We are all familiar with the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” Jesus teaches this very lesson in our Gospel today. The religious leaders of the Jewish community in his day spoke many pious words and gave the impression of great holiness. They were considered the greatest servants of God in their communities. Once Jesus began to challenge them, however, they were revealed as righteous in their speech but not in their treatment of others.

Jesus demonstrates this contradiction in his parable of the two sons. The son who speaks […]

At first glance, the message of today’s Gospel parable seems so blatantly unfair.  The workers who put in a whole day’s work and sweat receive the same wage as those who were there for only one hour?  It may make us ask, “Jesus, what’s going on here?”

And then we remember that envy and discontentment say everything about us, and nothing about what God is doing here.  So what is the lesson of this parable?  First, it’s helpful to pay attention to Jesus’ use of the phrase, “usual daily wage.”  This […]

We’ve all heard the dictum: “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”  It’s straight from the Bible.  In fact, you’ll find it in three books of the Old Testament:  Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy.   This instruction follows shortly after the Ten Commandments and is offered as a practical application of the 5^th Commandment: Thou shalt not kill.  After decreeing that “whoever strikes someone a mortal blow must be put to death,” the text goes on to decree the appropriate punishment for lesser injury.  It ends with, “if injury […]

As all of the fall activities swing into full gear, I’m sure many of you are finding yourselves on playing fields or in a gym as you or your child or grandchild get involved in various sports.  As I’m sure you all know, when beginning to play a new sport, it is vital to learn the rules.  And, they’re different in different sports.  For example, basketball players may not kick the ball, but they may pass it with their hands.  On the other hand, soccer players may not touch the […]

Every time we gather to celebrate the Eucharist, we experience God’s presence in two amazing ways: in his living Word and in our Lord’s life-giving Body and Blood.  As we continue to join with all of the parishes throughout our country in the national Eucharistic Revival, we are called to focus on the great gift of the Eucharist, the true Body and Blood of our Lord that offers us spiritual nourishment on our journey to heaven.  One way we are doing that here is by offering Bishop Robert Barron’s excellent […]

“Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi.”  Today’s Gospel begins in a somewhat unusual way.  Rather than starting with the typical “Jesus began to teach them,” or “Jesus told his disciples another parable,” it starts with a statement about geography, about a particular city called Caesarea Philippi.  I’ve been there and can tell you that it’s well worth visiting; it’s a popular tourist attraction.  That’s because, well before the time of Jesus, this area was an important spot along one of the major trade routes from the east to […]

How would you respond if I asked you to have someone describe you in four words?  Well, you might respond, it would depend on how well this person knew and understood you and how qualified the person was to provide a valid description.  For example, if a newspaper critic wrote about a concert pianist with these four words, “He was a failure,” you might think, well that was just his opinion.  But, if one of the world’s greatest musicians declared, “He was a genius,” then you are apt to take […]

As those of you who have been in this parish more than 12 years know, I was assigned here in April 2011 – on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion – as parochial administrator after your pastor at that time, Msgr. John Close had been placed on administrative leave while an allegation that he had sexually abused a minor some decades ago was being processed through a report to law enforcement and eventual canonical investigation.  I didn’t know Msgr. Close at all – I only had one dinner meeting with […]

How about that billion dollar Powerball jackpot that someone recently won; can you imagine that you just won that?  Or, as we heard in today’s gospel account, imagine unearthing a great treasure or a pearl of great price while digging in your garden or shopping at a local flea market.  Stories of buried treasure, sudden wealth, magic wishes and dreams that come true are among the oldest and most universal fables in human culture.  Even the thought of sudden wealth quickens the pulse and stirs the imagination.  What if?  Would […]

“How was your vacation?”  Or, “Have you gone on vacation yet?”  That seems to be the topic of the day every summer but especially this summer as we finally break the grip of the coronavirus pandemic.  The news is filled with reports of record numbers of people traveling at last.  And, the important question is always the destination; where you’re going.  Today, we have the privilege of hearing Jesus present three rather intriguing parables.  These parables teach us about the kingdom of God – our ultimate destination.  Let’s take a […]