Which of the two did the father’s will?

Twenty-sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A - 27th September 2020

Gospel Matthew 21: 28–32

Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people:

‘What is your opinion? A man had two children. He went and said to the first, “My child, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go”, but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir”, but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’, they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I take a few slow breaths, then breathe normally. When I am ready, I prayerfully read this week’s Gospel.

I try to visualise the characters in this scene: the chief priests ...  the elders ...  Jesus himself. In my imagination, I see their clothes, I hear their voices. What is the atmosphere like?

I focus on the story of the two siblings. Maybe I feel drawn to bring the story into this century, imagining modern parents and their children. What would be the setting? Does it throw a different light on the situation?

Perhaps I see myself as one of the siblings. Which one am I drawn to be?

It could be that at some time in my life I have been like one child ... then like the other. I ponder.

Jesus contrasts two very different categories of people hoping to enter his Kingdom: the religious authorities and the tax collectors and prostitutes. I look at the people around me. How readily do I put them into categories, where I decide which ones are making their way into the Kingdom of God, and which are not?

In the same way, have I ever felt that others have judged me wrongly? I speak to the Lord about what is in my heart.

When I am ready, I slowly bring the strands of my prayer together and thank the Lord for being with me.

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The last will be first

 Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 20th September 2020

Gospel Matthew 20: 1–16 (abridged)

Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner going out at daybreak to hire workers for his vineyard. He made an agreement with the workers for one denarius a day, and sent them to his vineyard. Going out at about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market place and said to them, ‘You go to my vineyard too and I will give you a fair wage.’ So they went. At about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. Then at about the eleventh hour he went out and found more men standing round, and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing idle all day?’ ‘Because no one hired us,’ they answered.

He said to them, ‘You go into my vineyard too’. In the evening, the owner of the vineyard said to his bailiff, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with the last arrivals and ending with the first.’ So those who were hired last came forward and received one denarius each. When the first came, they expected to get more, but grumbled at the landowner. ‘The men who came last have done only one hour, and you have treated them the same as us, though we have done a heavy day’s work in all the heat.’ He said, ‘My friend, I am not being unjust to you; did we not agree on one denarius? Take your earnings and go. I choose to pay the last-comer as much as I pay you. Have I no right to do what I like with my own? Why be envious because I am generous? Thus the last will be first, and the first, last.”

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

After first becoming as still as I can, I read the Gospel passage slowly, as many times as I need.

Perhaps I imagine being one of the workers in the parable.

How do I react when I see the latecomers being paid as much as those who have worked all day?

Does this speak to me of justice... or of injustice?

Are there times when I want to grumble at the generosity of God?

With a spirit of loving generosity, I ask God for whatever I need to be able to live with an attitude of joyful freedom for the Kingdom of God.

I close my prayer with my own words of gratitude and by making a slow sign of the cross.

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The Lord is compassion and love

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 Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 13th September 2020

Gospel Matthew 18: 21–35

Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. ‘Give me time,’ he said, ‘and I will pay the whole sum.’ And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. ‘Pay what you owe me,’ he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, ‘Give me time and I will pay you’.

But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?’ And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’

Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I begin my prayer slowly, then ponder how these words touch me.

When I may have needed forgiveness, how did I feel? How did that change, knowing I had been forgiven? Relieved? Grateful? Reconciled? Renewed?

The message of the Gospel is that the Lord expects me to forgive freely too. How do I respond as I hear the answer to Peter’s question, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive?’ Can I hear Jesus speaking to me, too, through this parable? Perhaps there have been times when I have struggled to forgive ...  to let go of anger, resentment, grievances ...  or I have failed to show compassion?

I share this with the Lord, and listen to what he has to say. I may find the response to today’s psalm helpful,

‘The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy.’

I thank God for the gift of forgiveness, and ask him to help me keep it close in my heart. Our Father ...

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Where two or three meet in my name...

 Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 6th September 2020 

Gospel Matthew 18: 15–20

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community, and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector.

‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven.

‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

As I prepare for my time of prayer with the Lord, I become aware of what lies in my heart and mind today. I pray for God’s gift of inner attention to him alone. I surrender myself to the power of the Holy Spirit through this prayer time and beyond, into my day.

Knowing there is no need to rush, I read the Gospel slowly, receptively. Perhaps I imagine Jesus is speaking to me personally.

I pay attention ... relishing and drinking in the words I am hearing.

I ask God to guide my heart, allowing his words to resonate within my being. I am silent, receptive ...

Reading the passage again, I notice what stirs within me.

Do I have a sense of being part of a Christian community ...?

... a sense of belonging to Christ when I pray with and for others ...?

Or maybe it has been difficult at this time to feel a sense of belonging to church? I take care not to judge.

I speak from the depth of my experience to the God who speaks to me. In expectant stilness I listen for God, noticing how my heart or body are responding.

Perhaps God is inviting me to help with the work of building community in some way ...  whether in church or elsewhere? I ask for any grace I need.

In time, I end my prayer slowly, praying for the gift of a deepening sense of belonging to the Body of Christ. Glory be ...

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