Readings for Sunday March 31, 2019

Joshua 5:9, 10-12
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
Second Corinthians 5:17-21

Today's readings are about forgiveness. 

First Reading: Joshua 5:9, 10-12

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have taken away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And the name of that place was called Gilgal, even to the present day. And the sons of Israel stayed at Gilgal, and they kept the Passover, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, in the plains of Jericho. And on the following day, they ate unleavened bread from the grain of the land, and cooked grain, of the same year. And the manna ceased after they ate from the grain of the land. And the sons of Israel no longer made use of that food. Instead, they ate from the grain of the present year, from the land of Canaan. 

The first reading relates how God forgave the Israelites for rebelling against him that led to their captivity in Egypt. They were finally able to feed themselves in Canaan and no longer needed manna for sustenance. It is interesting to note that the place where they enjoyed their first meal that resulted from the fruits of their own labor was "Gilgal." Gilgal means "rolled away" or the place where God rolled away from the Jews their former disgrace. 

Second Reading: Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will be ever in my mouth. In the Lord, my soul will be praised. May the meek listen and rejoice. Magnify the Lord with me, and let us extol his name in itself. I sought the Lord, and he heeded me, and he carried me away from all my tribulations. Approach him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be confounded. This poor one cried out, and the Lord heeded him, and he saved him from all his tribulations. 

The second reading from Psalm 32 is about a sinner who sought forgiveness and the Lord removed (rolled away) from him all his fears, anxieties and tribulations.

Third Reading: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Now tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to him, so that they might listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This one accepts sinners and eats with them.” And he told this parable to them, saying:

“A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to the father, ‘Father, give me the portion of your estate which would go to me.’ And he divided the estate between them. And after not many days, the younger son, gathering it all together, set out on a long journey to a distant region. And there, he dissipated his substance, living in luxury.

And after he had consumed it all, a great famine occurred in that region, and he began to be in need. And he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that region. And he sent him to his farm, in order to feed the swine. And he wanted to fill his belly with the scraps that the swine ate. But no one would give it to him. And returning to his senses, he said: ‘How many hired hands in my father’s house have abundant bread, while I perish here in famine! I shall rise up and go to my father, and I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired hands.’

And rising up, he went to his father. But while he was still at a distance, his father saw him, and he was moved with compassion, and running to him, he fell upon his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. Now I am not worthy to be called your son.’

But the father said to his servants: ‘Quickly! Bring out the best robe, and clothe him with it. And put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here, and kill it. And let us eat and hold a feast. For this son of mine was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to feast. 

But his elder son was in the field. And when he returned and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and he questioned him as to what these things meant. And he said to him: ‘Your brother has returned, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safely.’ Then he became indignant, and he was unwilling to enter. 

Therefore, his father, going out, began to plead with him. And in response, he said to his father: ‘Behold, I have been serving you for so many years. And I have never transgressed your commandment. And yet, you have never given me even a young goat, so that I might feast with my friends. Yet after this son of yours returned, who has devoured his substance with loose women, you have killed the fatted calf for him.’ But he said to him: ‘Son, you are with me always, and all that I have is yours. But it was necessary to feast and to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead, and has revived; he was lost, and is found.’"  

The third reading is the famous parable about the prodigal son. Even after wasting his inheritance on pleasure and luxury, the son returned home and begged for his father's forgiveness. The father was filled with joy for his son had "rolled away" from the disgrace of his former life. 

Fourth Reading: Second Corinthians 5:17-21

So if anyone is a new creature in Christ, what is old has passed away. Behold, all things have been made new. But all is of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ, and who has given us the ministry of reconciliation. For certainly God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not charging them with their sins. And he has placed in us the Word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, so that God is exhorting through us. We beseech you for Christ: be reconciled to God. For God made him who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the justice of God in him.

The fourth reading is about Christ removing (rolling away) our sins by his death on the cross. Jesus endured the punishment for our sins so that we would once again become the righteous creatures God created us to be. 

We may wonder if there is any limit to God's mercy. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, God is always willing to forgive as long as we repent. And therein lies the rub. It's easy to wallow in self pity and believe that we are beyond redemption. That is one of Satan's biggest lies. They do not call him the father of lies for nothing! 

Yet there is one sin God will not forgive: the sin of refusing to accept his mercy by not asking for forgiveness. They call this this a sin against the Holy Spirit. If we refuse to ask for forgiveness than we condemn ourselves. Yet all we have to say is "I'm sorry" and mean it! Unlike that famous line from the movie "Love Story," ("Love means never having to say you're sorry.") We know that love always means having to say you're sorry. And let's not forget that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So God also expects us to make the effort to avoid those sins in the future.

Now go and serve our King!

John

Hi Everyone!

Today's Gospel readings helped shed some light on the question: Can I lose my salvation?

In St Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12), he warns the people that they must hold firm to Jesus's teachings or they will fall.

In Luke 13: 1-9, Jesus tells the parable of the fig tree that bore no fruit. The man who owned the garden ordered the gardener to cut it down, but the gardener asked for another year to tend the tree and see if it would produce fruit then.

