Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.

Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent a third, and they wounded him also and cast him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.' But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others." And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!" Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:

'The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone'?

"Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."

- Luke 20:9-18

In yesterday's reading, we read of the chief priests and scribes and temple elders confronting and questioning Jesus. After His arrival in Jerusalem, He cleansed the temple - by driving out the people who were buying and selling animals for sacrifice. This is a messianic act. Jesus was also preaching the gospel in the temple to the people, who deeply wished to hear Him. So, after this, the chief priests and scribes and elders were questioning Him: "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" They wish to trap Him. Jesus then proceeded to elude their question by posing one of His own: "The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?" Because the temple leadership were afraid of the opinions of the people - who considered John the Baptist a prophet - they could not answer. So Jesus replied, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time. Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vine dressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And again he sent a third, and they wounded him also and cast him out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.' But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others." And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!" My study bible notes here: "This parable recounts the history of Israel. God the Father is the owner. The vineyard is Israel. The vinedressers are the religious leaders. The servants are the prophets. The beloved son is Jesus the Messiah. The others are the Gentiles." Clearly the leadership understands this parable - we can see this by their reaction. They know that He has told it against them.

Let us consider some aspects of the story Jesus tells. The vineyard owner is God the Father - He has done the planting. He is the Creator of our world, our cosmos, indeed all of creation. And God the Father is, seemingly, far away from us, steeped in mystery. We can also understand the parable as Jesus gives it - it is about Israel, the people of God. These are the people planted as seeds in the world, to bear fruit and to carry that faith - the relationship of trust and stewardship with the owner. But where are the spiritual fruits of this investment, and trust and relationship? The prophets bearing the word of God have been sent throughout the centuries, and repeated the same message. We - if we count ourselves among the people of God - are those entrusted with relationship, right-relatedness to God and to one another. But the vinedressers do not see this relationship in this sense: they see themselves as owners or exploiters of that vineyard. Stewardship is another concept altogether. Those who threaten this free-for-all pseudo-ownership, the prophets, are beaten, stoned, killed. And so the owner sends his beloved son - Jesus, as Christ, the Messiah. The words of dialogue in this story are important. The Father reasons, "Probably they will respect him when they see him." But the vinedressers are thinking in a different way: they want ownership for themselves. "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours." By destroying that which we envy, human beings all too often make the mistake of believing that this way they gain ownership of something which never belonged to them in the first place - and so it is with this powerful story about judgment. How do we go about being in right-relatedness to that which belongs to God the Father? How do we understand stewardship - as opposed to ownership and exploitation?

Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'?" My study bible says, "This quotation from Ps. 118:22 refers to Christ, the foundation stone rejected by the religious leaders, who becomes chief cornerstone of the Church." Again, Jesus refers to prophecy, and the temple leadership knows that He is referring to them. In the early church, there was a depth of understanding of this saying. From the letters of St. Peter, we already have reference to believers as "living stones" in this Church.

"Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." My study bible notes, "To attack or resist Christ means to suffer judgment and utter destruction." I think it's significant that Jesus gives different levels of consequences here: there are those who stumble, and those who are crushed by the stone. To err and to be unable to accept something is one thing, but to seek to destroy, while having knowledge, is quite another level of responsibility. Judgment is of course in the realm of mystery, it is not something we can make ourselves -- it belongs to that chief cornerstone and is solely in His hands.

So let us consider again the parable and what it implies for us. We, who consider ourselves the continuation of Israel, the people of God, have a lot to ponder in it for ourselves. Do we understand our role as stewards, vinedressers? Do we know that we are to tend what we are given and to bear fruit? Or do we also fall into the error at times of considering ourselves owners of this vineyard? Do we delude ourselves with this understanding, a perspective of selfishness and ownership and entitlement, which is in effect a form of stealing? I think that perhaps the greatest ailment comes to churches when any level of membership forgets stewardship and considers themselves owners instead. (And, indeed, this would apply to any institution, from a family to a corporation or nation.) It is a seemingly subtle difference to our human perception, but in the end, it makes all the difference in the world to how we act in the world, and indeed, how effectively the church teaches the message of Christ and tends to the flock - or leaves the spiritual reality behind, lost in material considerations of power and rank. Because the behavior of the selfish perspective borders on any sort of effort to claim that ownership, and stewardship gives us right-relatedness, we must be ever on our guard. And the same is true, of course, for the whole of creation and our lives which we've been given as a gift. "Right-relatedness" conveys a different attitude toward the whole of this vineyard and its owner - to God and to one another. So we, as those who consider themselves the "living stones" belonging to the chief cornerstone, must take this parable to heart for ourselves. How are we living out our mandate here and tending the vines to bear fruit worthy of the owner's trust? Let us consider the difference then between ownership and stewardship - and recall that we are always to be aware of the chief cornerstone, let we stumble over it, or it fall upon us.

Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things

Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me. The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet." So they answered that they did not know where it was from. And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

- Luke 20:1-8

On Saturday, we read of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, and the destruction that is to come there after He is gone (A.D. 70). He says, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes." He then taught in the temple, and drove out those who bought and sold animals for sacrifice, saying, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" Jesus quotes from the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah, indicating further a lack of spiritual sight and understanding about "the things that make for the peace" of Jerusalem. While the people wish to hear Him, the chief priests, scribes and temple leadership plot to destroy Him.

Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?" My study bible notes here: "Jesus is questioned about His authority. These things include the cleansing of the temple [see yesterday's reading] and His preaching of the gospel [v. 1, here] with messianic claims." Authority is an important concept, and central to the idea of Jesus' identity and the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. By what authority can Jesus preach when He has not trained with a famous rabbi, has not come from a recognized background of formal education? Faith or trust in Christ does not come from worldly authority and credentials, but from the perception of faith, the spiritual eyes and ears He has so often preached are necessary for real salvation.

