'All the things in this world are gifts of God, created for us, to be the means by which we can come to know him better, love him more surely, and serve him more faithfully. As a result, we ought to appreciate and use these gifts of God insofar as they help us toward our goal of loving service and union with God. But insofar as any created things hinder our progress toward our goal, we ought to let them go.'

St. Ignatius of Loyola

The Angelus

The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of
our death. Amen.

Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.

Hail Mary . . .

And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary . . .

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.

Amen.

"Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1:28)

"Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb"
(Lk 1:42).

Matthew
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Matthew 21
28.	But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and coming to the first, he said: Son, go work to day in my vineyard.	Quid autem vobis videtur ? Homo quidam habebat duos filios, et accedens ad primum, dixit : Fili, vade hodie, operare in vinea mea.	τι δε υμιν δοκει ανθρωπος ειχεν τεκνα δυο και προσελθων τω πρωτω ειπεν τεκνον υπαγε σημερον εργαζου εν τω αμπελωνι μου
29.	And he answering, said: I will not. But afterwards, being moved with repentance, he went.	Ille autem respondens, ait : Nolo. Postea autem, pœnitentia motus, abiit.	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν ου θελω υστερον δε μεταμεληθεις απηλθεν
30.	And coming to the other, he said in like manner. And he answering, said: I go, Sir; and he went not.	Accedens autem ad alterum, dixit similiter. At ille respondens, ait : Eo, domine, et non ivit :	και προσελθων τω δευτερω ειπεν ωσαυτως ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν εγω κυριε και ουκ απηλθεν
31.	Which of the two did the father's will? They say to him: The first. Jesus saith to them: Amen I say to you, that the publicans and the harlots shall go into the kingdom of God before you.	quis ex duobus fecit voluntatem patris ? Dicunt ei : Primus. Dicit illis Jesus : Amen dico vobis, quia publicani et meretrices præcedent vos in regnum Dei.	τις εκ των δυο εποιησεν το θελημα του πατρος λεγουσιν αυτω ο πρωτος λεγει αυτοις ο ιησους αμην λεγω υμιν οτι οι τελωναι και αι πορναι προαγουσιν υμας εις την βασιλειαν του θεου
32.	For John came to you in the way of justice, and you did not believe him. But the publicans and the harlots believed him: but you, seeing it, did not even afterwards repent, that you might believe him.	Venit enim ad vos Joannes in via justitiæ, et non credidistis ei : publicani autem et meretrices crediderunt ei : vos autem videntes nec pœnitentiam habuistis postea, ut crederetis ei.	ηλθεν γαρ προς υμας ιωαννης εν οδω δικαιοσυνης και ουκ επιστευσατε αυτω οι δε τελωναι και αι πορναι επιστευσαν αυτω υμεις δε ιδοντες ου μετεμεληθητε υστερον του πιστευσαι αυτω

28. But what think you? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.
29. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.
30. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
31. Whether of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. Jesus said to them, Verily I say to you, That the Publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
32. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the Publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him.

JEROME; Thus much prefaced, the Lord brings forward a parable, to convict them of their irreligion, and show them that the kingdom of God should be transferred to the Gentiles.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; Those who are to be judged in this cause, He applies to as judges, that condemning themselves they might be shown to be unworthy to be acquitted by any other. It is high confidence of the justness of a cause, that will entrust it to the decision of an adversary. But He veils the allusion to them in a parable, that they might not perceive that they were passing sentence upon themselves; A certain man had two sons. Who is he but God, who created all men, who being by nature Lord of all, yet would rather be loved as a father, than feared as a Lord. The elder son was the Gentile people, the younger the Jews, since from the time of Noah there had been Gentiles. And he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. Today, i.e. during this age. He spoke with him, not face to face as man, but to his heart as God, instilling understanding through the senses. To work in the vineyard is to do righteousness; for to cultivate the whole thereof, I know not that any one man is sufficient.

JEROME; He speaks to the Gentile people first, through their knowledge of the law of nature; Go and work in my vineyard; i.e. What you, would I not have done to you, that do not you to others. He answers haughtily, I will not.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; For the Gentiles from the beginning leaving God and his righteousness, and going over to idols and sins, seem to make answer in their thoughts, We will not do the righteousness of God.

JEROME; But when, at the coming of the Savior, the Gentile people, having done penitence, labored in God's vineyard, and atoned by their labor for the obstinacy of their refusal, this is what is said, But afterward he repented, and went. The second son is the Jewish people who made answer to Moses, All that the Lord has said to us we will do.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; But afterwards turning their backs, they lied to God, according to that in the Psalms, The sons of the strangers have lied to me. This is what is said, But he went not. The Lord accordingly asks which of the two did the will of his father? They say to him, The first. See how they have first sentence upon themselves, saying, that the elder son, that is, the Gentile people, did the will of his father. For it is better not to promise righteousness before God, and to do it, than to promise, and to fail.

ORIGEN; Whence we may gather, that in this parable the Lord spoke to such as promise little or nothing, but in their works shine forth; and against those who promise great things but do none of these things that they have promised.

JEROME; It should be known that in the correct copies it is read not The last, but The first, that they might be condemned by their own sentence. But should we prefer to read, as some have it, The last, the explanation is obvious, to say that the Jews understood the truth, but dissembled, and would not say what they thought; just as though they knew that the baptism of John was from heaven, they would not say so.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; The Lord abundantly confirms their decision, whence it follows, Jesus said, to them, I say to you, that the publicans and harlots shall go before you in the kingdom of God; as much as to say, Not only the Gentiles are before you, but even the publicans and the harlots.

RABAN; Yet the kingdom of God may be understood of the Gentiles, or of the present Church, in which the Gentiles go before the Jews, because they were more ready to believe.

ORIGEN; Notwithstanding, the Jews are not shut out that they should never enter into the kingdom of God; but, when the fullness of the Gentiles shall have entered in, then all Israel shall be saved.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; I suppose that the publicans here are to represent all sinful men, and the harlots all sinful women; because avarice is found the most prevailing vice among men, and fornication among women. For a woman's life is passed in idleness and seclusion, which are great temptations to that sin, while a man, constantly occupied in various active duties, falls readily into the snare of covetousness, and not so commonly into fornication, as the anxieties of manly cares preclude thoughts of pleasure, which engage rather the young and idle. Then follows the reason of what He had said, For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you believed him not.

