XVII Sunday of the Year

STAKE EVERYTHING ON ONE THING

1 Kings 3:5, 7-12; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52 (13:44-46)

Readings for the XVII Sunday of the Year

A member of a youth-group, an Infosys employee, was leaving for the US and wanted to sell his Infosys shares. The others in the group were willing to do anything to buy those shares. One guy was willing to sell his bike; now this guy wouldn’t allow anyone to touch his bike! Anything for Infosys shares.

Many youngsters in our shelter homes have run away from home chasing a dream. Their dreams are different but they have one thing in common: they have left everything – home and family – to achieve that goal.

Were Jesus living now, he might have used a different parable to speak about the kingdom! Rather than speak about a pearl merchant or a farmer, he might have spoken about a youngster who gave up everything to realize his goal!

What’s common to the pearl merchant, the farmer, the shares-seeking-youngster, and the dream-chasing-kid? Each is willing to stake everything to possess something valuable.

That is Jesus’ point in today’s gospel parable. The farmer, who stumbles on a treasure, and the pearl merchant, who finds an invaluable pearl after a great search, appreciate the value of their find; they sell everything to possess their find.

To an outsider, these men might appear insane; they risk everything on one object. But the men are certain about the wisdom of their act: they give up something valuable to get the one invaluable treasure; their investment is total. 

Jesus gave up everything he valued – his family, his home, his profession – to do his Father’s will. For Jesus, there was no treasure greater than his Father’s will. 

In the first reading, we have something similar: Solomon chooses “an understanding heart” over a long life, riches, his enemies’ lives. That was his treasure.

Jesus asks us whether we see the kingdom as a treasure. 

We might stumble over it (like the farmer); we might find it unexpectedly after a long search (like the pearl merchant). One thing is clear: we will experience great joy when we discover it! 

The question then is: Am I ready to stake everything on it? What must I give up to possess it? 

Let us pray that we stake everything on the right thing!

XVI Sunday of the Year

DON’T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19; Romans 8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43 (13:24-30)

Readings for the XVI Sunday of the Year

A bishop, sailing on an ocean-liner, found that he was sharing a cabin. After he unpacked his bags, he went to the purser to leave his valuables in the ship’s safe. He remarked that he was afraid that his co-passenger might not be trustworthy. The purser smiled, accepted the valuables, and said: “Bishop, I’ll be glad to keep your valuables. Your cabin-mate has just been here and left his valuables for the same reason!”  

Jumping to conclusions is an exercise most of us get! We are quick to judge and want to do away with wrong doers, without knowing facts/ circumstances/ motives.

Instant judgment and intolerance are a major problem today. Think of the number of kangaroo courts especially on social media!

Instant judgment and intolerance were attitudes that plagued Israel. They wanted instant punishment for their enemies. Jesus was in conflict with the Pharisees precisely on the issue of intolerance; they condemned all who failed to keep the law. 

Today’s liturgy strongly challenges these attitudes. 

The first reading asserts that God is patient and merciful; he gives people time to change. He asks his people to be patient towards one another, even their enemies. 

The psalmist sees God as a forgiving God, who is slow to anger!

God’s patience appears again in the Gospel parable of the wheat and the weeds. The workers want to uproot the weeds. The owner knows that wheat and weeds look identical until they ripen! So, he cautions the workers: “Wait till all the facts are in; don’t jump to conclusions! Else, in your zeal, you might uproot wheat.” It is worth pondering on the landowner’s confidence that the wheat would survive the effect of the weeds and his trust in goodness which outdoes wickedness.

Consider some characters in scripture: Moses, a murderer; David, an adulterer and murderer; Paul, a persecutor; Peter, a coward. What if God had considered them weeds and uprooted them! 

There are times when we must make moral decisions. But this parable counsels patience – amid our failures; amid our urge fix things; amid our tendency to act on instant judgments about others.

What are the “weeds” in my life where I need to be patient with myself? With whom do I need to be patient? 

God is patient with us. Let us be patient with ourselves, with others, with the world. Let us stop jumping to conclusions.

XV Sunday of the Year

KEEP SOWING

Isaiah 55:10-11; Romans 8:18-23; Matthew 13:1-23 (1-9)

Readings for the XV Sunday of the Year

“I’m leaving!” said a priest companion as he and I were vesting for the Eucharist. Before a stunned me could respond, he explained that his province was quitting a missionary area because even after thirty years of ministry, they were not seeing the fruit of their labour. They planned to relocate to places where the people were receptive.

It is frustrating to work and not see the results of our labour. Parents, educators, mentors… we’ve been there and felt it. We want to throw our hands up and say: “That’s it! I’ve had enough.” 

Today’s word is addressed to those who want to quit: keep sowing because God’s word is efficacious.

Let’s situate today’s parable of the sower. The disciples are disheartened. Jesus has had very little “success”: the Pharisees are against him; the crowds come to him but only for their benefit. 

