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25 Sunday C - Stewardship - Homilies
Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-13
The passage is in two
movements:
- verses 1 to 7, the parable;
- verses 8 to 13, a collection of six sayings of Jesus, all connected with the parable.
- verses 1 to 7, the parable;
- verses 8 to 13, a collection of six sayings of Jesus, all connected with the parable.
Most people find this parable one of the most difficult to interpret, seeming
to condone the dishonesty of the steward. The main problem here is our tendency
to read the gospels and the parables particularly, in a rational, moralizing
way. We then find ourselves passing judgement on the parables: “a
touching story but ….” With this approach to our parable we have to do mental
gymnastics to explain how the master could “praise the dishonest steward”.
We are not meant to read parables in such a heady,
moralizing (basically self-righteous) way. We must enter freely into them
(“with a willing suspension of disbelief”), get a feel for the characters, and
gradually let them reveal some deep lesson about human living.
With this parable, for example, we must identify with the
steward, allow him to become a person whom we feel to praise, just like the
master in the parable did. If we look at him in that perspective, we find that
he is very likable, not efficient – “wasteful” as the parable says – but very
likeable. We imagine a person who knows how to enjoy life. He doesn’t like hard
work – “Dig? I am not strong enough” – but he likes people and enjoys the
company of his friends.
Blind Woman, Dog and the Pilot - Story
WALKING
THE DOG
|
A woman was
flying from Seattle to San Francisco . Unexpectedly, the plane was diverted to Sacramento along the way. |
24 Sunday C – Lost and Found - Homilies
Thomas O’Loughlin
Introduction to the Celebration
Introduction to the Celebration
Each of us can stand here because the Lord has sought us out
and forgiven us. We call Jesus is ‘our saviour’, but we could just as easily
call him ‘our pardon’ or ‘our reconciliation’ or ‘the One who reveals the
Father’s love to us’. Now we gather to join with Jesus in offering thanks to
the Father for his love, and to grow in our awareness of how we are sought out
and welcomed home by the Christ.
Gospel Notes
The three parables are part of the basic memory of
Christians about the content of the good news, so much so that we could go so
far as to say that if someone did not have these stories in his/her store of
memory, then they would be deprived of some of the keys to how Christians view
God. So it is important that people hear these together as Luke preached them,
but also hear their subtle differences: the first two stories are addressed to
the cause of the welcome the Jesus offered sinners:
'What goes around comes around - Story
One day a man
saw an old lady, stranded on the side of the road, but even in the dim light of
day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and
got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face, she looked worried.. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
Even with the smile on his face, she looked worried.. No one had stopped to help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe; he looked poor and hungry.
If you have a heart ....Stories from real lives
Reader's Digest:
If you have a heart, you can help anybody
When I began planning to move to Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, to study, my mother worried about the uncertainty of living in a place that was so different from India. She worried particularly about a lack of jobs, cultural differences and racism.Despite these concerns, I came to New Zealand in July 2009. I found the place and people to be very gracious and supportive. When I arrived, I soon realized the importance of getting a job to supplement my living allowance.Determined to do this on my own, I spent a whole day going door-to-door asking for a job, but found little or no response. This became my daily routine after college for a few weeks.
If you have a heart, you can help anybody
When I began planning to move to Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, to study, my mother worried about the uncertainty of living in a place that was so different from India. She worried particularly about a lack of jobs, cultural differences and racism.Despite these concerns, I came to New Zealand in July 2009. I found the place and people to be very gracious and supportive. When I arrived, I soon realized the importance of getting a job to supplement my living allowance.Determined to do this on my own, I spent a whole day going door-to-door asking for a job, but found little or no response. This became my daily routine after college for a few weeks.
23 Sunday C – Discipleship – Counting the Cost
The Word Hate
Thomas O’Loughlin,
Introduction to the Celebration
We have gathered here because we are disciples of the Lord
Jesus: we have chosen his way as our way. Today he reminds us that this is no
easy choice for his way led to the cross. He reminds us: ‘Whoever does not bear
his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’ Discipleship embraces
every aspect of our lives. Discipleship means that we have to plan for the best
way to live our lives in the light of his truth. Yet, we all fall short of that
way, we follow other paths, we avoid the cross, we think of the immediate
rather than the goal of life. So as we gather for this meal of discipleship,
let us renew our commitment to the way of the Lord and ask pardon for our
deviations from it.
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"If anyone comes after me and does not hate ..." "Hate" is not primarily a feeling word in the Aramaic language, the language Jesus spoke. It is primarily a priority word. It means to abandon or to leave aside; the way a sailor needs to abandon a sinking ship or the way a general needs to leave aside distracting things to win his battle.
John G. Lynch
**********Thomas O’Loughlin,
Introduction to the Celebration
Reflection
Our following of Christ can easily become an unreflective
adherence to a faith into which we were born. We may continue going to Mass
merely out of habit or even fear. However, today it is as though Jesus turns
around to us and says: ‘This is not for the fainthearted. Following me is not
about having things easy with God on your side. It is all about forgetting
yourself and that, my friend, is a hard road.’ From time to time we need to be
shocked out of our complacency and today’s invitation to make our own the
wisdom of Jesus aims to do just that.
*************
World Teachers' Day - Videos and Prayers
Here are several videos to remember and celebrate our Teachers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1CFlRg_Pmo
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Several Prayers:
Prayer for World Teachers Day
Gracious God stay with us
with your enabling Spirit,
guiding us as we lead our students
towards your kingdom.
We accomplish in our lifetime
only a fraction of the magnificent work
of your creation.
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