29th Week: Oct 18-23:
18th Monday (St. Luke, Evangelist)
Resume: St. Luke was a Syrian by race, born in Antioch as a Gentile. He became a Christian and follower of St. Paul.
He had a Greek background and education. He knew Greek, spoke Aramaic in Antioch and became a scholar in Hebrew. He was a physician by profession (Col 4:14), and was considered an artist, probably from his graphic descriptions of the nativity scenes with shepherds and magi, from the parable of the lost sheep, and from a sixth-century copy of the portrait of Mary (kept at Santa Maria Maggiore Church in Rome), the original of which was believed to have been drawn by Luke.A prolific writer, Luke could read and understand the Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament and the Hebrew originals. He is the only non-Jewish Evangelist. He wrote the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, between 70 and 85 AD. They were originally one book, and, when taken together, are longer than the fourteen epistles of St. Paul. Luke is represented in art by an ox or calf, for he saw Jesus as a sacrifice for all mankind and began his Gospel describing Zechariah and the Temple worship. It is believed that Luke wrote the Gospel when he was 74 and died at Boeotia when he was 84 years old. Luke presents Jesus as giving importance and recognition to women and the Gentiles. Contacts: Luke had close contacts with Mary and all the Apostles, and he would have been able to interview all of them to collect details for his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He was a constant companion and doctor of St. Paul during Paul’s Jerusalem and Malta mission trips and during Paul’s imprisonment, first in Caesarea, then in Rome. Probably he was with Paul till Paul’s martyrdom.
Life messages: 1) We are to be apostles of prayer: Luke presents Jesus as a man of prayer spending much of his time in listening to God his Father in order to learn His will and in talking to Him in solitude. 2) We are to be merciful and compassionate, becoming the voice of the voiceless: Luke describes Jesus siding with the poor and marginalized in the society (option for the poor) and trying to give a special status to women and Gentiles. Fr. Tony (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Oct 19 Tuesday (Saints John De Brebeuf, Isaac Jogues, Priests and companions, Martyrs)
The context: Today’s passage from Luke’s Gospel is one of three eschatological discourses in the Gospel. It gives us one of the two “Master – Servant” parables. It emphasizes the necessity of Faith and vigilant preparedness in the lives of Christ’s followers. Since a Jewish wedding feast could last a week, the servants had ample time to take their rest before the master’s return. Garments tied up about the waist are an image of readiness in the Scriptures because the Jewish soldiers wore full-length garments while Roman soldiers wore kilts, which enabled them to run at full speed when they had to. Jesus wants his disciples to be ready to do God’s will at every moment, by loving others through humble and sacrificial service.
The interpretation: In the parable, the chief characters are a master (representing the risen Jesus), and his servants (Jesus’ followers). According to the Fathers of the Church, Jesus’ words in this passage have two senses. In the narrower sense, the words refer to the Second Coming of Jesus, but in the broader sense they refer to the time of our own death, when God will call us to meet Him and to give Him an account of our life on earth. Since the precise time of each is unknown to us, the proper attitude for us is constant watchfulness. Since we cannot be sure about the day of our death, we should do our present work perfectly every day, and not leave it undone, half-done or postponed.
Life messages 1) We need to stay vigilant and ready to face the Lord through prayer. One of the traditional means for remaining alert is prayer. The most important elements in prayer are listening to God (1 Kgs 19:11-12) and talking to Him. This means we have to set aside a quiet time every day during which we can tune our ears to God’s message of love, harmony, and peace, and respond to Him. 2) We need to wait for the Lord. We must wait for the Lord in our daily lives by learning to see Jesus in the least of our brothers and sisters. In other words, we must be prepared to serve Jesus whenever and in whatever form Jesus appears. What we discover in serving, loving, and helping other people is that God invariably comes to us through them. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Oct 20 Wednesday (St. Paul of the Cross, Priest (U.S.A.)