RABAN; John came preaching the way of righteousness, because he pointed to Christ, who is the fulfilling of the Law.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; Or, because his venerable conversation smote the hearts of sinners, as it follows, But the Publicans and harlots believed in him. Mark how the good life of the preacher gives its force to his preaching, so as to subdue unsubdued hearts. And you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him; as much as to say, They have done that which is more by believing in Him, you have not even repented, which is less. But in this exposition which we have set forth according to the mind of many interpreters, there seems to me something inconsistent. For if by the two sons are to he understood the Jews and Gentiles, as soon as the Priests had answered that it was the first son that did his father's will, then Christ should have concluded His parable with these words, Verily I say to you, that the Gentiles shall go into the kingdom of God before you. But He says, The Publicans and harlots, a class rather of Jews than of Gentiles. Unless this is to be taken as was said above; So much rather the Gentile people please God than you, that even the Publicans and harlots are more acceptable to Him than you.

JEROME; Whence others think that the parable does not relate to Gentiles and Jews, but simply to the righteous and to sinners. These by their evil deeds had rejected God's service, but after received from John the baptism of repentance; while the Pharisees who made a show of righteousness, and boasted that they did the law of God, despising John's baptism, did not follow his precepts.

PSEUDO-CHRYS; This He brings in because the Priests had asked not in order to learn, but to tempt Him. But of the common folk many had believed; and for that reason He brings forward the parable of the two sons, showing them therein that the common sort, who from the first professed secular lives, were better than the Priests who from the first professed the service of God, inasmuch as the people at length turned repentant to God, but the Priests impenitent, never left off to sin against God. And the elder son represents the people; because the people is not for the sake of the Priests, but the Priests are for the sake of the people.

Catena Aurea Matthew 21

The Appearance of Christ before the People

Alexander Ivanov

(Years of painting execution 1837-57)
Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow

Zenit.org

Archbishop Follo: The Conversion of the Heart

XXVI Sunday of Ordinary Time – October 1, 2017

September 29, 2017Francesco FolloSunday Readings

Robert Cheaib - Robert Cheaib

Roman Rite

XXVI Sunday of Ordinary Time – October 1, 2017

Ez 18: 25-28; Ps 25; Phil 2: 11; Mt 21: 28-32

Ambrosian Rite

Dt 6, 4-12; Ps 18; Gal 5: 1-14; Mt 22.34-40

Fifth Sunday after the Martyrdom of St. John the Precursor.

1) It is convenient to convert

Today, Christ speaks again of the Lord’s vineyard that is used in the Bible to indicate the people of God.

First, in the image of the vineyard it is expressed the care, meaning the love, that God has for his people. The entire story of the old Alliance is the story of a provident God, a God rich in care and in mercy who shares the joys and the sufferings of his people. It is the story of a present God who saves and who, particularly in the mystery of the Incarnation of Jesus, in the words and works of Christ, and in his death and resurrection, reveals himself as the God with us, the God for us, our Salvation and Redemption. Like the grapes of a grape bunch, God takes care of each one and of all.

Secondly, the image of the vine indicates the need for man’s collaboration in the vineyard of God. That is why, in the Gospel of last Sunday, Christ has taught that the vineyard is the place where we are invited to work and to be daytime companions in order to care for the people of God. “By working in this vine we prepare the wine of the Divine mercy to be poured on the wounds of the suffering people” (St. Gregory the Great). Today, Christ states that this collaboration is not made by strangers in the house of the Father, but by his children. One of these workers at the beginning says yes to the Father who invites him to go to work in the family vineyard, then he does not go. The other worker says no but then goes there because he felt sorry and because his heart has changed. This change allows him to observe the command of the Father. Ii is an obedience that puts him on the road to good life: the road of the unified heart.

Let us pray the Lord to keep our hearts together (see Ps 87, 11), let us seek him with a simple heart that does not have second purposes.

Praying and acting in the obedience of love, we let us live and be the first to receive an advantage gaining a great heart that makes life sprout (see Proverbs 4,23) and that realizes the Father’s will to live. This is the will to have a home served not by servants forced to obey, but inhabited by children free and mature in love and, therefore, collaborators of the Father for the maturation of the world and the fertility of the earth.

The difference between the son who acts as a rebellious servant and the son who recognizes the love of the Father is not so much in the fact that one says yes or no to his father, but it is in what it actually happens in their heart: one does not repent, the other does and converts to work in the vineyard of the Father “with hands that are the landscape of the heart” (Saint John Paul II).

That is why we must repent, namely convert, as it is reminded by today’s first reading in which we read: “If the wicked turns from the wickedness he has committed, he does what is right and just,
he shall preserve his life; since he has turned away from all the sins that he has committed,
he shall surely live, he shall not die.”(Ez 18:28).

The Greek verb that in the Gospel of today is translated with “repent”, means “change of the heart”. In fact, the repentance that the obedient son has experienced in his existence, was not limited to the moral level- as conversion from immorality to morality – or to the intellectual level- as change in one’s own way of understanding reality – but it was rather a radical renewal of the heart, similar in many respects to a rebirth. He was reborn in the awareness to be son and not servant.

We will experience the same thing if we will bear the pain of our sin and will accept the grace of God’s love. If we give God our pain, he will confirm us in his love and we will be happy to work in his vineyard.

2) The double meaning of the vineyard.

God is a father, not a master. God loves and invites to work in his vineyard according to his will of benevolent love. He wants all his children to be saved, live in peace and in fraternal communion and work to “improve” the world.

In this sense, we could say that the word vine has two meanings. “It means all the world created by God for man: for every man and for all men. At the same time, it means the small part of the world, the “fragment”, which is the concrete duty of every concrete man. In this second meaning, the “vineyard” is at the time same “within us” and “outside of us”. We must cultivate it improving the world and improving ourselves. Indeed, one depends on the other: I make the world better as much as I improve myself. Otherwise, I’m just a “technician” of the world’s development and not the “worker” in the vineyard “(St. John Paul II, 18 December 1978).

In this sense the “vineyard”, to which I was sent like the two sons of today’s Gospel, must become the place of my work for the world and my work on myself. If it is correct to say that the “vineyard” also means the inner world, it is equally correct to affirm that we must work the vine of our heart to receive Christ Jesus.

The work in the inner vineyard is difficult because it requires renouncing ourselves. It is not astonishing that a son called to work in it says “I will not go”. However, the work in the “inner vineyard” is indispensable otherwise man introduces sin and evil in this world, which has been created for him. Then, in the “inner vineyard” the circle of sin widens, and the structures of sin increase in power. The atmosphere of the world we live in becomes morally more and more poisoned. We cannot surrender to this destruction of the human environment by sin. We must oppose it.

