Letters From Home

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of the Guardian Angels by Dr. Scott Hahn.

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Lecturas:
Ezequiel 18, 25–28
Salmo 25, 4–9
Filipenses 2, 1–11
Mateo 21, 28–32

Haciendo eco de las quejas escuchadas en las lecturas de la semana pasada, la primera lectura de hoy también presenta reclamos que afirman que Dios no es justo. ¿Por qué castiga con la muerte a un virtuoso que cae en la iniquidad, mientras asegura la vida al débil que se convierte del pecado?

Esta es la pregunta que Jesús trae a cuento en la parábola del Evangelio de hoy.

El primer hijo representa a los más empedernidos pecadores de la época -publicanos y prostitutas-, que al principio, por su pecado, se resisten a servir en la viña del Señor, el reino. Ellos, con la predicación de Juan el Bautista, se arrepintieron he hicieron lo justo y correcto. El segundo hijo representa a los líderes de Israel, quienes dijeron que servirían a Dios en la viña, pero se negaron a creerle a Juan cuando les dijo que debían producir frutos como prueba de su arrepentimiento (cf. Mt 3,8).

Nuevamente, las lecturas de esta semana nos invitan a ponderar los insondables caminos de la justicia y la misericordia de Dios. Él enseña sus caminos sólo a los humildes, como cantamos en el salmo de este día. Y en la epístola de hoy San Pablo presenta a Jesús como el modelo de esa humildad por la cual llegamos a conocer la verdadera senda de la vida.

San Pablo canta un bello himno a la Encarnación. A diferencia de Adán, el primer hombre que en su orgullo pretendió ser Dios, Jesús, el Nuevo Adán, se humilló a sí mismo hasta hacerse esclavo, obediente incluso hasta la muerte en la cruz (cf. Rm 5,14). Por esto nos ha mostrado a cada uno de nosotros, pecadores, el camino del retorno al Padre. Sólo podemos venir a Dios para servir en su viña, la Iglesia, si tenemos la misma actitud de Cristo.

Los líderes de Israel carecieron de ella. En su vanagloria, presumieron su superioridad, asumiendo que ya no tenían necesidad de escuchar a los servidores de Dios ni su Palabra.

Pero ese es el camino de la muerte, como Dios le dice hoy a Ezequiel. Hemos de vaciarnos continuamente, buscando el perdón por nuestros pecados y fragilidades y confesando, con las rodillas dobladas, que Él es el Señor para la gloria del Padre.

Readings:
Ezekiel 18:25-28
Psalm 25:4-9
Philippians 2:1-11
Matthew 21:28-32

Echoing the complaint heard in last week’s readings, today’s First Reading again presents protests that God isn’t fair. Why does He punish with death one who begins in virtue but falls into iniquity, while granting life to the wicked one who turns from sin?

This is the question that Jesus takes up in the parable in today’s Gospel.

The first son represents the most heinous sinners of Jesus’ day—tax collectors and prostitutes—who by their sin at first refused to serve in the Lord’s vineyard, the kingdom. At the preaching of John the Baptist, they repented and did what was right and just. The second son represents Israel’s leaders—who said they would serve God in the vineyard, but refused to believe John when he told them they must produce good fruits as evidence of their repentance (see Matthew 3:8).

Once again, this week’s readings invite us to ponder the unfathomable ways of God’s justice and mercy. He teaches His ways only to the humble, as we sing in today’s Psalm. And in the Epistle today, Paul presents Jesus as the model of that humility by which we come to know life’s true path.

Paul sings a beautiful hymn to the Incarnation. Unlike Adam, the first man, who in his pride grasped at being God, the New Adam, Jesus, humbled himself to become a slave, obedient even unto death on the cross (see Romans 5:14). In this He has shown sinners—each one of us—the way back to the Father. We can only come to God to serve in His vineyard, the Church, by having that same attitude as Christ.

This is what Israel’s leaders lacked. In their vainglory, they presumed their superiority—that they had no further need to hear God’s Word or listen to God’s servants.

But this is the way to death, as God tells Ezekiel today. We are always to be emptying ourselves, seeking forgiveness for our sins and frailties, confessing on bended knee that He is Lord, to the glory of the Father.

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Jerome by Mr. Clement Harrold.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael by Dr. John Bergsma.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Thursday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time by Ms. Joan Watson.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for the Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul by Dr. John Bergsma.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Tuesday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Shane Owens.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Monday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. Scott Hahn.

Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com