Every Israelite listening to the parable could identify with every detail: some seed fell on hard ground; much of their land was limestone, and beneath a few inches of soil there was rock; the soil which looked clean could have fibrous roots of weeds. Every detail was commonplace except one: the size of the harvest! A farmer who reaped a five-fold harvest was considered fortunate; a seven-fold harvest was a bounty attributable to God’s blessing, and reason to celebrate. A thirty-fold harvest? Unheard of. Sixty-fold, hundred-fold? Impossible!

Jesus’ emphasis: when we sow God’s word, there will be miraculous success despite initial frustration. 

The first reading gives us reason for confidence in an abundant harvest: just as rain inevitably brings forth fruitfulness, God’s word is efficacious. 

The sower knows soils are different; he accepts that the seed will grow differently. He sows anyway; he sows everywhere. 

And so we ought. In an age that looks for quick results, we need to sow the seed with patience and in hope that what we sow will, eventually, produce a harvest – even when it appears pointless, even when it appears that every inch of ground is worthless. Keep sowing the seed because God’s word is efficacious. 

Will I quit or will I keep sowing?

XIV Sunday of the Year

COUNTER THE CULTURE

Zechariah 9:9-10; Romans 8:9, 11-13; Matthew 11:25-30

Readings for the XIV Sunday of the Year

Extracts from Ellen Goodman’s editorial, “Battling our Culture is Parents’ Task” in the Chicago Tribune:

One of your main jobs as a parent is to counter the culture. What the media delivers to children by the masses, you are expected to rebut one at a time. We need parents who know how to say “no”. But it occurs to me now the call for “parental responsibility” is increasing in direct proportion to marketplace irresponsibility.

Are the kids being sold junk food? Just say no. Is TV bad? Turn it off. Counter the culture. Mothers and fathers are expected to screen virtually every aspect of their children’s lives.

Parents see themselves in a struggle for the hearts and minds of their own children. It isn’t that they can’t say no. It’s that there’s so much more to say no to. It’s not just that families have less time with their kids, it’s that that we must spend more of this time doing battle with our own culture. 

What society compels parents to do today is what Jesus challenged his disciples to do two thousand years ago: counter the culture! Christianity is counter-cultural.

Some indicators of his counter-cultural way: 

▪ God’s revelation is not to “the wise and the learned” but to the “little ones”;

▪ Freedom comes not from escapism but from surrendering to the well-fitting yoke of Jesus; 

▪ God’s preference is for the “childlike” and the poor.

Why should we be counter-cultural?

The second reason is because Jesus challenges us to be counter cultural. 

The first reason is the example of Jesus, who: 

▪ rides not a horse but a colt, a symbol of peace; who proclaims not war but peace; who does not build but destroys weapons (cf. the first reading); 

▪ took the form of a slave, was born in human likeness, and shows us that authority comes not from power but from service;

▪ calls us to learn from his meekness and humility.

Being counter-cultural is not about boycotting companies, signing online petitions, protesting on streets – though these are sometimes needed. Being counter-cultural is living gospel values, living the way Jesus lived.

Will I imitate my God and be counter-cultural? Will I learn from him who is meek and humble of heart? Will I submit to his yoke?

XIII Sunday of the Year

MAKING ROOM…

2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16a; Romans 6:3-4, 8-11; Matthew 10:37-42

Readings for the XIII Sunday of the Year

The lady of the house instructed her butler before the start of a banquet: “Bentley, I want you to stand at the front door and call the guests’ names as they arrive.” “Very well, madam,” replied the butler, “I’ve been wanting to do that for years.”

I guess we have all felt like Bentley and wanted to call our guests names – at least occasionally when we have had to welcome people who aren’t particularly welcome-able. 

But think of the times people welcomed us warmly, perhaps, with a broad smile, open arms, comforting words. It felt good! 

The Shunamite woman did just that for the prophet Elisha (first reading). The woman was childless but didn’t focus on her condition! She welcomed Elisha and was hospitable to this “holy man of God.” Her hospitality was extravagant: she gave him a furnished room “so that when he comes to us he can go in there.” How thoughtful, how sensitive, how generous! Though her hospitality was without strings attached, God acted powerfully for her because she was kind to one of his own.

The message about hospitality finds an echo in the Gospel. Jesus reminds his disciples about the cost of discipleship but urges them not to worry. As they travel with his message, they will meet people, like the Shunamite woman, who will recognize them as prophets, righteous men, and disciples. They will find welcome and hospitality. 

For the Israelites, a traveller was a reminder of their struggle as enslaved strangers in Egypt; a stranger in need a reminder of their status as wandering pilgrims. 

We need to return to biblical hospitality! Like the Shunamite woman, we need to build room for others – in our lives and hearts. 

Let me pick one person whom I will welcome in my life. How will I welcome and be hospitable to this person in the week ahead? 

I may have to give my time, my talents, my resources, my life. My life may be interrupted. My privacy invaded. My patience tried. Let me ask the Lord to help me. Let me understand God’s hospitality!