But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, and answer Me. The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet." Jesus plays on their fears of the people -- and all along the Gospel gives us a taste of the ardor or great desire the people have to hear Jesus, and His good news. This is a factor we see repeatedly at work in all of the Gospels - the deep desire of the people, the thirst for spiritual substance, and the envy of the leadership. Here this dynamic is at work in a double way: it is reflected in the people's faith that John the Baptist was a prophet, while the leadership - Herod - destroyed Him, and the religious leadership criticized John and His disciples as they now do Jesus. Just as we were told in yesterday's reading that the leadership plots in secret to trap Jesus, for fear of the people, so Jesus plays on this fear of the people with the example of John the Baptist. Note the secret and hidden dynamics at work: there is no honest criticism that can openly be made -- only plotting behind the scenes. Jesus does not shrink from confronting them and using this dynamic in His own effective way.

So they answered that they did not know where it was from. And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." My study bible notes here: "Perceiving their intent to trap Him, Jesus answers with a question of His own -- and reduces His opponents to silence (v. 7)." This is a very clever answer to the experts in the Law. They have posed a question to Him and demanded an answer, but fail to give Him an answer to the same question. And there is a great deal of insight to be gained by pondering Jesus' question. Just where does His authority come from? In fact, this central question we might say is the great riddle of the Gospels. Who is this man? Where does His authority come from? How is it bound in His identity, and bound in His earthly appearance as a vulnerable human being, without an army or a kingdom in the material sense? Why is this authority not apparent to everyone?

We can ask ourselves these same questions today, as we continue to fight, in some ways, over Christ's identity. Who was He? What did He really want, and what is His true nature? Does He abide within us - and from whence should our own worldly religious authority in the Church come? How do we recognize truth and know whom to trust in these matters? All of this is part of the secret hidden reality of the Spirit that is among us, as it was in what Jesus offered, the gospel He taught. How will you find it, and develop your own spiritual eyes and ears to hear? I think there is perhaps a great secret in today's reading -- that if we are true to our true nature, we will find a deep thirst for He has to offer, and we in turn develop spiritual sight and hearing by acknowledging and recognizing that thirst. In this way, the people ardently seek to hear Him, and so do we, if we are honest with ourselves, and seek to find that which we truly need. The leadership fails to see, and fails to acknowledge the true thirst within themselves for fear of losing their positions. So they receive no answer.

If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"

And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.

- Luke 19:41-48

In yesterday's passage, we read of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. He rode in on a colt, the foal of a donkey, signifying what kind of King He is, and "the multitude of His disciples" welcomed Him with the words, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!" The Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke His disciples, but He said, ""I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it . . . My study bible has a note which reads, "Jesus wept over the Holy City because, in spite of its beauty and spiritual significance, it lay in unbelief and impending judgment." Earlier in Luke's Gospel, Jesus has mourned for Jerusalem already, also citing this day. He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation." My study bible says, "Luke recounts two occasions of Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem [as cited above]. The second half of the name Jerusalem means, 'peace,' but the things that make for . . . peace are hidden from its eyes because of unbelief. The predicted destruction occurred in A.D. 70 at the hands of the Romans, who recaptured Jerusalem by storm and burned the temple. The time of your visitation is Christ's ministry as a visitation from God, either for salvation or judgment." The elements Jesus names here, that Jerusalem will be surrounded and destroyed by its enemies, and that "they will not leave in you one stone upon another" are quite literal representations of what was to occur. It was believed that there was gold between the stones of the temple (some of which were immense in size), and so they were truly leveled. Only a partial wall outside its former courtyard remained, to become known as the Wailing Wall. Jesus has used the same imagery of stones in yesterday's reading, which St. Peter wrote of in one of His Epistles, saying that each of us are "living stones" that build the Church around its cornerstone, Christ. Here the image of the destruction of the temple stones is in contrast to the stones with which the Church will be built. It is a spiritual temple, and we are living stones. Jerusalem, Jesus says, fails to see: "The things that make for peace" "are hidden from your eyes." It is spiritual sight that has failed. Jesus has again and again preached the necessity of spiritual sight and hearing, the perception of the heart. As the "mother hen" (cited in the earlier reading in Luke), Jesus is lamenting the city, in mourning; they are His children who will perish due to what is "hidden from their eyes," what they fail to perceive, and to receive.

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, "It is written, 'My house is a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" My study bible has a note here: "Into the temple refers to the temple area, where a precinct was used for the selling and buying of animals offered in sacrifices. This was regulated by the Law, but to Jesus the atmosphere reeks of commercialism." Again, as in yesterday's reading, there is an echo of the prophets. The first part He quotes is from Isaiah 56: "...these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations." It is about the sacrifices acceptable to the Lord - and those who sold animals profit from and exploit the people's desire to make a good sacrifice. The second quotation is from Jeremiah 7: "Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares the LORD." Tied in with yesterday's reading (the Triumphal Entry) and all the elements of prophesy and visitation, we have a depth of meaning about this time, and what is found in Jerusalem at this time, this day.

And He was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to destroy Him, and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him. And finally, we're given the great contrast between the people - who will come to suffer at Jerusalem's destruction - and the leadership who reject Jesus and plot to destroy Him. It seems to me that the Gospels seek always to put responsibility upon the leadership for this failure, and not on the people, who rejoice to see His day. This is something we must always remember, as we go forward in faith. It is the leadership that has failed in its spiritual sight, and it has failed the people too.

