Reflection
Jesus…Today! Really?
Today we are challenged by another of Jesus’ encounters with the religious leaders of his day. Matthew shares Jesus’ parable of the owner of a vineyard who seeks his share of the vineyard produce. The parable unfolds with tales of multiple unsuccessful attempts to get the owner’s share of produce at vintage time, resulting in repeated violent acts by vineyard workers– climaxing in the murder of the owner’s son who was sent to claim the produce! Jesus shared the parable to highlight the building resistance to His challenging message of change of heart and unconditional love.
It’s our wake-up call as well. Do we recognize and respond to Jesus’ presence in our day? Our faith says that Jesus is present to us in the Scriptures, in the Eucharist, and in one another — especially the needy and marginalized…the “least, the last, the lost”. Our response?
The Gospels remind us that Jesus’ public life was challenging, controversial. Think about it…
In His birth in Bethlehem, He was an immigrant, a foreigner. In His ministry, He had compassion for the poor, the sick, those treated unjustly – to even helping and healing them.
He went against the “rules” of His day, even doing good deeds for others on the Sabbath! Some accepted His prophetic words and deeds, others rejected Him and walked away; some helped spark a frenzy that led to His rejection and the capital punishment of His crucifixion and death.
The words of Isaiah join the words of Paul to the Philippians in encouraging us to seriously look at our daily lives and how we respond to Jesus today. Do we meet Jesus in the young and the old, the sick and the healthy, the imprisoned and the free, the poor and rich, the criminals and the law-abiders, people of all races, migrants and strangers as well as our family members…?? And our response? Does our faith in Jesus make a difference? Do we draw close and reach out in love, or turn away in indifference, rejection or fear?
Jesus challenges us to “stretch” and generously respond to His presence today and His transforming “Good News.” May we follow the example of those who have gone before us – especially today as we celebrate this feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
May we live with faith-filled humility, gratitude, and service. Amen!
