Homilies From St. Patrick Catholic Community

The scholar of the law is really not interested in the opinion of Jesus, even though he says so. His heart is closed to listening to Jesus, who says the greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. Love needs a willingness to listen to the other.

Memories are at the center of our relationship with God. Recalling different events in our lives that have helped shaped our knowledge of God. Fr Eric speaks to the youth returning from The Edge retreat and their parents at Sunday night mass.

This Sunday’s Readings

First ReadingIsaiah 45:1,4-6The Lord chooses Cyrus to subdue the nations for the sake of Israel.

Responsorial PsalmPsalm 96:1,3-10Sing praise to the Lord.

Second Reading1 Thessalonians 1:1-5bPaul greets the Thessalonians, recalling the Gospel they received.

Gospel ReadingMatthew 22:15-21The Pharisees send their disciples to test Jesus with a question about taxes.

Background on the Gospel Reading

In today’s Gospel Jesus and the religious leaders in Jerusalem continue their tense exchange of questions and challenges. At this point the disciples of the Pharisees, together with the Herodians, try to entrap Jesus by their question about the payment of taxes.

Matthew sets up an unusual partnership between the Pharisees and the Herodians. The Herodians were supporters of Herod Antipas, a Jewish political leader who collaborated with the Romans. Such collaboration would have required a compromised observance of the Mosaic Law. The Pharisees, on the other hand, taught scrupulous observance of the Mosaic Law and opposed Roman occupation. Herodians favored the payment of taxes; the Pharisees opposed it. The Herodians and the Pharisees approach Jesus, asking that he take sides in their dispute. If Jesus answers with the Pharisees, he shows himself to be an enemy of Rome. If he answers with the Herodians, he offends popular Jewish religious sensibilities.

Jesus’ response to this attempt to trap him exposes the guile of his questioners. From his first words to them, Jesus shows that he is very much aware of what they are trying to do. He asks to see a Roman coin, which is readily provided to him. It may have come from the hand of a Herodian, but the Pharisees show themselves to be quite willing to accept this compromise. Jesus has already exposed the Pharisees as hypocrites.

Jesus takes his response one step further. He asks that his questioners examine the coin. Agreeing that it is Caesar’s image on the coin, Jesus tells them that it must belong to Caesar. Avoiding the question of lawfulness altogether, Jesus answers their question with simple logic. Then, going further still, Jesus tells them that their obligation is to pay to God that which belongs to God.

Jesus’ response to the Herodians and Pharisees suggests the ethic that Christians ought to adopt. It reminds us of the importance of keeping things in their proper perspective. Do we attach ourselves to worldly things at the expense of the love and honor that we owe to God?

"The reading from the Prophet Isaiah is one of the earliest writings about God's plan to conquer death. A vision of a banquet where God changes sorrow to joy and death to life. A vision for us to remember when we lose a loved one in death".

This Sunday's Readings

First Reading2 Kings 5:14-17Naaman is cleansed of his leprosy and chooses to serve the God of Israel.

Responsorial PsalmPsalm 98:1,2-3,3-4Rejoice! The salvation of God is made known to all.

Second Reading2 Timothy 2:8-13Those who remain faithful to Christ will share Christ's glory.

Gospel ReadingLuke 17:11-19Jesus heals 10 lepers, and one, the Samaritan, returns to give thanks.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Today we hear about how Jesus, continuing on his journey to Jerusalem, heals 10 lepers. This story is a lesson about faith and reminds us that faith is sometimes found in unlikely places. Ten people afflicted with leprosy cry out to Jesus. Struck with pity, Jesus heals all 10. However, only one is described as glorifying God and returning to thank Jesus. The one who returns is a Samaritan, a foreigner. In the Jewish circles in which Jesus lived, Samaritans were looked down upon because of the differences between the two communities in their observance of Judaism. It is significant, therefore, that Jesus commends the Samaritan for his faith, which has been his salvation. Throughout Luke's Gospel, faith is found in surprising places.

Another lesson for us in this Gospel has to do with salvation. All 10 of the lepers were given the gift of healing, but in his gratitude to God for this gift, the Samaritan found salvation. Our salvation is found in recognizing the gifts we have been given and knowing to whom we must offer our thanks.

After many emergency situations there are always those who send messages of thoughts and prayers. Some choose to downplay such offerings. For Christians we must remember it is more than just offering words. Fr. Eric walks us through insights on what offering thoughts and prayers really mean for Christians.

This Sunday's Readings

First ReadingIsaiah 5:1-7The Lord compares the house of Israel to a vineyard.

Responsorial PsalmPsalm 80:9,12-16,19-20The Lord protects his vineyard, the house of Israel.

Second ReadingPhilippians 4:6-9Paul encourages the Philippians to stay faithful to the teaching they received from him.

