GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

SCRIPTURE

 The Workers in the Vineyard.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just. So they went off. [And] he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’ 

 When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first. When those who had started about five o’clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’

 He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?  Am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?’ Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

AM I NOT FREE TO BE GENEROUS

REFLECTION

The landowner (God) when He saw people sitting idly by late in the day, he sent them into the vineyard.  It is never too late to enter the kingdom or preach the kingdom to others.  Don’t assume anything, don’t judge others, do the Jesus thing and approach all with compassion….the harvest is great but the laborers few.

Laborers in the vineyard complained that other (Johnny come latelys) were rewarded too.  Are we going to complain to God that some late in life came to Him? I hope not!  There is a suitable room in God’s mansion that is just right for us.  Trust God!  God loved us into being and there will be no lack of anything in heaven.

Let’s do a gut check.  Am I envious of others?  Do I diminish or demean others to make myself look better?  Do I complain to God about the so called success of those I perceive as wicked?  Judge not less you be judged in the same manner.  Judging others is an obstacle to showing them love and compassion, failing the second greatest commandment to love our neighbor.

 SCRIPTURE

 The Cleansing of the Temple.

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all those engaged in selling and buying there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.  And he said to them, “It is written: ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’^*but you are making it a den of thieves.” The blind and the lame^* approached him in the temple area, and he cured them.

When the chief priests and the scribes saw the wondrous things he was doing, and the children crying out in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant and said to him, “Do you hear what they are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes; and have you never read the text, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nurslings you have brought forth praise’?” And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night.

MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER

 REFLECTION

 Sometimes I feel we need to have a cleansing of the temple because of all the abuses in liturgy since Vatican II.  Most of the abuses have been by free lancers and not dictated by Vatican II. I speak of Priests saying Mass facing the congregation instead of facing the tabernacle. (ad orientum).

Removal of statues and down playing devotions that were in common practice, especially Marian devotions. The kiss of peace going off the rails and people in congregation holding hands, or lifting up their arms during the Our Father.

Liturgical prayer is prayer that is intended to unite us and it does do this on a spiritual level.  But the external unity is also important.  Therefore, it’s important that we strive to pray in union with what we call the rubrics of the Mass. As for the rubrics at the time of the Lord’s Prayer, there is no instruction given to the congregation to hold hands or to lift them at that time

Some priests celebrating Mass deviate from the rubrics (a rule for conduct of a liturgical service) and make up their own prayers because they like their way better than the Church’s liturgical guidelines.  For example, Washing of hands instead of feet at Holy Thursday liturgy.  After all the only one washing his hands during Holy Week was Pilate!

Early on, after Vatican II we had Dancers bringing down the gifts at the Offertory and other experimental displays.  Today, Priests offering hosts on platters during this pandemic where you come up after Mass and pick your own “Jesus.”  The laity is never to take the host for themselves.  It is always given to them!  Enough Already!

My house shall be a house of prayer, Chief priests and scribes were shocked at the praise Jesus was receiving from those in need, the blind and lame.  “Hosanna to the Son of David,” Chief priests and scribes, wrong-headed again in their pride believing their rules and regulations were superior to attending to the needs of the people.

The Pharisees neglected to care for the needy and the weak. Jesus admonished them because their hearts were not right. They were filled with pride and contempt for others. They put unnecessary burdens on others while neglecting to show charity, especially to the weak and the poor.  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Matthew 23:13

SCRIPTURE

The Parable of the Tenants.

There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce.  But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned.

Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance. They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?” They answered^* him, “He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.” Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures:  The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone….

Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit. The one who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.  When the chief priests and the Pharisees^* heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them. And although they were attempting to arrest him, they feared the crowds, for they regarded him as a prophet.

THIS IS THE HEIR.  COME, LET US KILL HIM AND ACQUIRE HIS INHERITANCE

REFLECTION

The servants sent by landowner are like the Prophets of old sent by God to convert his people,  to call them back from pagan gods.  Many prophets were stoned, persecuted and martyred. Amos, Obediah,  Elijah, Jerimiah, Micah, and Ezekial to name a few.

Before His death, Jesus wept over Jerusalem. .“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. Matthew 23:37

This Scripture also reminds me of Joseph and his brothers that sold Joseph into slavery. “Here comes that dreamer,’ they said to one another. “Come on, let us kill him now and throw him down one of the storage-wells; we can say that some wild animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams.” Genesis 37:19-20

As it turned out God, as always, brought good out of evil.  Joseph ends up in Pharoah’s court in Egypt and saves his Father and brothers from a devastating famine in Canaan.

You know, there are some things you just can’t kill. The Holy Spirit moves where it wills!  The religious leaders of the Jews had Christ executed on the Cross.  Jesus the Christ rose from the dead and Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire and throughout the whole world even to today.

SCRIPTURE

Paying Taxes to the Emperor.^*

Then the Pharisees went off and plotted how they might entrap him in speech. They sent their disciples to him, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. And you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion, for you do not regard a person’s status. Tell us, then, what is your opinion: Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?”

