27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus says: "Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom." (Mtt 21: 43) I think it is necessary, at this point, to remember what the kingdom entails. St Paul tells us: "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rm 14: 17) We should not, therefore, think that our attendance at Mass is oriented towards our own fulfillment. It is informed by the need for us to "become what we receive." We are to become Eucharist in that we live our lives conformed to the sacrificial love enacted in the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we become entitled, narcissistic and self regarding righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit will be taken from us. Our church will dissolve in factions, disputes and jealousies while others who live towards Christ will know the Kingdom and live it here and now. We need to awake from the sleep of denial and be alert to God at work in our midst: "Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to you that when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light." (Rm 13: 11-12)

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The context of the gospel this week is the confrontation between Jesus and the Jewish authorities in the Temple. Who Jesus is and what authority he has for actions, including the cleansing of the Temple, is the question. Jesus does not justify himself rather he challenges the authority of the chief priests and the elders. The key thing for God is not what people say but what they do. The Jewish authorities have failed to respond to the call to repentance. The most unlikely of people, the tax collectors and prostitutes have, and this is what gives them priority in the in-breaking Kingdom of God which was foretold by St John the Baptist and realized in Jesus Christ. The Temple no longer exists however the call to repentance is still there. The challenge for us today is whether we are self-justifying or self-righteous, like the Jewish authorities of the day, or are we open to the radical message to change our lives and bring them into line with the Gospel. Every Ash Wednesday we rehearse the liturgy of repentance but is it a reality in our lives throughout the year? Let me be honest in my self critique: do I forgive others? do I have good stewardship of the earth's resources? am I greedy or materialistic? do I honour God and worship him with gratitude? do I act in a sexually moral way? do I put others first? Our journey of discipleship always challenges us to go further in our faith journey. Let us do so with courage: "let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus".  (Phil 2: 5)  

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Recently I have been working with primary schools to help them prepare children to receive First Reconciliation and First Communion. As per usual I come across parents who want faith for their children but do not seem to want it for themselves. I ask them: "Why is it you want to have your child receive baptism but do not want to be baptized yourself?" Seldom do I get anything like a satisfactory answer. I am left wondering why these mothers and fathers are reluctant or fatalistic about their own relationship with God and the Church? It is not like the opportunity has passed. I can say with confidence that my chances of becoming an All Black have been extinguished but the offer of God's grace remains for the whole of life: "Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near." (Is 55: 6) Our heavenly Father, like the landowner in today's Gospel reading, constantly searches for souls to know, love and accept his salvation for what it really is. As missionary disciples each one of us needs to reach out to those around us who have given up on the possibility of joy and faith. Burdened by their sins and doubt they lie bound by chains of fatalism and pessimism. We need to make St Paul's words our own: "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Cor 5: 18-20) As RCIA and other programmes such as Alpha are active let us offer those we know the chance to learn about God and the Church so that we may share in the joy of faith together.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

It has been interesting seeing the emphasis that the new media has put on whether the victims of the Christchurch mosque terrorist forgave him or not. Forgiveness is not something to be taken lightly. When Jesus forgives the sins of the paralytic the Pharisees ask: " 'Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?' " (Lk 5: 21) Yet, it is precisely for the forgiveness of sins that Jesus Christ came and for which he brought about a new covenant. At the Last Supper Jesus hands his disciples a cup saying: "Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Mtt 26: 27-28) As if this is not hard enough to take, Jesus also tells his disciples that they must forgive as he forgives: "So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Mtt 18: 35) This forgiveness knows no limit: "Not seven times, but I tell you, seventy-seven times." (Mtt 18: 21) Furthermore, our reception of mercy is made conditional on the extent to which we forgive: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Mtt 6: 12) The marvel of God's forgiveness, manifested in Christ Jesus, is shown on the Cross: "Then Jesus said: 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing'." (Lk 23: 54) Thus, it clear that to be a true disciple of the Lord each of us needs to strive for ever greater forgiveness even of those who persecute us or hate us. It is only something we can accomplish because we are mindful of how much we have been forgiven already by God in Christ Jesus.