At this point, one might ask: “How can we oppose sin and engage in this inner vineyard?” Living in” grace “and committing ourselves to always participate in the divine life grafted in us by Baptism. To live in grace is supreme dignity, ineffable joy, a guarantee of peace, a wonderful ideal and must also be a logical concern for those who proclaim to be followers of Christ.

An exemplary way to live the life of grace is that of the consecrated Virgins. These women, by donating themselves fully to Christ who says “I am the vine, you the branches, who remains in me brings much fruit “(Jn 15: 5), cultivate the” vine of their heart “, giving the primacy of God’s love over all other values. They live in the total availability to listen to the Word and in divine praise offering, with an existence that becomes service of love, an exemplary realization of what the whole Christian community should be serving the world.

Finally, they testify that the pay of their working day is “money”, but this “money” is Christ who gives himself totally to each of us, even when we are called at the eleventh hour.

At the conclusion of our reflections and as a community prayer to God, let’s say in faith: “Father, you, who are always ready to welcome publicans and sinners just as they repent in their heart, do promise life and salvation to every man who stays away from injustice: may your Spirit make us docile to your word and give us the same feelings that are in Christ Jesus ” (Collect of the XXVI Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A)

http://www.theworkofgod.org/Devotns/Euchrist/HolyMass/gospels.asp?key=142

Year A - 26th Sunday in ordinary time

The obedient son
Matthew 21:28-32
28 “What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’
29 He answered, ‘I will not’; but later he changed his mind and went.
30 The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go.
31 Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you.
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons ho need no repentance. I call everyone to follow the commandments, to repent, and to become a witness of my word.

All human beings have to struggle against the powers of sin. Sin works as a dark invisible cloud that menaces the purity of every soul and if nothing is done, it destroys and causes eternal death.

The commandments have brought back many souls from eternal damnation, they have inspired repentance and change, they have kept spiritual order throughout the ages.

Some people cover themselves with their false religiosity pretending to be clean on the outside, while their interior is full of darkness and death. I am offended by hypocrisy because I read the heart of every person.

In the spiritual life, you do not need to be seen by others doing your spiritual works; you do not need to impress any one except God, since the Eternal One is the only one who can give eternal rewards to you. Therefore work silently doing your good works, admit your sinfulness and present yourself humbly before me every day, do not count your spiritual riches, empty yourself and bring your offering to me.

My immediate reward to you will be my peace, which is not like the peace you receive from men; it is that joy that only comes from me.

I am the God of sinners. How fortunate you are when you admit to be a sinner and repent, how fortunate you are to come to me in your needs. I receive you with great joy because you are mine, you have cost me so much, I have died for your sins and I am glorified when you accept me as your Savior and Lord.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

Archdiocese of Washington

God Can Use Anything, but He Shouldn’t Have to - A Homily for the 25th Sunday of the Year

Msgr. Charles Pope • September 30, 2017 •

In understanding Sunday’s Gospel, we cannot overlook the audience Jesus was addressing. The text begins, Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people …. In other words, He was addressing the religious leaders and religiously observant of His day. He calls at least three things to their attention, three common sins of the pious, if you will: lost connections, leaping to conclusions and lip service.

Let’s look at each of these in turn, remembering that although they are not exclusive to the religiously observant, they are considered in that context. Let’s also learn how they are particularly problematic when it comes to our mandate to hand on the faith through evangelization.

I. Lost Connections

The text says, A man had two sons. It goes on to describe these two sons as very different yet also quite similar. The man, of course, is God; we are the sons. Although we are all very different, we all have the same Father and we all have sin. A man had two sons is another way of saying that the sons had the same father. Yes, we all have a connection we cannot deny, whatever our differences.

Why emphasize this? Because it is too easy for us to try to sever the link we have with one another, to effect a kind of divorce from people we fear or do not like. For example, on the way to Mass we may drive past tough parts of town and see drug dealers, prostitutes, groups of young men loitering near liquor stores, and other outwardly troubled or rebellious people. It is easy to be cynical and say, “Some people’s children!” or “Look at that; how awful.” Or we may simply ignore them. Yet in doing this we fail to recall that these are my brothers and sisters. So easily we can dismiss them, write them off, separate ourselves from them. But God may have a question for us: “Where is your brother?” (Gen 4:9)

Yes, there are many people whom we try to disown. Perhaps they are of a different political party, economic class, or race. Perhaps we just don’t like them. We divide, but God unites. A man had two sons. Yes, they were different, but he was father to them both; he loved them both. He spoke to them and called them his sons.

In terms of evangelization, remember that Jesus sent us to all the nations. No longer were Israel and the Gentiles to be separated, the one considered chosen people and the other not. Hence the Church is catholic, universal, seeking to unite all. A man had two sons, but the two sons had one father. In seeking to evangelize, has it ever occurred to you that the least likely member of your family could be the one whom God most wants you to reach? Be careful of lost connections, for souls can be lost.

II. Leaping to Conclusions

A second “sin of the pious” is leaping to the conclusion that someone is irredeemably lost, writing someone. Many of the Scribes and Pharisees, the religiously observant of their day, had done just this with a large segment of the population. Rather than to going out and working among them to preach the Word and to teach the observance of the Law, many of them simply labeled the crowds “sinners” and dismissed them as lost. In fact, they were shocked that Jesus “welcomed sinners and ate with them” (e.g., Lk 15:2). In effect, Jesus says to them, “Not so fast. Don’t leap to conclusions or write anyone off. Sick people need a doctor. I have come to be their divine physician and to heal many of them.”

Thus Jesus, in today’s parable, speaks of a sinner who repents: [The Father] came to the first and said, “Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.” He said in reply, “I will not,” but afterwards changed his mind and went.

The point is that we just don’t know about people. We should be very careful not to write people off, even those who appear to be locked in very serious and sinful patterns or who seem to be hostile to God. The example of St. Paul should certainly give us hope, as should that of St. Augustine. St. Augustine wrote well on the fact that we just don’t know how things will turn out with people.

For what man can judge rightly concerning another? Our whole daily life is filled with rash judgments. He of whom we had despaired is converted suddenly and becomes very good. He from whom we had expected a great deal fails and becomes very bad. Neither our fear nor our hope is certain. What any man is today, that man scarcely know. Still in some way he does know. What he will be tomorrow however, he does not know (Sermo 46, 25).