I'd like to discuss this concept of spiritual leadership, because I'm afraid it's a topic that is too little addressed. The Gospels make it very clear, over and over again, that it is not the people who have failed, but the leadership that has failed the people, misled it. In an earlier reading, as he chastises the leadership, Jesus says, "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." See Woe to you! Jesus' greatest criticism is for those who choose the praise of men over the praise of God. Where reputation and self-exaltation in the eyes of others becomes one's greatest pride, there can be no room for the humility that is necessary for true spiritual sight. This becomes hypocrisy - and "hypocrite" is Jesus' most scathing word of criticism. "Hypocrite" originally means "actor" - it is someone who shows the outward motion, and act, and appearance, but whose heart - the true sense of the self - is something else altogether, somewhere else outside of the picture of devotion and true love of God. The first greatest commandment, Jesus has taught, is that we are to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength; and the second, to love our neighbor as ourselves. The leadership fails on the first: a hypocrite cannot do this. And by failing on the first, we also fail on the second, for it is God who teaches us to truly love, because God is love. And, I would like to stress, the Gospels also name those among the leadership who are open to hearing Jesus and who become His followers, so that we cannot stereotype any group of people in these texts. But we must turn, instead, to Jesus' own words to His disciples, His followers who will in turn be leaders of His Church: that the most will be expected of those who hold positions of greatest authority - they must be servants of all. He has also taught us that we are to be aware of wolves in sheeps' clothing, those who would profess to lead the flock but are false - a dramatic picture of hypocrisy indeed. So, the lesson here is about our own leadership, the leadership of His Church. Where is their spiritual sight and hearing? Do we, the people, take care of our own responsibility in this sense, to be aware always, to be vigilant and not to sleep? Jesus has left us with parable after parable preparing us for the day of His Passion, and the days that follow, when it is we who are stewards of that Church, or who call ourselves His disciples, and how we are to keep awake, to pray always, and to make certain our own spiritual eyes and ears are open and growing in awareness for the day of His return. This is the lesson we take, and the question we need to ask of ourselves. How are we doing in our own vigilance and awareness? Are we ready for such a visitation? Could we see what is in our midst? Do we know the things that make for our peace?

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.' " So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?" And they said, "The Lord has need of him." Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:

"'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!'

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

- Luke 19:28-40

In yesterday's reading, we're given the parable of the nobleman who goes away to receive a kingdom, and leaves his servants in charge until his return as king. He leaves each one in charge of a certain amount of money (in Matthew's Gospel, this is the parable of the Talents). When he returns, some have made profits by investing, and one has hidden away the money for the king's return. And there are those who have rejected the king's rule altogether. Each receives of the kingdom according only to the profit they've made with the gift. Jesus said, "For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." But the king's enemies, who reject his rule, are slain.

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. In the past several readings, Jesus has been making His way to Jerusalem, and seeking to prepare the disciples and the Twelve for what is to come. Even the Apostles, we were told, cannot comprehend what will happen to Jesus. My study bible notes on today's entire passage: "The Triumphal Entry marks a public, messianic acclamation of Jesus, which He accepts as His mission draws toward its climax. The people hail Him as King (v. 38), but His kingship is not as they think."

And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, . . . Much of what we read in Jesus' Triumphal Entry is reflective of Scripture predicting the Messiah, the One who is to come. Today's Lectionary reading also includes verses from the prophecy of Zechariah: "On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem . . . "

. . . that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.' " Also from the prophecy of Zechariah, we read words about the Messiah, "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" The colt (foal of a donkey) is a symbol of what kind of king is coming. The Messianic expectations of His followers and popular ideas in expectation of a political Messiah at the time will be disappointed. This is not a general on a horse, but a peaceful Messiah, one who brings a spiritual and cosmic reign - but who will suffer through His Passion, leaving His servants to work for the Kingdom in expectation of His return (as in the parable given in yesterday's reading). The shout and praise is from Psalm 118: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you."

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." The Pharisees, of course, want to keep order, and dismiss Jesus as Messiah. So they order Him to rebuke His disciples. And once again, there is reference to Scripture in Jesus' reply. His words echo those of Habakuk: "The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it." The very "stones," in other words, will bear witness - they will testify to what is earth-shaking and of tremendous importance, to a truth that is undeniable and which cannot be suppressed. In the First Epistle of St. Peter, there is great use of the imagery of stones. St. Peter calls Christ "a living stone" and tells the early Christians, "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Our "chief cornerstone" is Christ, and we, as His faithful, must be the "living stones" who build up this spiritual Church. We are "witnesses" to that faith, we "testify" - just as the very stones would cry out if the multitude of disciples are silenced.

So, as Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a colt, we are left with the expectations of Messiah, and the truth of this spiritual kingdom that is being revealed. The peaceful Messiah issues in a kingdom of cosmic importance, and we are left to understand that as a king coming to His bride Jerusalem, Jesus is also entering into His heavenly Kingdom. St. Peter speaks of "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" - and in today's reading, we know that Jesus is preparing for the sacrifice He will make for this heavenly kingdom. He will leave His servants, "the whole multitude of the disciples," to work as they await His return, to build up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, and to offer our own "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." How are you a living stone, a witness, a follower who builds the walls of this Church around its cornerstone - the man riding into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt? What does this humble Messiah say to you in terms of your participation in building that Church, as one of the living stones? Jesus is on His way to the Cross and His Passion, and He will leave His servants to work to build up the kingdom as they await His return. And so we do, as "living stones."

To everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him

Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas. ' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.' Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.' Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.' And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?' And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.' (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.') 'For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.' "

- Luke 19:11-27

In yesterday's reading, we learned the story of Zaccheaus, the man of short stature who climbed a sycamore tree to get a look at Jesus above the crowd, as Jesus passed through Jericho. Zaccheaus is a wealthy tax collector, considered by the crowds to be a sinner, but Jesus calls out to him that He must stay in his house. Zacchaeus receives Christ "joyfully" and then proclaims his own charitable perspective which he will fulfill. Jesus says, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

As with yesterday's reading, my study bible has a note which bears upon the whole of today's passage: "A noble ruler gives the same sum of money to ten servants; only three give an accounting to him. . . . A mina: a measure of money equivalent to about three months' wages. Rather than waiting for the Kingdom in lazy occupation, we are to anticipate and plan for the Kingdom to come through wise use of the King's resources."

Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately. We know that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem with the disciples, and all along this journey to the Passion, He has attempted to prepare them for what is to come at Jerusalem, and the life of the church beyond - for the fullness of their ministry, mission and discipleship. Here, we're given their messianic expectations -- fittingly, as recent readings have focused on Jesus as Son of Man, a fully messianic title as part of Jewish prophecy and popular expectation. We have been told, also, that although Jesus has told the Apostles what will happen to Him at Jerusalem, they simply could not take it in.