Knowing their malice, Jesus said, “Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? Show me the coin that pays the census tax.” Then they handed him the Roman coin.  He said to them, “Whose image is this and whose inscription?”  They replied, Caesar’s. 

At that he said to them, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God.” When they heard this they were amazed, and leaving him they went away.

RENDER TO CAESAR WHAT IS CAESAR’S AND TO GOD WHAT IS GOD’S

REFLECTION

Those sneaky, deceitful Pharisees are at it again.  They thought they would get Jesus this time.  If Jesus said it was lawful to pay taxes, his Jewish followers would have been all over Jesus for supporting the Roman oppressors.  If Jesus said no don’t pay your taxes then He would be an enemy of Rome, an insurrectionist and executed as a traitor.

Really, trying to outsmart God, the Word Incarnate!  Well, they got their come uppance and left with their tails between their legs.  Don’t pull on superman’s cape!  Jesus not only stunned the Pharisees but delivered a message to all of us. Give to God what is God’s.  That is pretty much everything! Think about it.

We are all made in the image and likeness of God. “God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female^* he created them.” Genesis 1:27 God is Creator of all.  God has provided all the material things we need for food, shelter, and air we breathe.

“God blessed them and said to them: Be fertile and multiply…See, I give you every seed-bearing plant on all the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food and to all the wild animals, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the earth, I give all the green plants for food. And so it happened.” Genesis 1:28-30

 Catechism of the Catholic Church #2402 In the beginning God entrusted the earth and its resources to the common stewardship of mankind to take care of them, master them by labor, and enjoy their fruits. The goods of creation are destined for the whole human race

God has called man to be stewards of what he has made.  Are we good stewards of God’s gifts? Do we respect and honor creation?  Do we use well what God has given us for the works of our hands?  Whether it is material goods we use to build or repair or food we eat.  Do we hunt for food or sport? Do we have more than we need or share with those who have less than they need?

 

 

 

 

SCRIPTURE Matthew 23:1-6

Woe to scribes and Pharisees 

 Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice…. All their works are performed to be seen. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’….

 The greatest among you must be your servant.  Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven^* before human beings…..

 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing.

WOE TO YOU SCRIBES AND PHARISEES

REFLECTION

Woe to Scribes and Pharisees….this warning from Jesus is to us if we behave as they do…do we bear witness to the truth in words and deeds or do we say one thing  to our children like go to Mass and then we go golfing…or tell our children what to watch and we are watching and reading pornography. Be careful, children are watching!

All their works are performed to be seen.  Do we go to Church every Sunday, lector, give our communion, usher etc then the other six days of the week act like pagans by gossiping uncharitably  about our neighbor and act abusive to family members…

The greatest among you must be your servant….Jesus washed the dirty feet of His apostles at the Last Supper…Jesus showed us the Way…Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life…We are here to serve others…love is service….God is love and those who love are acting in His very image

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.  I have nothing to exhalt myself about…all I own are my sins…God is good…I am not…humbly ask for mercy and forgiveness then God will restore us and exhalt us by taking us into His kingdom

You are like whitewashed toms which appear beautiful on the outside but inside full of dead men  bones….how are we doing….are we clean and beautiful inside, if not why not…what will we do about it….how about that little whisper from the Spirit otherwise known as a conscience…have we shut it down with noise and distractions…if so let’s get rid of that pollution and clean up our act.. Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” Mark 4:9

 SCRIPTURE Matthew 23:37

The Lament over Jerusalem

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

JESUS LAMENTS OVER JERUSALEM

REFLECTION

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you…In the parable of the rich man in Hades, he begs Father Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers that they may not end up in torment Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them…. Luke 16:27 Jesus tells his people all the chances they have had to embrace God instead of false idols….How many more warnings do we get… Choose God…Choose Life!

how many times I yearned to gather you children as a hen gathers her young under her wings…Jesus wants to hold us close, let Him…separation from Jesus is a disaster…have you ever separated yourself from Jesus for a long period of time….how did that work out for you…

Jesus weeps over His chosen people…”t was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit…John 15:16 …..it is not us that initiate contact with God but God who initiates contact with us through the Spirit….pray for the Spirit of the Lord to come and dwell in you…that you may be saved

SCRIPTURE Matthew 24:3-28

 The Beginning of calamities, the great tribulation.

As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives,^* the disciples approached him privately and said, “Tell us, when will this happen, and what sign will there be of your coming, and of the end of the age?” Jesus said to them in reply, “See that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and they will deceive many. You will hear of wars^* and reports of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen, but it will not yet be the end. 

Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be famines and earthquakes from place to place.  All these are the beginning of the labor pains. Then they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name.  And then many will be led into sin; they will betray and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and deceive many; and because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved….

If anyone says to you then, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  False messiahs and false prophets will arise… I have told it to you beforehand. So if they say to you, ‘He is in the desert,’ do not go out there; if they say, ‘He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.^*  For just as lightning comes from the east and extends to the west so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

The Unknown Day and Hour.