Gospel ReadingMatthew 21:33-43Jesus tells the parable about the wicked tenants.

Background on the Gospel Reading

Today's Gospel follows directly after last Sunday's Gospel in which Jesus was questioned by Jewish religious leaders about the source of his teaching authority. After refusing to answer their questions, Jesus tells the parable of the two sons and then criticizes the priests and elders for their lack of belief in John the Baptist.

In today's Gospel, Jesus once again speaks to the priests and elders with a parable. In this parable, the landowner leases his vineyard to tenants and sends his servants to collect the portion of the harvest that the tenants owe to him. Several times the servants are sent to collect payment, and each time they are beaten and killed by the tenants. Finally, the landowner sends his son to collect his rent. The tenants, believing that they will inherit the vineyard if the landowner dies without an heir, plot together and kill the landowner's son.

After telling the parable, Jesus questions the chief priests and elders about what the landowner will do to the wicked tenants. They all agree that the landowner will kill the wicked tenants and give the land to new tenants who will pay the rent.

In telling the parable, Jesus is clearly drawing upon Isaiah 5:1-7, which is today's first reading and one that the priests and elders would have known well. Jesus doesn't, therefore, have to explain the symbolism of the parable; the Pharisees would have understood that the vineyard represented Israel, the landowner represented God, the servants represented the prophets, and the bad tenants represented the religious leaders. Yet Jesus nonetheless explains the meaning of the parable for his audience: the Kingdom of God will be taken from the unbelieving and given to the faithful. The chief priests and elders have condemned themselves with their answer to Jesus' question.

Today's Gospel has a parallel in Mark 12:1-12. There are some notable differences, however. In Matthew's version, the religious leaders condemn themselves; in Mark's Gospel, Jesus answers his own question. Matthew names the religious leaders as Pharisees and chief priests. Clearly this Gospel shows the tension that was mounting between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders who thought that his message was dangerous. Matthew's Gospel was written about 70 years after Jesus' death and reflects the conflicts and tensions found in the Christian community for whom Matthew was writing. Many biblical scholars believe that the tension between Matthew's community and their Jewish neighbors can also be heard in today's reading.

This Gospel reminds us of the importance of listening to God's word. God speaks to us in many ways—through Scripture, through our Church tradition, in our Church's teaching, and through modern-day prophets. Are we attentive and receptive to God's word to us through these messengers?

How do we handle opposition, opposing views, people who we strongly disagree with? One advice is Be Curious, Not Furious. What an interesting way to engage in conversation. Today's readings give us humility vs pride as ways that can help or hinder our dealing with conflict.

This Sunday’s Readings

First ReadingEzekiel 18:25-28It is possible to turn from sin and preserve one’s life.

Responsorial PsalmPsalm 25:4-9A prayer to God for mercy.

Second ReadingPhilippians 2:1-11 (shorter form Philippians 2:1-5)Be like Christ who humbled himself and was exalted by God.

Gospel ReadingMatthew 21:28-32Jesus poses a question to the chief priests and elders on the meaning of obedience.

Background on the Gospel Reading

The context for today’s Gospel is the mounting tension between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders. Jesus has entered Jerusalem and overturned the money changers’ tables in the Temple. Jesus has caught the attention of the religious authorities; the chief priests and elders question Jesus about the source of his authority. Jesus refuses to name for these religious leaders the source of his authority. Instead, he questions the priests and elders through the parable we hear in today’s Gospel. The answer given by the religious leaders is correct, but it convicts them for their failure to heed the call of John the Baptist and for their inability to recognize the Kingdom of God.

The situation Jesus poses is rather straightforward. Given the same task by their father, one son asserts his disobedience in words, but then obeys in his actions; the second son obeys with his words, but disobeys in his actions. The question that Jesus poses is pointed and direct: Which son did what the father wanted? All would agree that “actions speak louder than words” and that even if his words were disobedient, the son who did the work as ordered did the father’s will.

Jesus’ conclusion is also direct. The chief priests and elders, the ones who speak most often about God, did not act accordingly. They did not respond to the message of repentance announced by John the Baptist with a change of heart. Instead, John’s message was heeded by those one would not expect to repent—tax collectors, prostitutes, and other sinners. Because of their actions, these sinners will enter the Kingdom of God ahead of the religious leaders.

Jesus could ask us the same question. Do our words indicate our obedience to God? If not our words, do our actions? God desires a full conversion of heart, that our actions (and our words as well) will give evidence of our love for God.

Is there any comfort from today's gospel for those who are sad their loved ones are not practicing the faith? When it seems the faith we want to hand down or share seems to be rejected, what consolation can we obtain from the parable of the vineyard? Good insights from Fr Eric's homily.