Therefore He said: "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return." Here Jesus refers to Himself, in His risen form - in which He will fully receive the cosmic Kingdom and all power from the Father, but He will no longer be physically present to his servants.

"So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.' But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.' " My study bible teaches us the value of a mina (in the note above), but we recall that in this story as it appeared in the Gospel of Matthew, these servants were given talents. A talent ( τάλαντον in the Greek) was a unit of mass for weighing metal: in the case of Palestine at the time of Christ, it meant a unit of silver worth a great deal of money. A Greek talent in ancient times could fund, for example, many years of skilled labor or the full crew of a ship for transporting goods and trade - a great sum for doing business. The use of the word talent in this story is the source from which the modern popular meaning of the word in English derives. It is a gift or skill - precious and given by God. It's interesting that Jesus says that the citizens hated him, and refused the kingly reign that the nobleman was about to receive. We have a picture, then, of what is about to occur.

"And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas. ' And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.' Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.' Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief. For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.' And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow. Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?' And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.' (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.') " This parable, about the coming of the Kingdom, teaches the disciples (and us) about what kind of servants He wishes to have. In the day of the Kingdom, all are called to produce what they've done with what has been invested with each one. We invest our talents a certain way, use them for gain or profit for the Kingdom, and we receive of that Kingdom. How do we use what's been invested with us, to produce what? One can think of this mina, these talents, in so many ways - all the personal gifts we have which can be put to use in service, whether that be our capacity to love or to give charitably in any form, to instruct, to uphold, and an infinite creative sense in which the Holy Spirit can work in us and through us for this kingdom. It is those who use this capacity who will receive the great blessings of the Kingdom. We have an active faith when we seek to build that Kingdom in any way we can, and allow the Spirit to work through us and grow in us, and produce profits and expand that growth.

" 'For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.' " We may proclaim our faith and ourselves as servants, but what do we do with that faith, how do we carry on as servants as we await the King's return in power? These are the questions posed here - and the great power expressed in Judgment is taught here too. " To everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." It's not enough to profess or believe, but active faith rests in God and grows and expands with all one's heart and soul and mind and strength: that is, all the talent we can bring to bear to work for this kingdom. And there is Judgment here as well, in the note that sounds at the end about those who refuse the reign altogether.

So how do we use our talents - the things that have been invested with us? It is my belief that an active faith is one in which we allow ourselves to be led by Spirit - and through Spirit not only does our prayer grow (and dialogue and relationship to God) but also the ways in which our innate "talents" may develop and be used as we go forward in the mission and journey of faith. The servant who leaves the mina wrapped in a handkerchief and hidden away is like a person whose true talent or skills lie dormant within - untapped and untouched by this hand of faith, and unopened to God (and the world) in this sense. Elsewhere Jesus teaches us about letting our light shine, and being the salt that does not lose its savor. These are other ways He teaches about using our gifts and skills. And there's a deeply personal application of this teaching, too. I believe that repentance and change is a part of this profit for the kingdom, this growth, and the multiplied treasures Jesus has spoken of, the resulting spiritual gifts. Life itself is a precious gift. We have a certain time in the world within which we live that life. The question is, "How will you live it?" What treasure will you find in the gifts and talents - in the action of faith and the Spirit - that you can bring out of yourself? How will you live your life and what will you do with it? Jesus gives us an undeniable and stark picture of those who fulfill this process, and those who fail to do so. Your life, your time, is precious. Ask the Master in prayer where to go from here to continue to use it for the best profit for the Kingdom, and to grow its yield and resources through time. This is the best service possible. You may be surprised at the gifts you find that you didn't know you had hidden away as this growth continues and expands.

The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost

Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

- Luke 19:1-10

In yesterday's reading, Jesus began to introduce clearly what is going to happen to Him at Jerusalem. But His Apostles could not comprehend or take in any of what He told them. He and the apostles are on their way to Jerusalem. As they approach Jericho, they are met by a crowd, in the midst of which is a blind man - who normally sat by the road, begging. When the blind man finds out what the commotion is about, he begins to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The crowd demands he be quiet, but he persists in his shout, and Jesus tell him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."

My study bible has a note which applies to the whole of today's passage. It reads, "This delightful account occurs only in Luke. Zacchaeus means 'the pure and innocent one.' Being a tax collector, he does not live up to his name, by his own admission. Nevertheless, he comes to have a heart for Christ and becomes a changed man (v. 8). Because he has been richly blessed, he gladly offers to do something voluntarily, which the rich ruler would not. Exactly what happened in the house of Zacchaeus is unknown (v. 9), but the joy rings out in Christ's words: Today salvation has come to this house."

Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. Again, we note the proximity to Jericho, where the men of Israel tumbled the walls of the city with a great shout. There's a powerful metaphor to prayer here, not only in the persistence of the shout of the blind man in yesterday's reading, but also today in the story of Zacchaeus. Here the handicap is not blindness, but Zacchaeus' short stature. He may be a chief tax collector, and wealthy, but he's handicapped by being short and unable to see because of the crowd.

So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. Zacchaeus makes the extra effort to see Jesus. What stops us from "seeing Jesus?" We need to be persistent and find whatever assistance we can - often by seeking the elevation and support by reading the word of those who've come before us, and understood. He overcomes his difficulty, his handicap, by making that effort and finding that support in the sycamore - a great spreading tree that can grow for centuries. In the Near East, this type of sycamore also gives figs - a symbol for Israel, and it grows buttressing branches that rise from near the ground.

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house." So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. Here is the amazing understanding of Christ calling someone out. Many people have experienced conversion in such a sense, of being called as an individual, as if the choice were not really theirs - but only the choice to respond. And this is the gesture of Christ which will be made at the Passion. Zacchaeus receives Him joyfully.

