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THE WORD

Gen 37,3-4.12-13.17-28 / Mt 21,33-43.45-46

“Hear another parable,” Jesus said. “There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. “Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?”

“They answered him, ‘He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times.’ Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes’?

“Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

Human nature has changed very little over the decades, as Laurin J. Weng observed. We see that clearly in these familiar Lenten readings. Joseph’s brothers are envious of him because his father, Jacob, shows favoritism for him, one of many sons. This alone foretells trouble. Joseph is either a show off or con dent enough to tell his older brothers about his dreams in which they end up showing deference to a younger brother. In the world they lived in, this just wasn’t done!

The gospel tells a similar tale. Jesus must have been in an aggressive mood that day, he surely knew that his parable would provoke, not entertain, his lofty audience. The chief priests and elders knew well that the image of the vineyard came from Isaiah (5:1-7), who had used this image to describe the way God carefully cultivated a favored vine, his people Israel. Isaiah’s prophecy was a scolding for the people of Israel; Jesus’ parable was a scolding for the people of his own day. In neither case did the people react favorably.

Both Joseph and Jesus were the victims of other people’s greed and envy. Lent reminds us that we are always faced with the choice to join the crowds who pushed Jesus aside in order to continue with the pursuit of personal gain and ful lment, or to choose to take Jesus most seriously and to give of our time, talent, and treasure in pursuit of God’s kingdom. God began this good work in us, planting the seed of faith. Our forty days of Lent give us time to cultivate the seed and to grow in our own understanding of faith so we will be among those who yield a rich harvest. Do we for our part produce the fruits of the kingdom of God – love, joy, peace, understanding patience, kindness, gentleness, delity and self-control – as expected of us by Jesus?

  • Fr. Renato Yadao, SVD | Papua New Guinea

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

THE WORD

Jer 17,5-10 / Lk 16,19-31

Jesus said to the Pharisees, “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and ne linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his ll of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me. Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these fames.’ Abraham replied, ‘My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented. Moreover, between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.’ He said, Then I beg you, Father, send him to my Father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment. ‘But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

Pope Francis has “disturbed” many of us with his simplicity and prophetic message. In EvangeliiGaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), he says: “I want a Church which is poor and for the poor. They (the poor) have much to teach us. In their difficulties they know the suffering Christ. We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. We are called to nd Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.”

In the parable that Jesus addresses to the Pharisees, the rich man heartlessly ignored the poor man Lazarus. Perhaps he believed that, with all his riches, he had everything he needed in life. He was complete. He did not need anything from the poor man. It was the poor man who needed his help. But in the end, the parable teaches us that the rich man’s self-sufficiency and indifference prevented him from discovering his real situation in the eyes of God. Due to his pride and lack of compassion, he could not perceive the spiritual riches hidden in Lazarus’ heart of which his life was utterly lacking. Blinded by the lure of riches, the rich man could not see the poverty of his heart and spirit. Had he welcomed Lazarus into his life, he would have learned from him the wisdom he needed and he would have discovered the treasures that could not be destroyed nor stolen and that lead to eternal bliss in the heavenly Kingdom.

The humble acknowledgment of our poverty and need leads us to relate with the poor in a different way. We do not anymore see them as mere recipients of our generous gifts, but as providers of the wisdom and many other gifts that we lack. We do not simplistically claim then that we are giving them a better life, because, the truth is, when we share life with them on a profound level, we realize that they have made us better persons, much more genuine disciples of Jesus. Without them, perhaps it would be much harder for us to understand and follow the Jesus who is proclaimed in the Gospels.

  • Fr. Edwin Fernandez, SVD | DWC, Laoag

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

THE WORD

Jer 18,18-20 / Mt 20,17-28

Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 

IN OTHER WORDS

A story is told of a foreign missionary who went home to visit his ailing mother who eventually died. Upon returning to the mission area in Tanzania he was greeted with lots of “pole” (condolences) by his parishioners. One of them explained that in Africa the dead do not disappear or go away but remain in the community through the children named after them. Later, the missionary was informed that an infant in the village had been baptized bearing the name of the priest’s mother. Then the missionary upon seeing the infant was told: “Your mother wants to greet you.”

Today’s gospel features the story of a mother who approached Jesus on behalf of her sons. She requested the Lord that her sons be given a privileged eternal reward, which was to sit right next to Him. Although many Bible commentaries focus on what Jesus said to the woman, equally relevant would be the concern and the aspirations of the mother for her children. She wanted her children to succeed, and so she demanded a guarantee from Jesus that this would happen.

A mother’s love knows no bounds. It also stays forever in the hearts of children. If there is someone who knows what true sacri ce and success mean, it would be the one who carries a human being in her womb for nine months, goes through the most excruciating of pains to deliver the child, and then raises the child almost without rest at the expense of her own health. This is pure love, and it is manifested through humble service, the kind of service Jesus was talking about when He commented to the mother of the sons of Zebedee, saying: “Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.”

Like the dead in Africa, mothers do not go away, and their memories of sacrifice live on eternally in our hearts. So too are our acts of humble service which the Lord has taught and shown us.

  • Fr. Sisoy Cellan, SVD | Kenya

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

THE WORD

 Is 1,10.16-20 / Mt 23,1-12

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens (hard to carry) and lay them on people’s shoulder, but they will not lift a finger to move them. All their works are performed to be seen. They widen their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love places of honor at banquets, seats of honor in synagogues, greetings in marketplaces, and the salutation ‘Rabbi.’ As for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

 

IN OTHER WORDS

I remember the humility of St. Arnold Janssen during the foundation of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in Steyl, Holland. As a founder and at the same time a Superior General, he was not spared of suspicions and humiliations, which tested his virtues and humble spirit. He often experienced being misunderstood and misjudged since he was not expressive and could not shine in public. He encountered many humiliations when dealing with Roman authorities. In the midst of these, he would only respond, “I am used to such things. I experienced worse ones. Fiat voluntas tua!” What remarkable humility.

Jesus taught us humility as one of the values of the kingdom. It is one that characterizes greatness and servanthood. If we want to be great, then let’s be humble. Humility is a way to greatness. If we want to be servant to others, then we must be humble. Servanthood requires humility. Thus, a humble person is a mature one. He recognizes that God is the giver of all that is good and that he gives us the joy of doing good as we serve our family and Christian communities.

Let me end this reflection with the words of St. Arnold Janssen: “A faithful servant of Jesus must

leave humbly the achievements of his work in the hands of God and remain at peace also when the Lord says to him: ‘I do not now need you; just do as it pleases me and I will give you success or failure according to my divine plan for you.’”

  • Fr. Jhonatan A. Letada, SVD | CKMS, Quezon City

The Word in other words 2016

An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.

 

More Articles ...

  1. February 22, 2016 Monday
  2. February 21, 2016 Sunday
  3. February 20, 2016 Saturday
  4. February 19, 2016 Friday
  5. February 18, 2016 Thursday
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