Scripture also says, The oppressed often rise to a throne, and some that none would consider, wear a crown. The exalted often fall into utter disgrace; … Call no man happy before his death, for by how he ends, a man is known (Sirach 11:5-6, 28).

I man I knew (now deceased) once told me his story: He was raised in the Church, got all his Sacraments, went to Church regularly, and was a God-fearing man. In his early forties, though, he descended into alcoholism, began to be unfaithful to his wife, stopped going to Church, and was dismissive of God. Were you or I to have seen him at that time, we might easily have concluded that he was too far gone. When he was in his early sixties, he knows not how (except that someone must have been praying for him) but he pulled out of his rebellion and reentered the vineyard. He sought help for his drinking problem and reconciled with his wife and children. Daily mass, weekly confession, daily rosary, and Stations of the Cross—yes, when he returned, he really returned. He said to me that he had done a lot of sinning and so now it was time to do a lot of praying, to make up for lost time, as he put it. He died a penitent in the bosom of the Church.

You just never know. Don’t write anyone off. Nothing stabs evangelization in the heart more than the presumption that someone is an unlikely candidate for conversion. Keep praying and keep working. Jesus tells us the story of a son who told his father to “buzz off,” but later repented and went into the vineyard. Pray, hope, and work. You just never know. Don’t give up.

Don’t think that anyone is a permanent member of the vineyard, either. Pray, hope, and work even for those who seem well within in the vineyard, even for your own salvation. We all know of former parishioners, even leaders, who later drifted from the faith. St. Paul spoke of how he had a kind of sober vigilance about his own salvation: But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified (1 Cor 9:27).

III. Lip Service

The text says, The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, “Yes, sir,” but did not go.

Consider the second son. He is respectful to his father. When told to go into the vineyard he tells his father that he will do so. He would not dream of cursing his father or addressing him in a strident way. You might say that he was outwardly respectful and religiously observant—a decent sort of fellow.

In the end, though, he doesn’t get around to going to the vineyard. For whatever reason, his obedience to his father was only cursory. His lack of follow-through demonstrates a great danger to the religiously observant: giving God “lip service.” Yes, we will praise the Lord, sing a hymn, shout Hallelujah, and say Amen on Sunday, but come Monday will we obey and go to the vineyard of obedience? Will we forgive those who have wronged us? Will we show generosity to the poor? Will we be chaste and compassionate? Will we love our spouse and children? Will we speak the truth in love, evangelize, and act as God’s prophets?

The greatest sadness of all is that it is our very religious observance (a good and commanded thing to be sure) that often blinds us to our wider disobedience. It is easy (and too common) for the religiously observant person to reduce the faith to rituals and, once the rituals are observed, to check off the “God box.” In effect saying or thinking, “OK, I’ve gone to Mass, paid my tithes, said a few Amens and praised the Lord by singing. Now I’m done.”

“Lip-service Christians” are terrible witnesses and a real blow to evangelization because they are so easy to spot. How on earth can we ever hope to win souls for Christ if people can see that we are just going through the motions, but living lives that are unreformed, and untransformed? Our greatest witness must be a life that is being changed by Jesus Christ, a life that manifests the biblical principles of love, justice, charity, forgiveness, mercy, generosity, and a biblical understanding of sexuality; a life that shows we have a renewed mind and heart.

Now none of us do this perfectly, but pray that God’s transformative power is at work in us and that people can see it in us. There is little that is more destructive to evangelization than phony, lip-service Christians, who give the outward appearance of obedience and religiosity but with no substance behind it. Nothing is more helpful to evangelization than Christians who show lives that are being transformed and made more joyful, serene, and holy.

All of this leads to the title of today’s post: “God can use anything, but He shouldn’t have to.” In other words, although none of us are perfect disciples and God can work through us no matter what—He shouldn’t have to do that.

So in today’s Gospel Jesus points out three powerful obstacles to His grace flowing through us to others: lost connections, leaping to conclusions, and lip service. All of these things lessen our effectiveness as disciples, prophets, and evangelizers sent out to make disciples of all the nations.

Sunday Gospel Reflections

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Ezekiel 18:25-28 II: Philipians 2:1-11

Gospel
Matthew 21:28-32

²⁸"What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.'
²⁹And he answered, 'I will not'; but afterward he repented and went.
³⁰And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go.
³¹Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.
³²For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.

Interesting Details

Context: The chief priests and the elders challenged the authority of Jesus, starting a lengthy and harsh confrontation, which firmed up their decision to arrest and kill Jesus.
According to Pilch, a Christian missionary told this story in the Middle East but changed the question to "Which was the better son?" and most people said that the son who said yes but not doing it was better. It is more important to reply respectfully than to perform the act itself. Thus Jesus' teaching, that the action counts even when there was an initial disrespect, was surprising to these people, though probably not so to most Westerners.
(v.31) Tax collectors are bad because they often cheat people, and they took money from the Jews to give it to the alien oppressors, the Romans.
Prostitutes are bad not only because of their sexual sins but also because they often sold their services to the Roman soldiers.
Who are the ones who said no but repented? There are various interpretations. They can be sinners, as the terms "tax collectors and harlots" indicate. They can also be pagans (Jerusalem Bible). Nowadays, they can be those who do not belong to the mainstream such as the "moral majority."
The story only said that the son "he repented and went", but did not say how well he did it. Thus repentance and good intention is more important than the outcome of the task.
Conversely, who are the ones who said yes but did not obey? They can be the chief priests and elders of the people whom Jesus told the parable to. They can be Jews who did not accept Jesus. Nowadays, they can be the church people who say all the right things and be in all the right places but do not love others as Jesus commands.

One Main Point

The response to Jesus is a critical. Those who truly do the will of God will enter the kingdom.

Reflections

Listen to Jesus saying to me, "Son, go and work in the vineyard today." What is the vineyard, and what work does Jesus invite me to do?
Examine my good deeds. Are they more external like the son saying yes (which is good and important), or are they following what God wants me to do?

'I am He Who Is, and you are she who is not.'

The Lord, to St. Catherine of Siena in a vision

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Fr. Don Miller, OFM

Image: Saint Thérèse of Lisieux as a novice at age 16. | Carmelite Archives of Lisieux

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Saint of the Day for October 1

(January 2, 1873 – September 30, 1897)

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux’s Story

“I prefer the monotony of obscure sacrifice to all ecstasies. To pick up a pin for love can convert a soul.”