But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner." Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." This son of Abraham is restored to his rightful place through the salvific action of Christ, calling him out. The sycamore teaches us something again with its symbolism: its buttressing branches and its fig teach us about extending teaching through the centuries to those who remain in the faith of "Israel," or the people of God. Jesus uses His messianic title, the Son of Man, to teach us clearly in what role He speaks. My study bible notes the difference between the voluntary giving of Zacchaeus and the sorrow with which the rich ruler heard Jesus' teaching. Zacchaeus does not share that same attachment to his wealth.

Again, I return to the image of the sycamore tree. Here it is an image of support and elevation, but it is also a source of refuge. And I think that this is where we begin with this story. I find that the stories in this section of Luke's Gospel are preparing us (as with the disciples) for the times that are to come, the time after Jesus' Passion - His death and Resurrection. We take refuge not just in the teachings of the Gospels but of the whole of the literature and sources of teaching and meaning available to us: from the whole of the history of Israel or the People of God, to the traditions and sources that have developed through the wide breadth of the Church in its entirety and its growth in the Holy Spirit. Zacchaeus may be short of stature, and considered a sinner, but he is also a saved remnant, a son of Abraham. Through the support we find in the branches of our faith, we too may be called out by Christ, and nurtured to find our true wealth and meaning, our worth, and hence redemption and restoration to community. This is a tree grown for centuries, since ancient times, and full of the wisdom of the ages, preparing us for those to come. How does this saving grace work in your life? Have you felt called by this voice? What support do you seek and need to see what you need to see? Call on it, and be persistent. Most of all, these times are meant for persistence in prayer -- so we are taught in this part of Luke's Gospel. Take full advantage of what is available to help, to support and give refuge, and seek to respond to His call and receive him joyfully, as did Zacchaeus. He calls us all.

Receive your sight; your faith has made you well

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

- Luke 18:31-43

In yesterday's reading, we began with a scene of people bringing infants to Jesus, so that He touches them, but the disciples rebuked these people. Jesus taught that the children were to be brought to Him, "for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Then, a rich ruler approached Him and asked what he should do to inherit eternal life. After having it understood that the ruler had followed all the commandments all of his life, Jesus told him that he lacked one thing: he should sell his possessions and give to the poor; then having treasure in heaven, he should "come, follow Me." This made the young man very sad, for he was very rich. Jesus then said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." The apostles asked in astonishment, "Who then can be saved?" And Jesus told them that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God." The apostles then pointed out that they had left everything behind, including all family ties and relationship, homes, land, to follow Christ. Jesus said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again." Jesus has just finished teaching about the little children to be brought to him, and then the young and wealthy ruler who could not give up his possessions to follow Christ. And then He discussed with the apostles their complete sacrifice of their former ways of life, and all that included, to follow Him. We are in the presence of the understanding that all things come after our relationship to God in discipleship: that is, this central love sets in place all else in our lives, puts the rest in relationship and perspective. We are to be like the little children, the infants, in our receiving of this kingdom: that is, we wholly rest ourselves in that trust, and all else is secondary. Here, after the apostles testify to what they have left behind, Jesus introduces the great sacrifice He himself will make, and why, and what for. As the Son of Man, "He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again."

But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken. My study bible has a note here that reads, "The saying was hidden not deliberately, but because the disciples could not comprehend the reality and meaning of the Passion events predicted by Jesus." My doctor once spoke to me of such a phenomenon he experienced all the time when giving unfortunate and sad news to patients: they simply couldn't take in or comprehend what they'd just been told. Here, Jesus once more takes the apostles further (as we discussed in yesterday's reading). This is the greater sacrifice He will make Himself for the kingdom; and of course, it will be a sacrifice also for the apostles. They have left all behind for the sake of this kingdom and in order to follow Him, and they will lose Him, His physical presence in their lives. How incomprehensible indeed this must have been!

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. My study bible says: "Luke and Mark report one blind man, whereas Matthew mentions two. But the lesson remains the same." We note that Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem for the Passion of which He has just spoken to the apostles. We, and they, are being prepared for what is to come, and a life without his presence in the flesh as Jesus.

And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" A great commotion is happening, and this blind man must rely on the word of others to understand who it is that passes and what is in their midst. From there, he cries out, tremendously desiring to be heard in a prayer that will echo throughout the centuries in this faith: "Jesus, have mercy on me!" The Son of David is the Messiah, the One to come - and the blind man accepts Him as such. It is Jericho, scene of the great shout that tumbled down the walls of the city - and the blind man will not stop his shout for mercy either, for the inheritance of the kingdom signaled by the Son of David.

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?" My study bible notes in the story in Mark's Gospel that this gives us a picture of prayer - and that we must be specific in our prayers. If we take this story building on yesterday's reading, we find this blind man completely relying and dependent in trust on Jesus. There is nothing that stands in the way of this relationship and the desires of the heart. Jesus' question is also specific.

He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. In another note, my study bible points out that the man could have prayed for different things, such as the grace to live with his blindness, but he asks for sight. Of course, sight is metaphorical as well. We want to see what we need to see, and the "opened eyes" of this man are those that accept that the kingdom is here, the messianic age is with him, and "in the midst" of the crowd.

