26 Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
We have all experienced losses. In the second reading today from Phil 2, Paul teaches his audience how to live in peace when things are taken away from them. By following Jesus' example of kenosis (= self-emptying), naming our losses, and serving other in the midst of our struggles, we can find healing and life.
Listen to homily here:
25 Sunday Ordinary Time, year A
The parable of the vineyard owner and the workers that Jesus tells in the Gospel today (Matthew 20:1-16) is unsettling because it seems so unfair. Like all parables, this one is supposed to provoke and unsettle us so that we can see some deeper spiritual truths. The parable teaches us that God's grace is something we could never earn, it's pure gift. It also shows us that in God's eyes we all have the same dignity since God is equally generous with us. Finally, the Gospel challenges us to be generous like God, especially with those we don't believe deserve our generosity.
Listen to homily here:
24 Sunday of Ordinary Time, year A
Forgiving others can be extremely difficult. In today's Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35), Jesus tells us how important it is to forgive. We must forgive not 7 times but 77 times! In addition, by means of a parable, Jesus gives us a tip or method for how to make forgiveness easier: the more we remind ourselves of the mercy and forgiveness God and others have shown us, the easier it becomes to forgive.