These are the words of Thérèse of Lisieux, a Carmelite nun called the “Little Flower,” who lived a cloistered life of obscurity in the convent of Lisieux, France. And her preference for hidden sacrifice did indeed convert souls. Few saints of God are more popular than this young nun. Her autobiography, The Story of a Soul, is read and loved throughout the world. Thérèse Martin entered the convent at the age of 15 and died in 1897 at the age of 24.

Life in a Carmelite convent is indeed uneventful and consists mainly of prayer and hard domestic work. But Thérèse possessed that holy insight that redeems the time, however dull that time may be. She saw in quiet suffering a redemptive suffering, suffering that was indeed her apostolate. Thérèse said she came to the Carmel convent “to save souls and pray for priests.” And shortly before she died, she wrote: “I want to spend my heaven doing good on earth.”

Thérèse was canonized in 1925. On October 19, 1997, Pope John Paul II proclaimed her a Doctor of the Church, the third woman to be so recognized in light of her holiness and the influence of her teaching on spirituality in the Church.

Her parents, Louis and Zélie, were beatified in 2008, and canonized in 2015.

Reflection

Thérèse has much to teach our age of the image, the appearance, the “self.” We have become a dangerously self-conscious people, painfully aware of the need to be fulfilled, yet knowing we are not. Thérèse, like so many saints, sought to serve others, to do something outside herself, to forget herself in quiet acts of love. She is one of the great examples of the gospel paradox that we gain our life by losing it, and that the seed that falls to the ground must die in order to live.

Preoccupation with self separates modern men and women from God, from their fellow human beings, and ultimately from themselves. We must re-learn to forget ourselves, to contemplate a God who draws us out of ourselves, and to serve others as the ultimate expression of selfhood. These are the insights of Saint Thérèse, and they are more valid today than ever.

Saint Thérèse is the Patron Saint of:

Florists
Missionaries
Pilots
Priests

On St. Thérèse of Lisieux

On Praying for Priests (Thoughts from St. Thérèse of Lisieux)
Tens of thousands expected to venerate St. Therese relics at Westminster Cathedral [Catholic Caucus]
The Little-Known St. Thérèse (Catholic Caucus)
All Is Grace
Three Novenas to Saint Therese of Lisieux/St. Therese of the Child Jesus (Prayer Thread)
Catholic Caucus: The Little-Known St. Thérèse
Catholic relic (of St. Therese of the Child Jesus) nicked from Toronto church [Catholic Caucus]
Leonard Porter's St. Therese (magnificent)
Blessed Mother... and Father, Too (parents of St. Therese beatified) [Catholic Caucus]
"A Shower of Roses" [Catholic Caucus]
The Christmas Conversion of St. Thérèse

Benedict XVI Welcomes Relics of St. Thérèse - Urges Faithful to Love Scripture as She Did
St. Therese of The Little Flower - Following Her Road Map & Compass To God (Card Sean Titular Chrch)
St. Therese and the Little Way
Today we remember the Little Flower
New Film on the Life of St. Thèrése of Lisieux Screened for the Roman Curia
St. Therese and Her Little Way
Saint Therese of Lisieux-Excerpts from autobiography:STORY OF A SOUL
St. Thérèse of Lisieux
The Little Way of St. Therese [Long]
Catholic Caucus - St. Therese of Lisieux

Information: St. Therese of Lisieux

Feast Day: October 1

Born: January 2, 1873, Alençon, France

Died: September 30, 1897, Lisieux, France

Canonized: May 17, 1925 by Pope Pius XI

Major Shrine: Basilique de Sainte-Thérèse, Lisieux, France

Patron of: AIDS sufferers; aviators; bodily ills; florists; France; illness; loss of parents; missionaries; tuberculosis

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus

Feast Day: October 1
Born: 1873 :: Died: 1897

St. Theresa, who was often called the Little Flower, was born in Normandy in France. She had four older sisters and her parents were Louis and Zelie Martin. Theresa was a very lively, lovable little girl and her father called her his "little queen."

Yet she could also be too sensitive and irritable. In the story she wrote of her life, she tells how the Infant Jesus helped her overcome this weakness.

Theresa wanted very much to enter the Carmelite convent where two of her sisters were already nuns. But since she was only fifteen, they did not let her.

Theresa felt sure that Jesus wanted her to spend her life loving him alone. She kept praying and asking the superior to let her join the convent. She even dared to ask Pope Leo XIII himself to grant her heart's desire and finally she was allowed to enter.

Although she was only fifteen, Theresa did not expect to be treated like a child. "Obedience, prayer and sacrifice" were her duty. She had a thirst to suffer for love of God.

Theresa had the spiritual courage of a real heroine. "May Jesus make me a martyr of the heart or of the body-or better, both!" she wrote. And she meant it.

In winter she suffered from the bitter cold and dampness of her plain bedroom. There were other kinds of sufferings, too. Whenever she was made fun of or insulted, she would offer her pain to her beloved Jesus. She would hide her hurts under a smile. She told Jesus to do with her whatever was his will.

Sister Theresa tried hard to be humble. She called her great belief in God her "little way" to holiness. She always had a burning desire to become a saint.

The young nun wanted to find a "short cut," an to take her quickly to heaven. So she looked in the Bible, and found the words, "Whoever is a little one, come to me."

When she lay dying, she could say: "I have never given the good God anything but love, and it is with love that he will repay.

After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses. I will spend my heaven doing good on earth." The Little Flower died on September 30, 1897.

"O Jesus, my love, my vocation, at last I have found it. My vocation is LOVE!"

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, October 1

Liturgical Color: White

Today is the Memorial of St.
Therese of the Child Jesus, virgin
and Doctor of the Church. She is
known as the Saint of the Little Way,
referring to her practice of offering
small, daily trials up to God. St.
Therese died in 1897.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: October 1st

Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

MASS READINGS

October 01, 2017 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

O God, who manifest your almighty power above all by pardoning and showing mercy, bestow, we pray, your grace abundantly upon us and make those hastening to attain your promises heirs to the treasures of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Recipes (1)

Year-Round Favorite Sunday Dinner (Sample Menu)

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Activities (3)

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Prayers (3)

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Library (4)

Old Calendar: Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

"Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him (Matt. 21:31-32)."

The feast of St. Therese, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 18:25-28. A notion very prevalent among the Jews, all through their history, was that the sins of parents were punished in their children. Ezekiel tells his audience that each man is responsible for his own sins. As each man has a free will, the good man may foolishly turn to sin, and likewise, the sinner may repent and live a good life.