If we expand from yesterday's reading about the rich ruler, and the sacrifices made by the apostles, we find an interesting paradox here. First we are given the understanding of the great sacrifice which the Son of Man Himself will make. He will set the example of what it is to truly fully give our whole lives for the sake of the kingdom. We note that the lives of the apostles (and their future careers) and the sacrifice of his wealth asked of the young man are all specific requests given for each person. That is, there is no comparison here for all of us in some specific sense: each person is called to their own discipleship, their own emptying and sacrifices. (This was discussed in Saturday's reading - see Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.) It's not a blueprint that says that every rich person has to sell all their wealth - but a teaching that lets us know that the things we cling to that get in the way of our discipleship will have to create for us a choice of letting go in order to follow Him further. Jesus will do what is asked of Him in order to more fully establish the kingdom, to create the full anointing of the Spirit in the world, to follow what the Father requests of Him. And from there we receive this story of the blind man who receives his sight. He makes a specific request of Jesus, and that which he truly desires is restored to him and he is made whole. Jesus says, as He has said to others, "Your faith has made you well." What is the difference between the young man who was so attached to his wealth, and this man who dearly wishes to see? Why is the one asked to sacrifice and the other given sight? It is clear to me that the blind man in this story is one who already sees: he understands the messianic age is with him, that it is the Son of David who approaches. And, symbolically for us, he has heard and understood through the word of others. This man symbolizes all of us in this present age, whose faith comes not from seeing, but from hearing the word of others. In John's Gospel, the Risen Christ will say, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." So, in this sense, we can count this blind man as one of us, in this age defined by the Passion and the Cross. We rely on Him in faith, and we pray for His mercy. What do we need in order to be made well? Let us consider that question, and our faith and trust in Him, and how it sets forth our priorities. What do we need to truly see? We note, also, the outcome: just as with the Samaritan leper, this man glorifies God - and he also becomes a disciple. He "follows Him." His sight will be used for the kingdom at hand. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. The restoration of sight has the effect of bringing the people to God, to the kingdom that is in their midst, and their spiritual eyes are opened too. When we set our relationship right with God, we understand a deeper truth and question -- what gifts do we have that serve that relationship, and to bring others into this love and this kingdom? The central relationship sets things in proper order and relationship, and the glory is to God, as Jesus taught the wealthy man in yesterday's reading when he called Jesus "good." The wealthy young ruler was asked to give away his wealth not in order to glorify himself or to fulfill a legalistic demand, but in order to receive the kingdom, to truly see with no obstacle in that relationship. Let us understand this when we pray. How do we need to be made well, in faith?

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." So when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You." So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

- Luke 18:15-30

On Saturday, we read Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. The publican is a tax collector - he works for the Romans, and takes money from the people. Essentially, he is seen as a public sinner, cheating his own people. The Pharisee is exemplary in terms of observing God's Law, and a highly respected person. But the prayer of the Pharisee is essentially "with himself," while the tax collector prays in humility to God. Jesus pronounces the publican "justified" rather than the Pharisee. He says, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." My study bible has a note here which reads, "The blessing of children by respected rabbis was customary. Jesus uses the image of the child to convey the ideal of childlike simplicity and humility required to enter the Kingdom." Since, as my study bible notes, this was a common custom (for respected rabbis to bless children), we can only assume that the reason the disciples rebuke those who bring infants to Jesus is because Jesus is busy with other work, considered more serious: perhaps healing, preaching, or He's still in the midst of His discussion with those "who trusted in themselves that they were righteous" (to whom He gave the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican). But Jesus takes the time for this blessing, because there is an important reason behind it, and an important teaching and lesson connected with it. We've just been taught in the parable that humility is the all-important character trait we need in our relationship to God. This is what justifies the publican, or tax collector, in the parable. Infants are the most dependent human beings of all; they rest everything in those who care for them - and this is how we are to rest in God, to depend on God. This is total relationship to our Creator. This is how we receive the kingdom.

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.' " And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth." So when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. A note in my study bible reads: "A rich ruler is challenged by Jesus not only to observe the Ten Commandments but also to sacrifice all thing and follow Him. ... St. John Chrysostom teaches that because Jesus loved the man (Mark 10:21), He named these conditions for his particular need." First of all, we note that Jesus directs this man to God: He says, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." In effect, our relationship to God creates the inheritance of the eternal life of the kingdom. This is the "inheritance" the young man asks for. We begin with the relationship to the Giver of Life. Then Jesus turns the young man to the word of God: the commandments. All these the young man has kept from his youth. In some sense, there is an echo of the Pharisee from the previous reading. This young man is doing all the right things; his behavior is exemplary in terms of religious practice. So we are given the basics first, the rock upon which we begin the journey of faith. But then Christ takes this young man further, and it becomes personal. So when Jesus heard these things, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. We assume that Christ, in His role as "knower of hearts" already knows this about the young man. We also note that Jesus is not suggesting that He leave the young man (whom He loved) destitute and alone. On the contrary, Jesus is opening up fellowship and community, the kingdom of heaven, in inviting him to "follow Me." He's extending an invitation to discipleship in His ministry. He's asking him to really leave behind the old life, and enter into a new one. For a "very rich" young man, this will no doubt mean leaving behind family and social connections, and a host of social duties probably expected of him. In today's world, it would be the same question posed to a person of considerable family wealth and inheritance. Monastics give up worldly possessions to "follow Him." And he is not only wealthy, but he is also a "ruler." His social position extends, we presume, to inherited material and political power and rank. So, there is an exchange going on: an earthly inheritance (family, wealth, social position) for a heavenly one of eternal life and the treasures of the kingdom. In this sense of fully emptying his earthly life, Jesus asks the young man to become like the little child in the earlier part of the reading, fully dependent upon that ministry and discipleship.