 …that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son,^* but the Father alone. For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In [those] days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.

Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come…if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.  So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not  expect, the Son of Man will come.

THEREFORE STAY AWAKE  FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW WHEN THE LORD WILL COME

REFLECTION

In this discourse with his disciples, Jesus is asked about end times…His reply could refer to  destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD or the end of the world and second coming of Jesus.

…there will be famines and earthquakes… they will hand you over to persecution, and they will kill you. many will be led into sin;… many false prophets will arise and deceive many;

We certainly feel like we are in end times and maybe we are.  “But for that day and hour only God the Father knows.” Mark 13:32 And that is okay because we have been given the heads up to always be prepared.  Are we?  Are we prepared to meet our maker, today!

Our so called “prophets” today are celebrities, talk show hosts, athletes that  support the ways of the world….what is the cool thing to do….hang out…have sex with anyone you can hook up with…smoke weed…eat, drink, and be merry…no mention of God or authority outside ourselves.  If it feels good do it!

That takes me to Jesus’ parable of the rich fool…“I shall say to myself, as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong. Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.” Luke 12:19

No one takes a trailer of his possessions with him to the sweet bye and bye!  Keep your eyes on the Real Prize!  “For where your treasure is so also will your heart be” Matthew 6:21Our hearts are restless until they rest in God!  Embrace God! Choose Life!

 Because of the increase of evildoing, the love of many will grow cold.  But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved

MATTHEW 24:12

 

 

 

 

 

SCRIPTURE

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’

While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

REFLECTION

Therefore stay awake!  No one knows when the Lord will come for them….Are we ready….are we putting anything off….are we working now each day to live the kingdom that we hope to occupy in the next world?

There are many parables Jesus has shared with us on our foolishness of placing our trust in things that decay and go away…Jesus has promised us that His word will never go away…Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life we all hope to enjoy for all eternity…Welcome good and faithful servant into my kingdom.

Jesus reminds us that while the kingdom is offered to all, some are foolish and shut themselves out of the wedding feast.  What were those five foolish virgins thinking…what were their priorities…were they busy doing something else so they passed on picking up the “oil” they needed  or did the “oil” just cost too much and they were not up for the sacrifice… or was greeting the bridegroom no big deal!

The foolish virgins begged the wise virgins for some of their oil.  I thought of someone hanging onto the coattails of another sneaking into heaven.  It doesn’t happen like this.  I can pray for other people and I should but I can save no one, not even myself. That is between them and Jesus the Savior.  Pray for those loved ones that they will wake up in time before they hear, “Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.”

 SCRIPTURE

The Parable of the Talents

 It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five…..His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

 Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’

 Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant, gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’

 His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!^* So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?  

Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.  For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’

‘Well done, my good and faithful servant

 REFLECTION

In Jesus time a talent was a silver coin or something comparable. But all Scripture applies to me and you.  As I read this Scripture passage, I am reminded of the many times I have buried my gifts out of selfishness or laziness for that matter.  Throughout our lives God sends graces our way…do we accept and nourish them or ignore them, maybe reject them outright to choose my will. For some, the journey home is a sprint, for others, a marathon.  We must pay attention at all the time to nudges of the Spirit.

To me, the part about the Master taking away the “talent” from the servant who buried it is not so much God punishing the hoarder but about the axiom, “if we don’t use it we lose it.”  We can become lukewarm, lazy indifferent towards God and His gifts.

“so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Fear of God in Scripture refers to reverence and respect, not that God may hit you with lightning bolt.  God loves us!  John 3:16 In fact, fear of a wrathful God can make one deny Him, deny sin, and deny need for mercy and forgiveness at our own peril!

 SCRIPTURE

 The Judgment of the Nations

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous^* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs? He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me. And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.

Come, you who are blessed by my Father.

Inherit the kingdom prepared for you

from the foundation of the world.

 REFLECTION

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne”

In this Scripture passage we get a glimpse of the last judgment in Jesus’ parable.  Now don’t think Jesus prefers sheep to goats. It is figurative langrage for separating the righteous and the wicked.  We know Jesus has told us not to pull up the weeds as we living our lives on earth less we pull up the wheat by mistake.  Jesus is really the only one that can judge what can be saved and what can be disposed of.

…. just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels;  they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Matthew 13:40-43

We may be very disturbed by what we perceive as wicked and evil thriving and winning but the story isn’t over yet.  There will be a final reckoning.  There is a final judgment. The one that really counts! Jesus has told us so!

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will render an account for every careless word they speak. By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36

The two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor.  It is sometimes hard for us to know if we are loving God as we should, unless we see Him in our neighbor. So we should not be surprised by Jesus, judge of the nations,  rendering His decision, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”

POSTSCRIPT: THIS IS LAST POST IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW CATEGORY.  THE REMAINING CHAPTERS OF MATTHEW MAY BE FOUND IN LENTEN REFLECTIONS AND HOLY WEEK

CHECK OUT MY FRIEND MICHAEL HORN’S BLOG

O Sublime Humility! – Echoes in Eternity