26 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
– A – 2020
§ The liturgy invites us again to reflect on the meaning
of the justice of God
§ The justice of God, which is the only true justice, is
different from ours; maybe we should say that our justice is not like God’s.
§ He says in Scripture that his ways are not like ours.
§ We forget many times about this and we complain
because we do not understand his justice, maybe we do not understand the
meaning of the word.
§ But if we want to participate in the true justice, we better try to understand the justice of God and imitate him.
FIRST
READING – Ez 18: 25-28
v We have in chapter 18 of Ezequiel a reflection
on the personal responsibility, Israel looked at the persons only as part of a
people or community. However here
Ezequiel in exile presents to them this
reflection on each one’s responsibility ,that is whatever each one of us choses
in life.
v The Lord disputes with his people about the
justice in His works.
v The people say that God is not just in his
works.
v And God confronts his people and asks them, is
it my ways or yours which are not fair?
v And He presents an example…. If the just man/woman decides to do evil he/she
is responsible of his/her actions and of
its consequences… if the sinner realizes his/her error and decides to act righteously, he/she
is also responsible of his/her acts and its consequences.
v In the first situation the consequences are of
condemnation, in the second of salvation.
v
Why?
v Salvation as well as creation is not given to
us once and for all, because we are human beings in process, we are not
completed yet during our life time, God creates and saves us in a lifelong
process.
v During this process I can open or close the
door of my being to God.
v The only one responsible to open or close it
is me.
v Certainly God will continue to knock at my
door, but it will be I who is going to open or close.
v Some verses towards the end of this chapter we read “Because I do not want the death of anyone – oracle of the Lord – Convert and you will live!” Let us remember that according to Jesus’ teaching God is love, thus He wants that every human being enjoys the fruits of redemption on the cross.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. ) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;
in your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. ) Remember your mercies, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
R. ) Remember
your mercies, O Lord.
ü The congregation gathered in the
Eucharistic celebration will next Sunday repeat the humble and trusting
supplication remember your mercies, O
Lord.
ü We hope in God our creator and our savior;
He will lead us through the right path.
ü We know he will remember us and thus
we call upon him.
ü This psalm helps us in our life: to live day by day the love with which God loves us.
GOSPEL
Mt 21:28-32
Ø In this
chapter we find several instances of tension and discussions between the
authorities and Jesus. The tension between Jesus and the Scribes and Pharisees
is increasing.
Ø Today Jesus addresses the high priests and
elders of his people, with this parable
Ø What is your opinion? A father has two sons
and he says
To one of them….. go to work in my
vineyard … I will not … but afterwards this
son changed his mind and went.
To the other …… go to work in my vineyard … Yes, sir, ‘but did
not go.
….. which
one of the two made the will of his father?
The first one they said.
Ø Jesus shares with them what he carries in his
heart, those dearest to him: the sinners, those we despise because they are
sinners and we are saints.
Ø Amen, I
say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God
before you.
Ø Jesus
has a personal experience of what he is saying: Zacchaeus, the sinner woman,
Matthew, the adulteress,
Ø Those who seem to live far from God are
frequently closer to Him than we, who believe we know Him.
Ø Because they open wide their heart to welcome
the forgiveness and goodness of God.
SECOND
READING : Phil 2:1-11
Paul invokes the love that the
community of Philippi has for him and the love he has for the community.
And he asks them to give him the
joy to see the community united
And he continues recommending them
to do nothing for rivalry, or vainglory, but to act with humility, that is, in
truth.
And he asks them something else,
to look at the others as superior to them, not because they have a better
education, or they belong to a higher social class, no, he simply says to
consider the others superior to oneself. And this first paragraph ends inviting
the community of Philippi to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus
Who being God became one like us. The people in his town
saw him as the carpenter of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, the carpenter, and of Mary the wife of the carpenter. He was
not important…. But He was the Son of God through whom all
things were made.
CLARETIAN
CORNER
We are living
on a time of great transformations which affect the whole human race in all the different
aspects of its existence. The world is
changing profoundly with a vertiginous speed; this fact causes an unavoidable
vital tension in front of a difficult present, and an uncertain future
constantly changing.
We are faced with the challenge to discern the signs of the times; to discover in our historical reality what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the Church; and to question ourselves about the role that we are playing as a Church, in this crucial time. The task is not easy, in the same way as it was not easy for Claret and Paris. We need a superabundance of optimism, hope and courage, to accept this challenge in which we find ourselves. We have to face our mission with humility and complete trust in God; only in this way we will be able to be signs of peace and joy in our world. Only having our eyes open to see the concrete circumstances of our time, we will be able to look for the means to fulfill this task, so charismatic for us, to “Restore the beauty of the Church.” París and Claret: Two Pens Guided by the Same Spirit. Called to Renew the Church, p.169 of the Spanish edition.)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
MUÑOZ, Ma. Hortensia & TUTZO,
Regina, Misioneras Claretianas. París and Claret: Two Pens Guided by
the Same Spirit. Called
to Renew the Church. 2010.
PAGOLA, José Antonio sj. El camino abierto por Jesús. 1 Mateo.
2010
PAGOLA, José Antonio sj.
La Buena noticia de Jesús. Ciclo A. 2016
La Biblia de nuestro
pueblo. Luis Alonso Schökel. 2015.
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