But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich. And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore, what shall we have?" So Jesus said, to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." A note here reads, "God's power can save even a rich man. And those who have turned their backs on riches and forsaken earthly good altogether for the cause of the Kingdom will reap abundant rewards from God." We note that the young man's sorrow extends from his possessions. What Jesus is asking of him is a terribly hard choice, a true dilemma. It is in response to the young man's difficult dilemma that Jesus says, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" Jesus is talking about attachment and the things that bind us to a "worldly life" when it comes to push and shove, when we get to that place where we need to remove the things we cling to that keep us from that all-dependent, childlike relationship to God. Great wealth will easily act as this great burden, because it may bind us so strongly to identity we need to forgo. To maintain great wealth (and other attachments) may also demand of us a great deal of time and effort - how we spend our lives, and how we are engaged with the world. "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." This saying is also in Matthew's Gospel, as well, in a similar version of the story. There is a similar expression in the Talmud: "for an elephant to go through the eye of the needle." And there are various explanations for the saying. Any way you read it, we get the message: attachment to riches - and I would extend this to anything we cling to that gets in the way of fuller relationship to God - makes it very tough to squeeze through that place we need to go in order to get to the true goal. Elsewhere, Jesus calls it "the narrow gate." In this sense, this "eye of the needle" is that place we can only pass through by shedding our burdens, the things we cling to, that we think are necessary to carry with us, which God may ask us to give up in order to have a more full relationship with Him, to be truly dependent like the little child -- and to receive the real inheritance and riches that we seek, the eternal life and treasures of the kingdom of God. Great wealth, and the rank that goes with it, may truly bind us to the extent that it gets in the way of a full relationship to God; it becomes an obstacle. But there is good news here: And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?" But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." With God we find a transformative power that overcomes all things, all obstacles. It gives us courage to see a way through a very difficult, tight spot that may require of us what we see as impossible dilemmas to solve, and impossible tasks, and that most difficult of all - of letting go of what we think we need that gives us our own understanding of who we are. Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore, what shall we have?" So Jesus said, to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." My study bible says that, "More in this present time does not necessarily signify material things." But the truly important note in this passage is its extension from "riches" (of the wealthy man) to the whole of the riches of earthly life that the apostles have left behind. They have "left all," which includes "houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands." And again, we are taken further by Jesus. They have not only left behind riches, but all -- the relationships most important to them. They have gone further. And there is an important note of judgment here, that reflects a similar theme found elsewhere: their example creates judgment. They have given truly all; and they will be taken yet further after Jesus' death and Resurrection, to the end of their lives.

To lose is indeed a difficult thing. In this heavenly kingdom, we exchange in order to gain something better: eternal life, from the Source of life itself. What does that mean to you? In my personal spiritual journey, I have found this emptying and growing dependency has indeed required of me the hardest dilemmas. The deeper I go, the more I find I need to release: of images of myself I felt I had to cling to in order to be "good" or socially respected, and of things in my life I loved the most. But the journey through that eye of the needle takes me further, and I need to release what it turns out to be baggage that binds the camel. What do you need to release? Does God call you to go through that eye of the needle itself? We remember we are promised a different, heavenly inheritance, a relationship, a fellowship. What does discipleship mean to you in your life, and the treasures of the kingdom that are there for you, awaiting your choice? I, too, have found "abundant rewards from God," and that is my testimony. Anything is possible with God, the Giver of life. We remember, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God." God makes that journey of emptying possible for us.

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust adulterous, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

- Luke 18:9-14

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us a parable. He is building on His earlier teachings of the time of His return, and especially how they are to be His disciples in the times to come, after His crucifixion and as they await this event of the coming of the kingdom of God. (In other words, He speaks of the times we are in now.) Jesus preached the story of the The Tenacious Widow. She kept appearing before a judge - but this judge cared neither for the opinions of God nor man. In the end, however, because of her persistence, he granted her request and ruled that she was in the right, against her adversary. This parable was given to teach that we should pray always - and that God, who is so different from this uncaring judge, will answer speedily those whom God loves and who persist in communion and dialogue (prayer). But, Jesus added, "Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector." My study bible notes here: "The sharp contrast between the two men is deliberately drawn by Jesus. The Pharisee is highly respected as a zealous observer of God's Law, whereas the tax collector is despised as a public sinner, collaborating with the Romans, cheating the people." We remember that among Jesus' audience are both Pharisees and tax collectors! One of the Evangelists, a member of the Twelve, was also a tax collector - Matthew (or Levi).

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust adulterous, or even as this tax collector.' " A note here reads, "The Pharisee prayed thus with himself and not to God!" There's an understanding about community here; the root of righteousness is right-relatedness. This is the practice of God's love and mercy - as we all stand before God both as equals and individuals.

" 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' " In following the Law, in religious practice, he is exemplary. He does the "right things."

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' " A note reads: "The tax collector's posture and words express his deep humility and contrition, the opposite of the Pharisee's attitude." This is a man in real prayer: he is truly in communion, communicating in dialogue, with God. In yesterday's reading, we were given the parable of the Tenacious Widow, who continually went before the judge for justice. This was a teaching about praying unceasingly. Jesus is preparing the disciples for the times to come, when they will be without His presence. He is on His way to Jerusalem for the Passion. So, He has just taught that we are to pray often - and here we are taught how to pray, in "what posture," as my study bible says. Both of these men are telling the truth. Which one is telling them the truth that God wishes to us to know about ourselves? Which one prays from the depth of the heart? Which one truly stands before God as a supplicant? Which one reflects the desire to bear the fruits God asks, to become what God would make of him? Which one acknowledges the mystery of God, God's "unknowability"?

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." A note here reads, "Justified: forgiven and made right with God. Jesus reverses the expected conclusion. In the eyes of God, it is the tax collector who is justified because of his humility. The Pharisee is condemned because of his self-righteousness and self-exaltation." There is this word again, and its root in the Greek (δίκη) we discussed in yesterday's reading. To be "justified" is to be in the right, to be righteous - and in right-relatedness to God, to creation, to oneself. Jesus will often teach His disciples about humility, in phrases echoing these words here. He has taught earlier in Luke's Gospel that "indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last." He has also been reported by Luke to have preached the same saying here, in an earlier chapter: "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

But the greatest relationship to this parable may be another saying, this time from the Gospel of John: ""If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jesus wishes for His disciples to always reach beyond what they know, and this means going down into the depths of relationship with God. The Pharisee may have been perfectly truthful - we assume he is. By the Law, he is a fully righteous man. But where is the relationship with God? And where is the reality of what is in his heart - or more deeply, the posture before God that asks, "How else do you need me to serve You?" It really doesn't matter what we have done or where we have been. In prayer, it is this moment - and our awareness of the One before whom we stand - that really matters. Whatever the apostles went out to do after Christ's Resurrection, they were never finished with their work until they understood the Spirit to have taught them this was so. God will always make of us "new things." Redemption and salvation are not a moment's work, and not something "that comes with observation," to use the phrase Jesus used when speaking of the coming of the kingdom to the Pharisees. God's work is "within us." Therefore to understand the nature of the truth that sets us free is to also understand the nature of our "right-relatedness" to God. And that right posture is always humble, always prepared to do more, to go further, to change whatever needs to be changed - it is the truth of our hearts before the "knower of hearts" (see here and here).

