SCRIPTURE
MATTHEW 17:1-8 the Transfiguration of Jesus.
After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, conversing with him. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud cast a shadow over them, then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
When the disciples heard this, they fell prostrate and were very much afraid. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and do not be afraid.” And when the disciples raised their eyes, they saw no one else but Jesus alone.
REFLECTION
A few days before Jesus’ glory on Mount Tabor, he taught the apostles what kind of Messiah he was, ““The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me..” Luke 9:22
So before going to Jerusalem, Jesus gives them a “glimpse of His glory.” He was telling them and us if we just persevere along the Way there is a spectacular pay off! Like Peter when we see the Beatific vision, we will say, “It is good that we are here!!
We have appearing with Jesus, Moses, receiver of the Law, and Elijah, the Prophet. Jesus is the new Moses, the giver of the Law in the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12) and the fulfillment of the Prophets.
We have in this Scripture reading once again the symbol of God the Father, a cloud, how often is God represented as a cloud in the Old Testament. He certainly hovered over Israel on their way to the land of “milk and honey.” And in the New Testament at Jesus’ Baptism.
Look for that cloud in our lives, God is there always! God speaks to the disciples and us, “This is my beloved Son; Listen to Him.” Do we listen, really listen, take in what is said and say yes to God?
The Scripture concludes with Jesus telling the apostles, “…do not be afraid.” Again how many times in the Gospels does Jesus tell us to fear not. Why do we still let fear be a distraction, a divider between people, a cause of violence and despair? Trust in Jesus!
SCRIPTURE
MATTHEW 18:1-6 the Greatest in the Kingdom
At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
REFLECTION
So many Scripture passages of Jesus loving and protecting little children. Better to have a millstone put around your neck and plunged into the depths of the sea than lead a child into sin! Matthew 18:6
Today we have the grossest of all assaults on children in child pornography and sex trafficking. What is wrong with us? We must oppose these practices in every way possible. We kill children in the womb and outside the womb in a failed abortion. What is wrong with us?
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 18:10
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. “Jesus, of course, doesn’t mean a change in age no more than He did to Nicodemas when Jesus told him he had to be “born again.” John 3:4
The term “turn” here means to turn away from your selfishness and iniquity and back to God….to be as innocent as a child who trusts in their parent to care for them. A child returns love for love. Who loves us more than God? Count our blessings
REPENT AND BELIEVE IN THE GOSPEL!
SCRIPTURE
MATTHEW 18:21-35 the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Then Peter approaching asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, Pay back what you owe. Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned the” unforgiving” servant and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart. ”
REFLECTION
“Forgive and you will be forgiven. but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Mathew 6:15
How am I at forgiving others? This does not mean the offense is forgotten or it wasn’t an offense but it means I must love those who do me harm or wish me harm.
Also, I might add how many times do we perceive intentional harm when none was intended but our pride and judgment filters make an adversarial situation out of nothing.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:43
Wow, that’s a lot to ask but don’t we claim to be disciples of Jesus? From the cross Jesus said to the Father, “Forgive them for they know not what they do!? No cross, no glory!
When Jesus told Peter not seven times do you forgive but seventy seven times he did not mean you could slap a person around that offended you seventy-eight times. The number seventy-seven is a metaphor for infinity. So lets stop counting!
How awesome is our God! The picture above with servant begging for mercy is me! Like the song says, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.” The apostles asked Jesus, “Then who can be saved? Jesus answered, with people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:25-26
PRAISE GOD! HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER!
SCRIPTURE
MATTHEW 19:1-12 Marriage and Divorce.
Jesus was in the district of Judea across the Jordan when some Pharisees approached him and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss [her]?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus answered, “Not all can accept this word,* but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
REFLECTION
“…from the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, no human being must separate.”
Jesus recognizes that Moses did what he had to do because of the hardness of heart of the stiff necked people who were killing their wives and abandoning them to be left marginalized and poor. But Jesus makes clear that from the very beginning this was not God’s intent.
Jesus admits to his disciples marriage may not be for everyone. “.Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
In the Creation story in Genesis, God saw all was good. Genesis 1:31 Then God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. Genesis 2:18 Man was not made for solitude but communion in the image of God. God is love in relationship with the Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
At the beginning, Adam and Eve shared a particular understanding of their bodies as gifts. They understood the gift-giving “nuptial” meaning of their complimentary bodies. Adam and Eve affirmed each other’s masculinity and femininity. Sexual relationship is a powerful bond established by the Creator.
Sex is far more than just a biological drive. In becoming one flesh, husband and wife are no longer two separate individuals but expand the meaning of self. They are now a communion of persons. The body, through its masculinity and femininity, makes this communion possible.
Man and woman were created in ”Original Justice or Holiness” After breaking their covenant with God, Adam and Eve experience their bodies differently—for the first time, they become conscious of their nakedness and are ashamed. Genesis 3:7
Adam and Eve’s sin for them and for us left us in a mess of trouble, weakened will, darkened intellect, and adversarial relationship with all of creation including man and woman. Domestic disputes! What a mess! Thank God for a Redeemer who won for us victory over sin and death.
Adam and Eve were created to live in unity and harmony. . From the beginning, the male and female bodies were created to form a deep unity. Even in our fallen world, this remains God’s design for marriage.
To the extent men and women live together in love, man and woman become a picture of the inner life of God. This might be the most amazing thing that we can say about marriage