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 2:1-5. St. Paul is urging his new converts to live in unity of love and mutual charity. Each one must esteem his neighbor as of more importance than himself and help him in every way. In doing this, they are only imitating their Savior Christ Jesus who although Creator became a creature, though Master He made Himself a slave—all for love of us.

The Gospel is from St. Matthew 21:28-32. This parable was primarily intended to show up the hypocrisy of the chief priests and elders of the Jews, and the perilous position in which they stood in relation to God and heaven. It is, however, a warning against hypocrisy for all time. Lip service of God will not merit heaven. Nominal Christians are not working in the Lord's vineyard. At any moment they may be called from this life, and what defense can they offer the just judge? Will they dare to offer the flimsy excuses with which they try to silence their consciences now: "we didn't realize how sinful we were"; "we were too occupied with family and personal cares to have time for our spiritual duties"; "we were led astray by bad example"; "we didn't like to be different from others"; "we were going to put things right"? Who will dare to offer such excuses at the judgment seat? Their utter futility will then be apparent in all its nakedness.

However, we are still on earth, and while we are the door of God's mercy is wide open to us. If in the past we said, "I will not go into your vineyard", we still have time to reverse that sinful decision. Not only can we with God's grace turn over a new leaf, but we can completely wipe out the sinful pages of our life's story written up to now. Remember that what God in His mercy did for the tax-collectors and harlots in the parable, the Matthews, the Mary Magdalenes, the Augustines, the Margarets of Cortona, the Matt Talbots and the millions of unknown penitents who are now saints in heaven He can also do for you.

We answered the call to God's vineyard by accepting baptism and membership of His Church. If we have grown lax in our fervor and refused to do the tasks allotted to us, we still have time, thanks to God's mercy and patience, to put things right. Today, look into your conscience and see how much of your past life you have given to God and how much you have kept for yourself. If you were called tonight to render an account to the Lord, would the balance sheet be in your favor? Is your corner of the vineyard producing abundant crops, or is it perhaps filling up with weeds, briers and brambles? If the latter, then we will say a heartfelt "Thank you, God, for not calling us to judgment today. We will begin right now to understand our sinful past, so that our corner of your vineyard will be in good order when you do call us. Thank you, Lord, for your mercy. God grant that we shall never abuse it."

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Philippians 2:1-11

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:5)

Time for a quiz! What will make Paul’s joy “complete” (2:2)? What does humility produce in our relationships (2:3)? What does Paul think is a key feature of the Church? If you answered unity in Christ to all three, you’re right.

Paul uses the phrase “in Christ” more than 170 times. He uses it to talk about how we can know Jesus’ love and mercy. He uses it to tell us that we are redeemed through faith in Christ. And he uses it to describe the way we can find unity in our families, our Church, and the world. Essentially, unity with each other grows as we grow in our union with Christ.

The church in Philippi seems to have been suffering some kind of division. It’s unclear whether the lack of unity was caused by people inside the church or by outside agitators. But it didn’t really matter. Paul’s answer would have been the same in either case: place unity with one another as your highest goal.

Now, Paul isn’t saying that everyone has to think the same way. Having different opinions is healthy because it can expand our minds. At the same time, we have to make sure that our different opinions don’t cause pain and division. We need to be careful not to let these differences become greater than our love—especially in our homes. If that happens, we need to stop, cool down, and remember the greater goal.

We all experience an internal tug-of-war between selfishness and selflessness, between pride and humility. We all have to “die to ourselves” and live for God. The more we win this tug-of-war, the more we will be able to love one another and live in harmony.

So make a conscious effort not to let divisive emotions get the upper hand. Try to listen to everyone you meet and to treat them like a brother or sister. In short, “Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

“Lord, make me a force for unity.”

Ezekiel 18:25-28
Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14
Matthew 21:28-32

Doctors of the Catholic Church

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Also known as

Francoise-Marie Therese Martin
Teresa of the Infant Jesus
the Little Flower of Jesus
the Little Flower
Therese of the Child Jesus

Memorial

1 October

Profile

Born to a pious middle-class French family of tradesmen; daughter of Blessed Louis Martin and Blessed Marie-Azelie Guérin Martin, and all four of her sisters became nuns. Her mother died when Francoise-Marie was only four, and the family moved to Lisieux, Normandy, France to be closer to family. Cured from an illness at age eight when a statue of the Blessed Virgin smiled at her. Educated by the Benedictine nuns of Notre-Dame-du-Pre. Confirmed there at age eleven. Just before her 14th birthday she received a vision of the Child Jesus; she immediately understood the great sacrifice that had been made for her, and developed an unshakeable faith. Tried to join the Carmelites, but was turned down due to her age. Pilgrim to Rome, Italy at for the Jubilee of Pope Leo XIII whom she met and who knew of her desire to become a nun. Joined the Carmelites at Lisieux on 9 April 1888 at age 15, taking her final vow on 8 September 1890 at age 17. Known by all for her complete devotion to spiritual development and to the austerities of the Carmelite rule. Due to health problems resulting from her ongoing fight with tuberculosis, her superiors ordered her not to fast. Novice mistress at age 20. At age 22 she was ordered by her prioress to begin writing her memories and ideas, which material would turn into the book History of a Soul. Therese defined her path to God and holiness as The Little Way, which consisted of child-like love and trust in God. She had an on-going correspondence with Carmelite missionaries in China, often stating how much she wanted to come work with them. Many miracles attributed to her. Declared a Doctor of the Church in 1997 by Pope John Paul II.

