Commentary
Sunday, 8/25/2019, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Calling All God’s People
First Reading Commentary: Isaiah 66:18-21
Isaiah tells us that the LORD said, “I know their works and their thoughts, and I come to gather nations of every language…I will send fugitives to the nations…They shall bring all your brothers and sisters…as an offering to the LORD…Some of these I will take as priests and Levites.”
God is using Isaiah to make a prophecy about Christ sending the Apostles, the first priests and bishops of the Church, to build the Church and to take the Gospel to all nations baptizing all people. The sending continues today with the Pope, bishops, priests and all religious. But the sending also includes all of the faithful since, in baptism; we are all called to evangelize.
The Apostles did become fugitives. Not because they were running from the law or wanted for crimes committed but because there were those who rejected the Word and as a result, most of the Apostles became martyrs.
Sometimes we become fugitives sought out by those who wish to persecute us for our faith. Persecution comes in different forms. It may be in the form of criticism or unjust accusation. An example would be Catholics being accused of being idol worshippers because of their devotion to Mary and the Saints and displaying that devotion with statues, medals and paintings.
Persecution may come in the form of debate as someone who differs from your faith will challenge you very much like the Pharisees used to challenge Jesus. Such people ask questions not to acquire knowledge but to cause conflict. Sadly, as is evident around the world today, religious conflict sometimes becomes physical in the most violent of ways.
No matter what form persecution comes to someone for professing their faith, to be a fugitive for your faith is to be in the company of all the saints and martyrs and that is good company to be with indeed.
Today’s prophecy is also a prophecy about the Kingdom, the New Jerusalem, and we are all invited to the Kingdom. But notice the line, “They shall bring all your brothers and sisters…as an offering to the LORD.” God not only created us—He also offered Himself in the person of the Son. We are all God’s children and therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. The Kingdom of Heaven is home for everyone whose name is written in the book of life therefore, this prophecy is also an invitation for all of us to come home.
Carry the Cross, Don’t Feel Bad & Don’t Get Mad
Second Reading Commentary: Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13
Hebrews teaches us that we should not look at discipline with distain because it comes with love. We are told to endure our trials as discipline because even though it may be cause for pain, discipline brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.
This is another reminder that we must carry our cross in life. And why shouldn’t we? Jesus did not commit that sin in the Garden of Eden. Jesus did not commit any of the sins that He took to the cross with Him. We did! If the Father loves us so much that He would sacrifice the Son on the cross for our salvation, surely, we should accept our trials in compensation for our own guilt.
Parents and their children should learn a lesson from Hebrews as well. Hebrews says, “For what ‘son’ is there whom his father does not discipline?” Notice that son is in quotes. God took our sins upon Himself through the Son because He created us and He loves us that much. A parent should never feel bad about disciplining a child for misbehaving but that discipline should be designed to foster correction—not punishment and it should come with love.
When this happens, children should learn their lesson and be grateful to their parents for loving them enough to go through the trouble of disciplining them. Children probably will not understand while they are being disciplined, but if it is designed to correct and comes with love, in time, they will get it.
God’s discipline is always designed to correct and it always comes with more love than we can imagine. So, we should carry our cross, don’t feel bad and don’t get mad.
Will Jesus Know You?
Gospel Commentary: Luke 13:22-30
Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” Jesus answered, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many…will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”
Physical strength is not what Jesus was talking about. He was talking about the strength of our faith. We are all vulnerable to sin and if our faith is weak, we will leave ourselves wide open to sin and fail to follow Jesus who, is the Narrow Gate and on the last day, we will not have the strength to enter the Kingdom.
Jesus continued, “After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say…'I do not know where you are from.’”
Anyone who spends their life not knowing God and turning their back to God refusing to live according to His Word, will not be known by Christ on the last day. We are given every opportunity. The Father even sent the Son to rescue us. But if we make the decision not to follow, then we will be denied. Once the final conflict between Christ and the beast is over, the gates will be shut and locked. Anyone who is not already in the Kingdom will never get there.
But people from all directions will be in the Kingdom and they will be the ones whose names are written in the book of life because they did follow the Truth and the Light and they did live by the Word.
Finally, Jesus said once again, “For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” We hear this message from Jesus over and over again.
We all have the same opportunity and heaven is for all of us. The children of Israel were called first but there will be many Gentiles who reach the Kingdom first. There are people who are called very early in life, but there will be many people who are not called until late in life who will reach the Kingdom first. Some of us who are called first are not the first to say, “Yes” to God. But there are others who are called late in life but say, “Yes” right away and become first.