The context: Today’s passage from Luke’s Gospel is the second of three eschatological discourses in the Gospel. After Jesus’ exhortation to vigilance, Peter asks a question (v. 41). Responding to Peter, Jesus tells the second “Master – Servant” parable and the parable of the treasure and the thief. These stories emphasize the necessity for Faith and vigilant preparedness in the lives of Christ’s followers. Jesus wants all of us disciples to be ready to do God’s will at every moment, rendering humble and sacrificial service to others.
The interpretation: In the parable, the chief characters are a master (representing the risen Jesus), and his servants (Jesus’ followers). Jesus’ words in this passage, understood in the narrower sense, refer to the Second Coming of Jesus. Taken in a broader sense, they refer to the time of our own death, when God will call us to meet Him and to give Him an account of our life on earth. In the first part of today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us what our real treasure should be and how we are to keep it safe. That treasure is our relationship with God (the state of sanctifying grace), which the Lord offers us in His promise of eternal life. But this treasure can be stolen by the devil or lost by our lack of vigilance in the midst of temptations. Jesus warns that we should be vigilant, like dutiful servants. What Jesus teaches us through this comparison is that our relationship with God the Father and Jesus His Son and the Holy Spirit must constantly be strengthened and deepened by our prayers, our Sacramental life, and the reading of Holy Scripture. Fortunately, God gives us the grace and strength to remain faithful, and He will reward our faithfulness.
Life message: 1) We need to remain vigilant and ready to face the Lord, mainly through prayer (listening and talking to Him). Daily prayer will help us to wait for the Lord in our daily lives and enable us to see Jesus in the least of our brothers and sisters. It will give us the Heavenly strength to serve Jesus whenever and in whatever form Jesus appears. What we frequently rediscover as we serve, love and help other people is that God comes to us through them (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Oct 21 Thursday:
The context: In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples about the contention and division which will accompany the Gospel. He spells out the shocking, two-fold effects of his mission, namely 1) casting fire on the earth and 2) causing division in families and communities.
Teaching: Standing in the prophetic tradition, Jesus preaches the word of God which, now as then, divides families, a message which will lead ultimately to Jesus’ death. In the Bible, fire is often used to describe God’s burning love for men. This Divine love finds its highest expression in Jesus (Jn 3:16). The fire Jesus has come to bring is the fire of love, the fire of hope and the fire of justice. Jesus’ words are fire, like the words in the mouth of Jeremiah: “Is not my word like fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jer 23:29). The disruption, division, and revolution which Jesus and His true followers cause by the fire of their sacrificial love and their eagerness for justice in society are necessary to re-set what’s fractured, to put right what’s dislocated, and to cleanse what’s infected. In other words, the curative pain caused by Jesus’ ideas and ideals is necessary for the establishment of the real shalom of God. “I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!” (Luke 12:50). The word “baptism” in Greek means a plunging. Jesus was on fire to have His life’s work, which would end with the “baptism” of Jesus’ approaching suffering and death for us, already completed. Even though Jesus brings a sword and causes division, that sword divides the Light from the darkness within us and among us and establishes that true and lasting peace which God alone can bring. In pursuing the Messianic mission, Jesus brings division because some follow, but others are opposed. We must make a decision to follow Jesus, or not, to share Jesus’ baptism or not. This choice can result in division, even within families.