We know that Jesus died on the cross to reopen the gates of heaven and make us once again pleasing in the eyes of God. But does that mean that once saved, always saved? We know that Jesus said that we must become as holy as the Father is holy. Well, that certainly precludes our going back to our former life of sin. After all, to "repent" means to "turn around, to face another direction." So do we have to work to keep moving forward in our new direction? St Paul says we will fall if we do not continue to strive to do God's will. That's a big "yes."

And Jesus himself warned that unproductive Christians who produce no fruit (like the fig tree) will be judged and condemned accordingly when we appear before his Judgment Seat. So can we lose our salvation if we produce no fruit? Jesus says we can.

Yes, we know how merciful God can be. In the first reading (Exodus 3:1-8, 13-15) he took pity on the Israelites and led them out of Egypt. In today's Psalm 103: 1-4, 6-8, 11, the psalmist extols the mercy of God whose love is without limit for those who revere him. Notice the proviso: "for those who revere him." And what happens to those who persist in their evil ways by not giving God the love and respect he deserves? They will find that his mercy only goes so far before his judgment must be exercised. God is loving, but he is also just and fair. After all, he loved the Israelites, but he still destroyed those who had built a golden calf when Moses came back with the 10 Commandments.

So is God merciful to sinners? Of course! Does he expect us to bear fruit? Of course! Does he understand our weaknesses? Of course! Can we lose our salvation? Yes, if we make no effort to bear fruit. And that's the key! His mercy kicks in when he sees that we are trying! So don't sit on your laurels believing that you have a "get out of jail free" card just because Jesus atoned for our sins on the cross. Go bear some fruit! Go and serve our King!

John

Hi Everyone,

Sunday's gospel was about the Transfiguration. Jesus appeared in his glorified body with Moses and Elijah. Peter, James and John were amazed at what they saw. They even heard God the Father tell them to listen to Jesus. And what was Jesus trying to make his Apostles understand? That his next trip would be to Jerusalem where he would suffer and die. Yet he did not want his followers to lose heart. For three days later he would rise from the dead and his Godhood would burst forth in his glorified body. Just as it did during his transfiguration.

And Jesus' message is still just as fresh today as it was then: although you may have a heavy cross to bear - sickness, loss of a family member or friend, or just the aches and pains of growing older - you can be sure that your suffering is temporary,  For after this life we, too, will take on a glorified body and spend eternity with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

So let not your heart be troubled. Jesus is with you now and waiting to welcome you into his kingdom where every tear will be erased. Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth to help us find our way home.

Now go and serve our King!

John

Hi Everyone,

Today's readings point out that our true nature is revealed by our words and actions. A person's words reveal his doubts, his strengths, and his true thoughts.

Just as the dust remains when one shakes a sieve, so will the doubt of a man remain in his thoughts. The furnace tests the potter’s vessels, and the trial of the tribulation tests just men. As the pruning of a tree reveals its fruit, so does a word reveal the thoughts in the heart of a man. SIR 27:5-7

So what words does a righteous man express? Certainly, words of praise to the Lord. And how will God reward a man who utters such words? He will live life abundantly, not necessarily in terms of financial success, but his basic material, spiritual and emotional needs will be satisfied: food, clothing, shelter, peace, and grace. And if he does not enjoy great success in this life, then he will certainly experience it in heaven!

It is good to confess to the Lord and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High: to announce your mercy in the morning, and your truth throughout the night, The just one will flourish like the palm tree. He will be multiplied like the cedar of Lebanon. Those planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of the house of our God. They will still be multiplied in a fruitful old age, and they will endure well, so that they may announce that the Lord our God is righteous and that there is no iniquity in him. PS 92: 2-3, 13-16

And what actions should we be taking? Actions that bring glory to God. St Paul says that our actions should reveal tenacious faith and a willingness to labor for the Lord. The world may not see the benefit of such a life, but God does and he rewards such devoted laborers with eternal life. 

And when this mortality has been clothed with immortality, then the word that was written shall occur: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And so, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not useless in the Lord. 
1 Cor: 54-58

In the Gospel, Jesus takes up the same message: your words and actions reflect the state of your soul. Is your own life in order before you start criticizing others for the life they lead? If not, you would be like a blind man trying to lead another blind man across a highway full of speeding cars! We need to get our own house in order, before we start complaining about someone else's house. 

Now he told them another comparison: “How can the blind lead the blind? Would they not both fall into a pit? The disciple is not above his teacher. But each one will be perfected, if he is like his teacher. And why do you see the straw that is in your brother’s eye, while the log that is in your own eye, you do not consider? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then will you see clearly, so that you may lead out the straw from your brother’s eye. 

Jesus goes on to talk about how our actions and words reveal our true motives. Good comes from good; evil comes from evil. 

For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor does an evil tree produce good fruit. For each and every tree is known by its fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather the grape from the bramble bush. A good man, from the good storehouse of his heart, offers what is good. And an evil man, from the evil storehouse, offers what is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. LK 6: 39-45

It is in the next line (which is not part of today's reading) that Jesus says that there are souls who come before him to be judged and call him "Lord, Lord!" But Jesus then asks the soul what he has done for his kingdom. The soul may try to bluff his way into heaven, but Jesus can read one's heart and he knows if the soul sincerely spoke and acted in ways that promoted God's kingdom. If not, Jesus will cast that soul into hell for Jesus never knew him. His words and actions bore no fruit.

Now go and serve our King!

God bless!