The Extra Meisl

Jesus sounds the alarm

What do we make of the extreme language we hear from Jesus in the Gospel today (Matthew 22:1-14)? Jesus seems to be raising an alarm in the passage, compelling us to take action so that we do not loose the great goodness offered to us now and for eternity.

28 Sunday of Ordinary Time, year A

Matthew 22:1-14

Thanksgiving, the vineyard, and the Synod

On this Thanksgiving weekend, we express our gratitude to God for our many gifts, particularly being called to be followers of Jesus. The parable of the vineyard in the Gospel today (Matthew 21:33-43) reminds us that these gifts come with the responsibility to use them for the benefit of others. The Synod is an opportunity for all in the Church to pray about how we can live up to this responsibility, bearing the most fruit in our world.

Finding life after loss

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.

 

26 Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A

That’s not fair!

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.

 

25 Sunday Ordinary Time, year A

How to forgive

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.

24 Sunday of Ordinary Time, year A

Revenge or reconciliation (23 Sunday of Ordinary Time, A)

When someone harms us or those we care about, our natural reaction can be to seek to hurt them in return. In the Gospel today (Matthew 18:15-20), Jesus points out an alternative (and challenging!) way of responding, which leads to true reconciliation.

The problem of suffering (22 Sunday Ordinary Time, year A)

Suffering is an unavoidable human experience. It is a problem which various religions and philosophies have grappled with. In the Gospel (Mt 16:21-27) Jesus teaches us that when suffering is combined with love it can lead to life.

 

22 Sunday Ordinary Time, year A

Location, location, location!

"Who do people believe the son of Man is?" Peter answered, "you are the Christ, the Son of the living God". In order to better appreciate the incredible interaction between Jesus and Peter in the Gospel (Matthew 16:13-20), it can be helpful to consider the importance of three locations: Caesarea Philippi, Calvary and the Vatican hill in Rome. 

21 Sunday Ordinary Time, A

God’s love is not contained

We can be quite good at creating barriers that separate people. The readings today show us that God seeks to remove these wall, giving His grace to all.

 

20 Sunday of Ordinary Time, year A

Why the Transfiguration gives hope

The readings for the feast of the Transfiguration fill us with the hope that, in the end, God will conquer all that oppresses us: evil, sin, and death. This gives us confidence as we follow Jesus each day.