Life messages: 1) We need to have fire in our hearts: Our Lord Jesus continues to cast fire on the earth, the fire of the Holy Spirit, the fire of His love, through the Church’s ministry of Word and Sacraments. As Christians, our Spirit-fire should inflame people to care, to serve, and to bless one another with all the gifts of Faith. We need to cooperate with that Fire as the Holy Spirit burns off our impurities and brings out the purity of God’s gold and silver within us. We need Divine fire to inflame our hearts with the love of God, love for His children and zeal for spreading His Good News. Let us remember the old saying, “He who is on fire cannot sit on a chair,” and let us carry the fire of the Holy Spirit wherever we go. Strong Faith will ignite in us the fire of the Holy Spirit and give us the courage of our Christian convictions. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Oct 22 Friday (St. John Paul II, Pope)
The context: Some of Jesus’ Jewish listeners, particularly among the leadership, lacked the necessary good will and upright intention to listen and believe. Hence, they just closed their eyes to the light of the Gospel preached by Jesus. They knew the signs of the Messiah’s coming as announced by the prophets. In fact, they had heard Jesus’ preaching and witnessed his miracles. But their pride and prejudice prevented them from arriving at the logical conclusion that Jesus was the Messiah. Hence, in today’s Gospel, using a vivid illustration from first century Palestinian weather forecasting, Jesus points out the urgency of getting right with God before it is too late.
Palestinian farmers and fishermen studied the sky, observing the color and shape of the clouds, the direction and strength of the wind, and so on, to forecast the weather. The wind from the west came from the Mediterranean Sea and so brought rain. The south wind blew from the desert and so brought hot weather. The “signs of the times” are the earliest appearances of events. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that God is in all things, “by Essence, Presence, and Power,” and that God providentially cares for every aspect of His creation. Therefore, we should expect to see signs of His presence and activity in nature, in history, and in human affairs. So, Jesus challenges those listening, including us, to read the signs of the Messianic time in Jesus’ preaching and healing ministry, and then to act accordingly. It is urgent that we get reconciled with God when His grace, love and mercy are available for complete transformation. Next, Jesus asks the listeners, and us, to judge for ourselves what is right, urging us to solve issues here and now by getting reconciled also with our fellow men every day, instead of incurring God’s punishment at the end of our lives.
Life messages: 1) It is time for us to read the clear signs of God’s call for repentance and renewal of life coming through Jesus and to respond by a change of heart and behavior. 2) In the same way, forgiveness and reconciliation should be a high priority for us. There should be no place in our lives for vindictive litigations in this litigation-crazy period, because each of us stands in constant need of God’s help, mercy and forgiveness. (Fr. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/) L/21
Oct 23 Saturday (St. John Capistrano, priest)
The context: Today’s Gospel passage explains how God, our merciful and compassionate Father, disciplines His children, giving them painful experiences in life so that they may repent of their sins, renew their lives, and produce the fruits of love, mercy, forgiveness, and service. Citing two tragic events, Jesus exhorts the Jews of his time to repent and reform their lives. Repentance is turning from sin to God. With the parable of the barren fig tree, Jesus also warns them that the merciful God will not put up with them indefinitely. Although God patiently waits for sinners to repent, giving them grace to do so, He will not wait forever. Time will run out; therefore, timely repentance is necessary.
The teaching: Jesus uses two local tragedies to teach us about our need for repentance and a renewal of life. On one occasion, Pilate killed many Galilean Jews who had protested when he appropriated money from the Temple treasury to build an aqueduct in Jerusalem in order to obtain a better water supply for the pilgrims. Jesus then connects his warning to another episode, namely, what appears to have been an accident, related to renovation work on the control tower of the water supply scheme at Siloam, in which eighteen people died. The Jews interpreted this tragedy as God’s punishment of the workers who were co-operating with Pilate in his sacrilegious aqueduct project. Jesus denies that the Galileans suffered because of their sins but calls his listeners to repent lest they suffer for theirs. In fact, Jesus presents both these incidents as timely reminders of the need for all to repent, saying, “… unless you repent you will all likewise perish.”
Life Messages: 1) We need to live lives of repentance, because (a) we never know when we will meet a tragedy of our own; (b) repentance helps us in life and in death. Repentance helps us to live with peace of mind as forgiven people and helps us to face death without fear. 2) Scripture says repentance results in forgiveness, renewal, and redirection whereas failure to repent results in a guilty conscience which destroys our peace of mind and thus punishes us with a miserable life. (Fr. Tony) (https://frtonyshomilies.com/)