At the end of John's Gospel, there is a very significant passage about the last appearance of Jesus before Peter and John. Peter is told by Jesus to, "Feed My lambs." And he is also told about what death would befall him, also a martyr on a cross. But then he asks Jesus a question, referring to John who is also nearby: "Lord, what about him?" And Jesus replies, "‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" And so it is with this Pharisee and the tax collector. We cannot compare ourselves to one another. We all stand before Christ as equals, part of His Body - and whatever role He has for each of us lives in the truth in the depths of our relationship to God the Trinity -- what is God's will for us as individuals? And here is our right-relatedness and humility. It doesn't come with observation, and what we must do as members of this kingdom is not written in stone, in a formulaic law or legalistic terms. The gift has already been given to us at the Passion. It is up to us then to come to God and ask what to do with this gift, how we pursue it truly. And that requires humility, and the courage of self-knowledge before God, and the willingness to go forward in discipleship and not to rest in what we think we know. One thing is certain: we don't know it all, nor do we yet know the fruits we may come to bear as we walk in this Way. It's the truth of this reality - as we love with all our heart and soul and mind and strength - that makes us truly free; we "pray without ceasing" to find it ever deeply as we await His return. For that we need the humility Christ teaches here. Jesus teaches us today, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." To find who we truly are, we need to stand before God in that humility, and see where God teaches us to go, and to "change our mind."

When the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying, "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.' And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

- Luke 18:1-8

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught about the coming of the kingdom of God. He taught both Pharisees (in answer to their question about this subject) and His disciples. He taught that "Indeed; the kingdom of God is within you." It doesn't come by observation - and there will be no special secret place to find another Teacher, or where He will appear, but that it will be instantaneous and universal. Neither will we be able to predict who enters and who does not, who is taken and who is not. We are simply to practice vigilance in discipleship - and especially to develop spiritual eyes and ears through which to perceive and to understand how we are to live our lives as we await in this time period before His return.

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, . . . My study bible has a note that reads, "To pray and not lose heart is a vital step in preparation for the coming of the Lord." We remember that in the previous reading we are told that Jesus has just been teaching His disciples about "His day" - the day of the Son of Man, His return, and the coming of the kingdom of God. Here he is giving us further instruction about this time that we now live in - this time in which we await His coming. We are to always pray, and not lose heart. We turn to God as often as we need to; it is our strength and refuge.

My study bible has a note on the parable that follows, which reads: "This parable, fond only in Luke, illustrates the results of persistent prayer. If a helpless widow wins her case by persistent pleading before even a callous judge, how much more will God's elect find quick justice before a loving and righteous Father? Will Christ, upon His return, find faith on the earth (v. 8)? Each of us must take care to be part of His faithful remnant."

"There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city, and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'" We're introduced to the people in this parable: a judge who has no regard for God nor man. He is a man of his own disposition and understanding - and his own opinion rules his judgments. The widow is the helpless of the society, someone - we may imagine - to whom no one pays much attention. She is socially powerless, and she stands before a man who cares nothing even for the powerful who can bring great influence to bear upon him. And who is the adversary? We must only conclude that the adversary is all the temptations that face us in our worldly lives, to depart from God and the treasure of that spiritual kingdom within ourselves, that is "in our midst" but which we cannot perceive by sign or observation. Therefore, we must work to see this kingdom; it is an effort. And we have an "adversary" who gets in the way - and who perhaps falsely accuses in order to keep us out of that kingdom and from realizing our inner treasure.

"And he would not for a while, but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.' " Clearly, even a judge that cares nothing for people will respond when repeatedly petitioned. Therefore we are to consider by comparison the kingdom and its laws of mercy and justice, and the nature of God.

Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge them speedily." Because we are precious to God, God hears our prayer. The Greek word translated as "avenge" here has an important root meaning: its root (δίκη) means "justice" or even more precisely conveys being in the right, self-evidently correct. So, in this story, we have a kind of redemption, a redeeming of the widow. Justice rules that she is in the right; she is correct - and that her adversary is wrong. It also implies legal protection, and exacting a penalty from the offender, her adversary.

"Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" Will Christ find faith on the earth? I find this indeed a sad and somewhat wistful question. It says to me that His great concern was truly what would happen when His physical presence was gone - and we need faith in order to find Him and this kingdom that has no obvious signpost or guide. We are to continually pray to keep our connection with Him and with this kingdom - so that we may find our way speedily against that which harms or hinders us from it. The "Adversary" in spiritual literature is another term for Satan. The word here also means "opponent" but literally it is the "Anti-Justice" - that is, that which in this world antagonizes fairness or fair play, and that is indeed the role of "the Adversary."

In the First Letter to the Thessalonians, St. Paul advises us to "pray without ceasing" (5:17). This advice is also given in the context of being vigilant, and awaiting the return of the Lord. I have found in my life that certainly worldly justice is elusive for all of us. We're all familiar with the saying that life isn't fair. But as far as my spiritual perspective and my prayer life is concerned, I have indeed found a deeper reality in which God's justice dwells. Time may offer us consolations and treasures of the Kingdom which we receive where earthly justice fails - a deeper insight, a greater knowledge of ourselves, integrity and authenticity, spiritual gifts such as patience and strength, and even peace. Speaking strictly for myself, those gifts also include "all these things added" that I did not expect. I encourage everyone to seek this kingdom through prayer, strengthen faith, and remember that we are taught to pray without ceasing. The creative focus of that prayer, its centering us upon the true meaning and foundation of our lives, can do wonders to add joy and meaning and values we might never see nor know otherwise - and that do indeed defeat our adversaries. And there is indeed a deep and pervading justice in that, and in the rewards of faith. The way might not be easy - but the direction received, I have found, always has δίκη (as in the Greek root here). That is to say that, in the end, it is the "right" choice, and is vindicated by events that play out in my life. Remember His hopeful, and to my mind somewhat sad and painful question, "Will He find faith on the earth?"