euphemos

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 141

When I was nineteen or so, my sister announced to my mother and I that she intended to be a (celibate, sell it all and give the money to the poor) missionary. I was filled with admiration for her courage and commitment, and my first thought was “I should do that too, what could be better?” My second thought was “I don’t want to, but I will if I have to.” I went to the Lord in prayer, and really gave God a piece of my mind. The one thing every master owes their servant is a good, clear set of instructions. How can a master expect a servant to be obedient, if the master doesn’t give good instructions? If God wanted me to leave everything and be a missionary, then certainly God should tell me so. It was only fair, after all. Clearly, God owed me a very clear set of instructions for the path I should choose in life. I ranted on like this for a good long while.

Then, when I finally shut up for a minute, God spoke to me. Read more

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Lectionary: 138 – Luke 16:19-31

English Español

The church traditionally refers to today’s gospel as the story of Lazarus and Dives. Dives is the Latin word for “rich man,” and Lazarus was one of the most common names at the time Jesus lived. So, we have here, the story of a rich man, any rich man, and a regular, ordinary, common poor man.

There is so much to consider in the story of Lazarus and Dives, that it is difficult to know where to begin. How are we to understand the vision of paradise prior to the crucifixion and resurrection, and how it relates to our eternal destiny? Why won’t Abraham help Dives or his brothers? Why didn’t Dives apologize to Lazarus, and ask him for help? Dives seems worried about his brothers, is it possible that maybe he’s not so bad after all? 

Perhaps, though, it is best to start with the beginning. Meditating upon death, heaven, hell, the final judgment, and the new heavens and new earth are well and good. It is perhaps better if we focus on how we live today.

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25th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year C
English Español

You know, I wonder… do we understand who we are in this parable? Are we the rich man? The wasteful and dishonest steward? The debtors?

St John Chrysostom says we are all the stewards in this parable. We know that, but I think we forget it.

A steward is someone who takes care of the property of another. They have responsibility for it, and some authority, but it isn’t theirs. Do you remember the Steward of Gondor in The Lord of the Rings? He thought it all belonged to him, and hoarded everything for himself. The steward in this story had connections. It’s too bad though, that he worried more about those connections, with people willing to lie and cheat, than he did about staying in the good graces of his master.

Anyway, that’s who we are. We are stewards.

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Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Lectionary: 132 – Luke 15:1-32

Deacon LeRoy reminded us at our adult education session a few weeks ago that this week’s gospel shows us three different responses to three different types of “being lost” experiences.

• The poor, stupid, sheep is a person who is lost, and often knows it. The sheep has no idea how to get home, and needs the shepherd to take pity and fetch them home.
• The coin is a person completely unaware they are lost, and needs the woman to work diligently to recover them.
• The son is a rebellious person who deliberately leaves the Father. The Father doesn’t go looking for him, but when he approaches the Father, the Father runs out to meet him.

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