OUR PARISH PRIEST

Disappointed by sin and rebellion Sunday 27 The message of God for us today comes in two related stories. In the first one from Isaiah, the owner of a vineyard invests every meticulous care on his vineyards hoping to find grapes at harvest time. But there was no yield. In the second one from the pen of Matthew, the Lord Jesus relates the parable of a man who entrusts his vineyard to his laborers hoping to get a share of his harvest. But the workers treacherously claim all the harvest and even kill the owner’s only son. The message is clear: the owner of the vineyard is disappointed at his vines and at his workers! Disappointment is a serious feeling. You generously endow a person with love and care, hoping that your kindness will be reciprocated or your expectations will be met. But in the end, the person you love betrays your trust. Disappointment is crushing and self-defeating. How many times have we been disappointed with a person we love or tru...

THE ESSENTIAL TANDEM OF WORD AND DEED Sunday - 26 In every family there is a tendency to compare the children. And it seems but natural to do this since children are never the same. Each one exhibits a unique characteristic and demeanor. Each one seems to fight for the recognition of his or her own distinctive self. In one family, a child is studious while another is happy-go-lucky. One is serious and the other is just wacky. An older one may be responsible and the younger, lacking in focus. We can go on and on with examples from our own family and the people we know around us. In the gospel today, Jesus presents to us another parable close to our experience of family life. There are two sons. One said yes to his father and yet, neglected to perform his promise. The other said no to his father’s wish and yet, had a change of heart and did exactly what was expected of him. One was generous with words and selfish in his actions. The ot...

SEEK THE LORD Sunday - 25 Seek the Lord while he may be found (Is 55:6). Isaiah opens up a great opportunity for his audience and for us all. “Seek the Lord”, he beckons us. This is not such a strange call, for in the heart of every person is a yearning to find the Lord, to be close to Him, to touch base with God and rest assured that one is in God’s firm embrace. But to seek God entails a process of liberation. Isaiah says we must forsake our evil way and our wicked thoughts and turn to the Lord for mercy, asking for forgiveness. To truly find God one must be ready for conversion. Conversion from selfishness. From pride. From injustice towards neighbor. From lukewarmness to the will of God. In the second reading, St. Paul yearns to die and be with God in heaven. But he also knows how to be open and realistic. He must offer up his plans and let the Lord take control. So, he says, if God does not want me to die, then ill seek God in living, inst...

MERCY IS THE REASON TO FORGIVE Sunday - 24 Why forgive? If you have been hurt so bad, if you have been betrayed by someone you trusted, if your love was ridiculed and mocked, if you suffer because of someone’s else wrong, the question is understandably “why forgive?” Life is unfair in many ways. Good people suffer while bad people prosper. Good is ignored while evil is extolled. To insulate your self from this delirious enigma, you must be strong. You must be unyielding. You must seek out revenge. So why forgive? The gospel today tells us the reason why forgiveness is necessary. Forgiveness is not about weakness. Forgiveness is not about defeat. Forgiveness is not amnesia of past experiences. Forgiveness is about mercy. God in his mercy has initiated the process of forgiveness. Jesus speaks about a master who in his mercy forgave the huge debt of his servant. He did not think of any gain for himself. He only thought of the welfare of ...

THIS ONE’S NOT EASY! Sunday - 23 In human relationships, one of the most difficult demands is that of reconciling with one’s enemies. Why initiate the reconciliation process? That would mean an admission of guilt. Or maybe of weakness! And we don’t want that! And how will you reconcile with your enemies when it entails communicating with them, talking to them? When you are hurt by your neighbor, your immediate impulse is to cease all communications. We decide to build a wall of separation so that we can easily isolate the source of our misery. This is our defense. I have seen this happen among spouses who have gone their separate ways. I know this happens to erstwhile friends after a big and permanent divide. The gospel wishes to shed light on this human struggle and constant weakness in relationship. How do you deal with someone who has caused you pain and destroyed your trust? What is the Lord saying about our enemies? Ezekiel says:...