Born

2 January 1873 at Alcon, Normandy, France as Francoise-Marie Therese Martin

Died

7pm Thursday 30 September 1897 at Lisieux, France of tuberculosis

Venerated

14 August 1921 by Pope Benedict XV

Beatified

29 April 1923 by Pope Pius XI

Canonized

17 May 1925 by Pope Pius XI

Patronage

African missions
against bodily ills
against illness
against sickness
AIDS patients
air crews
aircraft pilots
aviators
Belgian air crews
black missions
florists
flower growers
foreign missions (proclaimed on 14 December 1927 by Pope Pius XI)
loss of parents
missionaries
parish missions
restoration of religious freedom in Russia
sick people
Spanish air crews
tuberculosis
—
Australia
France (1944 by Pope Pius XII)
Russia
—
Apostleship of Prayer
World Youth Day 2013
—
Anchorage, Alaska, archdiocese of
Cheyenne, Wyoming, diocese of
Churchill – Baie d’Hudson, Manitoba, diocese of
Fairbanks, Alaska, diocese of
Fresno, California, diocese of
Hamilton, Bermuda, diocese of
Juneau, Alaska, diocese of
Kisumu, Kenya, diocese of
Corner Brook and Labrador, Newfoundland, diocese of
Pueblo, Colorado, diocese of
Witbank, South Africa, diocese of
—
Tancacha, Argentina

Representation

roses
Discalced Carmelite nun holding a bunch of roses
nun with roses at her feet
roses encircling a crucifix

Additional Information

Catholic Encyclopedia
Divini Amoris Scientia: Saint Thérèse proclaimed a Doctor of the Universal Church
Papal Homily at the Canonization of Saint Thérèse
Saint Thérèse’s First Communion
Vehementer exultamus hodie: Bull of Canonization of Saint Thérèse
Pope Benedict XVI: General Audience, 6 April 2011
—
My Song of Today, by Saint Thérèse
To Live of Love, by Saint Thérèse
Canticle to the Holy Face, by Saint Thérèse
Thou Hast Broken My Bonds, O Lord, by Saint Thérèse
Jesus, My Well Beloved, Remember Thou!, by Saint Thérèse
To The Sacred Heart, by Saint Thérèse
The Eternal Canticle, by Saint Thérèse
I Thirst for Love, by Saint Thérèse
My Heaven On Earth, by Saint Thérèse
—
On Prayer, by Saint Thérèse
books
- 15 Days of Prayer With Saint Therese of Lisieux, by Constant Tonnelier
- Book of Saints, by the Monks of Ramsgate
- Inner Life of Therese of Lisieux, by Patricia O’Connor
- John and Therese: Flames of Love: The Influence of Saint John of the Cross in the Life and Writings of Saint Therese of Lisieux, by Guy Gaucher
- Light of the Night: The Last Eighteen Months in the Life of Therese of Lisieux, by Jean-Francois Six
- Maurice and Therese: The Story of a Love, by Patrick V. Ahern, Maurice Belliere, Saint Therese
- Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
- Saint Therese and the Roses, by Helen Walker Homan and George William Thompson
- The Story of a Life: Saint Therese of Lisieux, by Guy Gaucher
- The Story of a Soul, translated by John Beevers
- Trial of Faith of Saint Therese of Lisieux, by Frederick L. Miller
other sites in english
- 1001 Patron Saints and Their Feast Days, Australian Catholic Truth Society
- Archives of Carmel of Lisieux
- Big C Catholics
- Catholic Cuisine: Saint Therese Cupcakes
- Catholic Cuisine: Pasta Roses for Saint Therese
- Catholic Cuisine: Heavenly Garden Apple Rose Pastries
- Catholic Culture
- Catholic Culture
- Catholic Culture
- Catholic Culture: No Plaster Saint
- Catholic Exchange
- Catholic Fire
- Catholic Herald
- Catholic Ireland: Carmelite Nun and Patroness of Missionaries
- Catholic Ireland: Saint Therese’s Little Way
- Catholic Ireland: Therese’s Pathway to God
- Catholic Ireland: The Priestly Vocation of Saint Therese of the Child Jesus
- Catholic News Agency
- Catholic Online
- Communio
- Cradio
- Crusaders for Christ
- Find A Grave
- Franciscan Media
- Friends of Saint Therese
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Hermitage
- Internet Movie Data Base
- Lives of the Saints for Every Day of the Year
- Lives of the Saints, by John J Crawley
- Marian T Horvat
- My Sister, Saint Therese
- Mystics of the Church
- Normandy Then and Now
- Novena
- Pray More Novenas
- Regina Magazine
- Saint Therese of Lisieux: A Gateway
- Saints Stories for All Ages
- Salve Maria Regina
- Sanctuaire de Lisieux
- Society of the Little Flower
- uCatholic
- Vultus Christi: Thérèse
- Wikipedia
images
- Wikimedia Commons
audio
- Story of a Soul, by Saint Therese
video
- YouTube PlayList
e-books
- Little White Flower: The Story of Souer Thérèse of Lisieux, by Thomas Nimmo Taylor
- Poems of Sister Teresa, Carmelite at Lisieux
- Story of a Soul, by Saint Therese
- The Little Way of Spirtual Childhood, by Gabriel Martin
- Thoughts of the Servant of God, Thérèse of the Child Jesus
- Unfolding of the Little Flower, by William M Cunningham
sitios en español
- Sanctuaire de Lisieux
sites en français
- Abbé Christian-Philippe Chanut
- Agnès Richomme
- Fête des prénoms
- L’Orne en Normandy
- Sanctuaire de Lisieux
- Wikipedia
siti in italiano
- Sanctuaire de Lisieux
- Santi e Beati
- Santo del Giorno
- Wikipedia

