This week Jesus tells the parable of a man who hires laborers to work in his vineyard, going out not just in the morning but throughout the day, paying a full day’s wage regardless of how long each worked because the man is both generous and fair. Isaiah reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways – that God is both generous and fair, even when we don’t deserve it. Paul tells us that the whatever we do, we should always live in a manner worthy of Jesus. God calls us to be laborers in his vineyard, to do his will in the world, to share his love with others. But we don’t always respond… not the first time, or even the tenth. God never gives up on us, however, and when we do finally respond, when we finally agree to be laborers in God’s vineyard… our wages are pretty amazing - eternity with God. Now that’s what I call a salary!

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 20: 1-16
1st Reading – Isaiah 55: 6-9
Psalm 145
2nd Reading – Philippians 1: 20c-24, 27a

Peter thinks he is quite generous when he asks if he should forgive seven times. Jesus says that’s not nearly enough, that there should be no limit on forgiveness… not if we want God to forgive us! If we forgive others, Sirach assures us that our sins will be pardoned and that every decision we make should be with God’s judgement in mind. However, we know that God is merciful and that he does not punish us as we deserve. God’s goodness, his mercy, his compassion, his love should remind us that whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. The old adage: to err is human is a cliché because it is so very true. Unfortunately, we often forget the other half: to forgive, divine. That doesn’t mean that only God can forgive but that God shows us how to forgive. So, let’s forgive everyone, because such forgiveness is uplifting, marvelous, wonderful… divine!

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 18: 21-35
1st Reading – Sirach 27:30 – 28:7
Psalm 103
2nd Reading – Romans 14: 7-9

This week’s readings are all about correction, reconciliation, and love. Through Ezekiel, God tells us that it is our responsibility to correct someone if they are doing something that God has declared to be evil or wrong. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us precisely how we are to go about doing that! We should start privately and gently, if that works – then we are reconciled which is great! If that doesn’t work, Jesus tells us what our next steps should be. Through it all, Paul assures us that love should be at the heart of everything we do. But the temptation to judge others is always lurking in the depths of every human nature. So, how do we resist that? How do we correct others lovingly without doing wrong to anyone?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 18: 15-20
1st Reading – Ezekiel 33: 7-9
Psalm 95
2nd Reading – Romans 13: 8-10

Peter goes from being a hero to becoming a stumbling block, from having the right answer to getting things all wrong. That can happen to us, too! That happens when we deceive ourselves, when we listen to the wrong messages, when we misunderstand Scripture, when we distort the Gospel, and when we pick and choose what we like rather than accepting everything Jesus said. Paul tells us we must not be conformed to this world, that we must become a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God, that we must serve God and others every day. But how can we do that when we spend too much time worrying about what the world thinks and not enough time concentrating on what Jesus teaches in the Gospel?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 16: 21-27
1st Reading – Jeremiah 20: 7-9
Psalm 63
2nd Reading – Romans 12: 1-2

Jesus asks the disciples to share some of the gossip they have heard about him, about who people say that Jesus is. They provide a number of interesting answers, but then Jesus asks them who they say he is. Peter makes a profound statement of faith, not gleaned from his human insight or understanding, but because God revealed the information to him. We have the Bible, we have the Church, we have the Sacraments – armed with all of that we must each answer that same question! Who do WE say that Jesus is?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 16: 13-20
1st Reading – Isaiah 22: 19-23
Psalm 138
2nd Reading – Romans 11: 33-36

All of this week’s Scriptures deal with outsiders, foreigners, Gentiles… and we are reminded that God always intended people of all nations to be part of his plan, that no one was to be excluded, no one was to be rejected. All too often, in today’s world, that message is forgotten or ignored. The Jews were the Chosen People – all the rest of us are Gentiles! We are the foreigners; we are the outsiders. If we don’t want to be excluded from the kingdom, we need to stop excluding people here on the very world God created. How do we set aside our hatred and our prejudice, so that we can be just and righteous?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 15: 21-28
1st Reading – Isaiah 56: 1, 6-7
Psalm 67
2nd Reading – Romans 11: 13-15, 29-32

Jesus goes up into the hills to pray and sends the disciples out in a boat where they encounter a storm and are afraid. Jesus comes to them walking on the sea, and they are even more afraid. Peter hears Jesus’ voice and steps out of the boat – but then saw the wind and began to sink. Our fears overwhelm us at times, and, like the disciples, we take our eyes off Jesus and sink. We look for God amid trumpets and fanfare, but he doesn’t always come to us that way. Sometimes he comes as the still small voice that Elijah encountered. So, how do we turn down the volume on a raucous, noisy world so that we can hear God’s voice?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 14: 22-33
1st Reading – 1 Kings 19: 8b, 9a, 11-13a
Psalm 85
2nd Reading – Romans 9: 1-5

The crowds follow Jesus hoping to see another miracle… and they do. Jesus heals them and feeds them, generously, relying on limited resources but with plenty of food left over. In truth, God invites us all to partake of his heavenly banquet, to be part of his covenant, and have every one of our desires satisfied. But all too often, our desires are improperly ordered. We crave the things of this world, not realizing that God alone can satisfy our deepest desires. Paul reminds us that nothing in this world can separate us from the love of Jesus, but we keep finding ways to do that ourselves. So, how do we change that?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 14: 13-21
1st Reading – Isaiah 55: 1-3
Psalm 145
2nd Reading – Romans 8: 35, 37-39

Jesus teaches another three parables this week – each one presenting a treasure that must be obtained and protected, but he’s not really talking about worldly treasure. He’s talking about the kingdom of heaven… that is the treasure we should seek to obtain and protect! God told Solomon to ask for anything and he asked for wisdom… we could use some of that wisdom ourselves! Paul reminds us that God always takes care of those who love him – that he knows our future, that he wants us to be in right relation with him, and that he wants us to be in his kingdom. We should see the kingdom as a great treasure, but we don’t always. So, how can we gain the wisdom to do just that?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 13: 44-52
1st Reading – 1 Kings 3: 5, 7-12
Psalm 119
2nd Reading – Romans 8: 28-30

Jesus teaches three parables this week – the weeds and the wheat, the mustard seed, and the yeast leavening all the flour – which remind us that there is always both good and evil in the world, and not just in the world but within each of us. God doesn’t just wipe out evil, though, which is a good thing for us since we aren’t always good! He does, however, always give us the time and the opportunity to repent. The book of Wisdom reminds us that those who are righteous must also be kind, and Paul tells us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. So, it seems like we have a lot of things going for us… but we don’t always take advantage of those good things. How do we change that?

This week's readings:
Gospel – Matthew 13: 24-43
1st Reading – Wisdom 12: 13, 16-19
Psalm 86
2nd Reading – Romans 8: 26-27