we have opportunities to help others get one small step closer to heaven. And we grow closer to Jesus when we help others to grow closer to him. 

Closing Prayer: Lord, You have given me many gifts and talents which I sometimes use to serve myself—for my own comfort, entertainment, and pleasure. Help me to learn what mercy really is and to use my gifts to help others, as you intended.

Action of the Day: Use your gifts today and make someone smile.