Story Starters: From Fr. Tony Kadavil’s Collection Gospel text : Matthew 21:33-43 1) Wild Vines in the Lord’s Vineyard In his book From Scandal to Hope, Fr. Benedict Groeschel (EWTN), examines the roots of the clergy sex-abuse scandal. He details how disloyalty spread through seminaries, universities, chanceries and parishes. The most notorious case was that of Fr. Paul Shanley who helped found the North American Man-Boy Love Association in 1979. He lectured in seminaries, once with a bishop in attendance, maintaining that “homosexuality is a gift of God and should be celebrated,” and that there was no sexual activity that could cause psychic damage-- “not even incest or bestiality.” No wonder Fr. Charles Curran had little trouble getting seventy-seven theologians to sign a protest against Humanae Vitae, an encyclical which reaffirmed marital chastity! A few years later the Catholic Theological Society (CTS), published Human Sexuality: New Directions in American Catholic Thought, a study which accepted cohabitation, adultery and homosexuality. Now, however, all these chickens have come home to roost. We are paying the price – in lawsuits, public humiliation and loss of credibility. The media gave us a glimpse of the enormous destruction in the Lord’s vineyard done by those wicked tenants. They did so with great relish because the scandals discredit a teaching authority they, by and large, find annoying. But this attention by the media has had consequences the media probably did not intend. It has alerted Catholics to the widespread pillaging of the vineyard, which ultimately means the damnation of souls. Fr. Groeschel asks, “Does all this scandal shake your faith in the Church?” He answers, “I hope so, because ultimately your faith should not be in the Church. Ultimately your faith is in Jesus Christ. It is because of him that we accept and support the Church. We believe in and belong to the Church because Christ established it on his apostles." We see in today’s Gospel that the owner of the vineyard is God. He will care for his Church, not by committees or document, but by raising up saints who will properly tend the vineyard.
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St. MICHAEL, GABRIEL, RAPHAEL, Tuesday September 29
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 or Apocalypse 12:7-12a / John 1:47-51
Daniel describes a vision: Myriads upon myriads attended
him.
The Bible mentions angels often, beginning with the
Book of Genesis and ending with the Book of Revelation. Tradition teaches
that angels are a part of God's unseen creation. We allude to them
in the Creed at Mass when we say, "We believe in one God . . . maker
. . . of all that is seen and unseen." We refer to them at the start
of Mass when we pray on certain occasions, "I ask blessed Mary, ever
virgin, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters to pray for
me to the lard our God." We also refer to them in the Preface,
saying, "We join the angels and all the saints in proclaiming your
glory."
****
In the Bible, angels appear often.
Angels are messengers from God and they even act to carry out
God's will, be it protecting people, announcing to them a message or working
out a miracle.As much as angels appear often
in the Bible, only three are named - Michael, Gabriel and Raphael - and they
are given the title "archangels".Michael in the Hebrew language means "Who is like unto God?"
or "Who is equal to God?" St. Michael has been depicted from earliest
Christian times as a commander, who holds in his right hand a spear with which
he attacks Satan, and in his left hand a green palm branch to signify God's
victory over evil. The Archangel Michael is especially considered to be the
Guardian of the Orthodox Faith and a fighter against heresies.Gabriel means "Man of God" or
"Might of God." He is the herald of the mysteries of God, especially
the Incarnation of God and all other mysteries related to it. He is depicted as
holding a lantern in one hand and in the other hand, a mirror of green jasper.
The mirror signifies the wisdom of God as a hidden mystery.Raphael means "God's healing" or
"God the Healer" (Tobit 3:17, 12:15). Raphael is depicted leading Tobit
with his right hand, and holding a physician's alabaster jar in his left
hand.Each of these archangels performs
a different mission in Scripture: Michael protects; Gabriel announces; Raphael
guides and heals.Through these archangels
and also through the ministry of angels in general, God continues to be present
to us to protect us, to guide us and heal us and to communicate with us.We thank God for sending His love through
these angels and archangels and may we continue to be pray to the archangels
Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael to help and guide us through the journey of
life.
****
Angel is the name of their office, not of their nature. It
means messenger of God. All these names end with “el” meaning God. If you seek
the name of their nature, it’s “spirit”. What they are, “spirit” and what they
do, “angel” or messenger. We experience in our life, the power or might of God
as St. Michael or the healing of God as St. Raphael and the presence of God as
St. Gabriel. Even for Moslems the Quran was revealed to prophet Muhammed by the
angel Jibrīl, known as Gabriel in English
****
We know that God loves us, that he protects us and guides us
to our destiny. In the Bible, angels are presented as God’s messengers to
people, to help us to carry out God’s plans. The archangel Michael is mentioned
in the last book of the Bible as the angel who leads the fight against the
power of evil and who wants God’s work and Christ to overcome all evil. Gabriel
is the messenger of the Annunciation; Raphael is the angel companion and healer
in the Book of Tobias. Angels, then, are the sign of God’s guiding love and
concern for us. We may not forget today also the many people who help and guide
us in many ways by their love and care. They too, are, so to speak, God’s
angels to us.
****
Do we have a sense of joining the angels in praise in the Preface of the
Mass? “Thousands were ministering to him, myriads upon myriads
attended him."
****
The disciples did not understand what Jesus said or meant.
But they were afraid to ask him about it. That was disappointing. If there was
someone who could help them understand, it was Jesus himself. Why were they
afraid to ask him what he meant? Had they asked him, they would have been
better informed and better prepared for his suffering. They would not have
immediately engaged in silly behavior like they did. (Luke goes on to say that
an argument broke out among them as to who was the greatest.) Do you have
doubts when you stand before God in prayer? Do you find it difficult to
understand what God is communicating to you? If you do, ask Him! To whom else
shall we go? For, God has the words of eternal life (Jn 6:68). Hasn’t Jesus
said that if we asked, the Father would gladly give us the Holy Spirit (Lk
11:13) who makes everything intelligible to us? (Jn 16:13-15). In our
confusions and concerns, let us confidently walk up to God and ask Him.
Let us Pray: Lord our God, you are our providence. We
are sure that you want to guide us to you, that you want to save us, that you
love each of us personally, as we are, and that you do everything you can do to
make yourself known to us. Whatever way you come to us and whoever your
messengers are, may we recognize you and accept you and love you in them. We
ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
(https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-wenceslaus/), Martyr,
St. Lawrence Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs) https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-lorenzo-ruiz-and-companions/ :
Lk 9:46-50: 46 And an argument arose among them as to which of them
was the greatest. 47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he
took a child and put him by his side, 48 and said to them, “Whoever receives
this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who
sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” 49 John
answered, “Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade
him, because he does not follow with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not
forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you.” USCCB video
reflections: http://www.usccb.org/bible/reflections/index.cfm