Readings

For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
What beauty? I don’t see my beauty at all; I see only the graces I’ve received from God. You always misunderstand me; you don’t know, then, that I’m only a little seedling, a little almond. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love with which we do them. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
O Jesus, Your little bird is happy to be weak and little. What would become of it if it were big? Never would it have the boldness to appear in Your presence, to fall asleep in front of You. Yes, this is still one of the weaknesses of the little bird: when it wants to fix its gaze upon the Divine Sun, and when the clouds prevent it from seeing a single ray of that Sun, in spite of itself, its little eyes close, its little head is hidden beneath its wing, and the poor little thing falls asleep, believing all the time that it is fixing its gaze upon its Dear Star. When it awakens, it doesn’t feel desolate; its little heart is at peace and it begins once again its work of love. It calls upon the angels and saints who rise like eagles before the consuming Fire, and since this is the object of the little bird’s desire the eagles take pity on it, protecting and defending it, and putting to flight at the same time the vultures who want to devour it. These vultures are the demons whom the little bird doesn’t fear, for it is not destined to be their prey but the prey of the Eagle whom it contemplates in the center of the Sun of Love. – Saint Therese of Lisieux, from Story of a Soul
Kneeling before the tabernacle, I can think of only one thing to say to our Lord: “My God, you know that I love You.” And I feel that my prayer does not weary Jesus; knowing my weakness, He is satisfied with my good will. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
Our Lord needs from us neither great deeds nor profound thoughts. Neither intelligence nor talents. He cherishes simplicity. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
The practice of charity, as I have said, dear Mother [Mother Agnes, i.e., her sister Pauline, prioress at the time], was not always so sweet for me, and to prove it to you I am going to recount certain little struggles which will certainly make you smile. For a long time at evening meditation, I was placed in front of a Sister who had a strange habit and I think many lights because she rarely used a book during meditation. This is what I noticed: as soon as this Sister arrived, she began making a strange little noise which resembled the noise one would make when rubbing two shells, one against the other. I was the only one to notice it because I had extremely sensitive hearing (too much so at times). Mother, it would be impossible for me to tell you how much this little noise wearied me. I had a great desire to turn my head and stare at the culprit who was very certainly unaware of her “click.” This would be the only way of enlightening her. However, in the bottom of my heart I felt it was much better to suffer this out of love for God and not to cause the Sister any pain. I remained calm, therefore, and tried to unite myself to God and to forget the little noise. Everything was useless. I felt the perspiration inundate me, and I was obliged simply to make a prayer of doing it without annoyance and with peace and joy, at least in the interior of my soul. I tried to love the little noise which was so displeasing; instead of trying not to hear it (impossible), I paid close attention so as to hear it well, as though it were a delightful concert, and my prayer (which was not the Prayer of Quiet) was spent in offering this concert to Jesus. – Saint Therese of Lisieux, from Story of a Soul
Our Lord does not come down from Heaven every day to lie in a golden ciborium. He comes to find another heaven which is infinitely dearer to him – the heaven of our souls, created in His Image, the living temples of the Adorable Trinity. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
Since my longing for martyrdom was powerful and unsettling, I turned to the epistles of Saint Paul in the hope of finally finding an answer. By chance the twelfth and thirteenth chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians caught my attention, and in the first section I read that not everyone can be an apostle, prophet or teacher, that the Church is composed of a variety of members, and that the eye cannot be the hand. Even with such an answer revealed before me, I was not satisfied and did not find peace. I persevered in the reading and did not let my mind wander until I found this encouraging theme: “Set your desires on the greater gifts. And I will not show you the way which surpasses all others.” For the Apostle insists that the greater gifts are nothing at all without love and that this same love is surely the best path leading directly to God. At length I had found peace of mind. Love appeared to me to be the hinge for my vocation. Indeed, I knew that the Church had a body composed of various members, but in this body the necessary and more noble member was not lacking; I knew that the Church had a heart and that such a heart appeared to be aflame with love. I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more. I saw and realized that love sets off the bounds of all vocations, that love is everything, that this same love embraces every time and every place. In one word, that love is everlasting. – from the autobiography of Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus
Above all it’s the Gospels that occupy my mind when I’m at prayer; my poor soul has so many needs, and yet this is the one thing needful. I’m always finding fresh lights there, hidden and enthralling meanings. – Saint Therese of Lisieux
Really, I am far from being a saint, and what I have just said is proof of this; instead of rejoicing, for example, at my aridity, I should attribute it to my little fervor and lack of fidelity; I should be desolate for having slept (for seven years) during my hours of prayer and my thanksgivings after Holy Communion; well, I am not desolate. I remember that little children are as pleasing to their parents when they are asleep as well as when they are wide awake; I remember, too, that when they perform operations, doctors put their patients to sleep. Finally, I remember that: “The Lord knows our weakness, that he is mindful that we are but dust and ashes.” – Saint Therese of Lisieux, from Story of a Soul
Jesus set the book of nature before me and I saw that all the flowers he has created are lovely. The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. I realized that if every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness and there would be no wildflowers to make the meadows gay. It is just the same in the world of souls – which is the garden of Jesus. He has created the great saints who are like the lilies and the roses, but he has also created much lesser saints and they must be content to be the daisies or the violets which rejoice his eyes whenever he glances down. Perfection consists in doing his will, in being that which he wants us to be. Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be – and becoming that person. – Saint Therese of Lisieux, from Story of a Soul
Oh! no, you will see…it will be like a shower of roses. After my death, you will go to the mail box, and you will find many consolations. – Saint Therese on 9 June 1897 after Sister Marie of the Sacred Heart told her we would be very sorry after she died

A Christian Pilgrim

THE TAX COLLECTORS AND THE HARLOTS GO INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD BEFORE YOU

(A biblical reflection on the 26^th ORDINARY SUNDAY [Year A], 1 October 2017)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:28-32

First Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28; Psalms: Psalm 25:4-9; Second Reading: Philippians 2:1-11

The Scripture Text

“What do you think? A man had two sons; and he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not’; but afterward he repented and went. And he went to the second and said the same; and he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him; and even when you saw it, you did not afterward repent and believe him.” (Matthew 21:28-32 RSV)

In today’s Gospel, Jesus says the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter God’s Kingdom before the chief priest and elders. As you can imagine, the chief priest and elders were probably not very happy when they heard this.

As the spiritual leader of the Jewish people, the chief priest officiated at worship services on Jewish holy days, was the main religious teacher, and had the responsibility of protecting the Jewish law. Because the chief priest represented the entire community, the Jews believed he should be holier then anyone else.

The elders were older Jewish men respected for their wisdom. They usually made up the town council, the city’s main governing body. Also known as the Sanhedrin, the town council passed laws, enforced these laws, and even tried those who were accused of breaking the laws. The Jerusalem Sanhedrin is the group that arrested Jesus and determined He should die.

So, it appears Jesus was aiming His comments at the Jewish people’s religious leaders, who were regarded as very holy men and were supposed to be an example to the ordinary Jew. Because of their holiness, most people believed the chief priest and elders would occupy the places of honor in God’s Kingdom.

The prostitutes and the tax collectors were the exact opposite. As public sinners, despised by their fellow Jews, they were to occupy the lowliest spots if they ever made it to the Kingdom of Heaven. They certainly weren’t in the same league as the chief priest and the elders.

We are now ready to understand the meaning of Jesus’ comments. The chief priest and the elders said they were holy, but like the first son in the parable, they did not back up their words with action. They refused to repent when John the Baptist urged them to do so.

The tax collectors and the prostitutes who accepted John’s teaching and reformed their lives are like the second son who ended up doing his father’s will. Because of this, Jesus says they (not the chief priest and the elders) will have a prominent place in the Kingdom of Heaven, implying that the tax collectors and prostitutes are holier than the chief priest and elders. As you can imagine, Jesus angered the Jewish leaders so much they began to look for a way to put Him to death.

(Source: Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 96-97.)

Short Prayer: Holy Spirit, lead all people everywhere back to our merciful Father, who is waiting to pour the fullness of life into their hearts. Amen.

The Obedient Son