By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John -- where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him, and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

- Matthew 21:23-32

In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus' first great act in Jerusalem, after His Triumphal Entry. Jesus cleansed the temple. He drove out all those who bought and sold animals, overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of the dove sellers. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" He then performed miraculous healings of the blind and lame. The leadership in the temple were indignant over those who continued to welcome Him in the temple with cries of "Hosanna to the Son of David!" But Jesus replied with a quotation: "Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise." Later, Jesus left Jerusalem for Bethany, where He stayed. In the morning, returning to Jerusalem, He was hungry. He passed a fig tree without fruit. He said, "Let no fruit grow on you again" and the tree immediately withered -- a prophetic act about what is happening in Jerusalem. The disciples wondered at how quickly the tree withered. He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done . And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as he was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" Let us recall the setting of this question. The day before, Jesus has come to Jerusalem in His Triumphal Entry. He has been welcomed by crowds; His ministry outside of Jerusalem has already brought Him a lot of fame, and He is considered a prophet. He has been welcomed with shouts that befit an expected and awaited Messiah in this great city, the center of worship. His first act was to cleanse the temple of its commercial dealings: to remove the buyers and sellers of animals, and upset the tables of the money changers, the chairs of those who sold doves (which were sold to the poor as the least costly animals for sacrifice). We know the leadership was indignant over the people's welcome for Jesus even within the temple, for which they protested to Him. So, here on this second day, He returns to the temple and they question Him rather reasonably, from their own perspective. It really is the important question, if you think about it. Where does His authority come from? Of course from the perspective of the gospel it is already accepted: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and His authority is derived from His own divinity. But the leadership asks from a different perspective. What recognizable, worldly authority does He have? Who gave Him this authority? My study bible says, "Since the chief priests and the elders cannot object to Jesus' miracles, they bring charges against Him for His chastisement of the tradesmen in the temple. Since He is not a Levitical priest and does not have the schooling normally required of a rabbi, Jesus is asked about His authority to cleanse the temple."

But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John -- where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things." What is interesting about this passage is not just that Jesus turns the tables on His accusers, asking them a question they can't answer. But if we also look closely at this question, it is a way in which to expose their hypocrisy. Jesus came into the temple, and there is no doubt about what He does, where He stands, what is His truth. But here the leadership wishes, ironically, simply to save face among the crowds -- they are afraid of popular opinion. Jesus' acts, and His authority, derive nothing from the opinions of men, so to speak. He's not dependent on the crowds for where He stands, what His truth is, and especially for His authority. Instead He is dependent on God for all, and declares Himself. The chief priests and the elders cannot say the same, and they cower before the crowd. There is yet another ironic twist to the question and its focus. Jesus' authority is questioned from the same unspoken standpoint -- is it from heaven or from men? This is what we and they are to think about, for the true answer hidden in the riddle. My study bible suggests that Jesus responds this way to them -- with a question rather than direct answer -- because they are motivated by unbelief and hostility.

"But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Here is another riddle for them, and they answer correctly. But the parable is clearly about hypocrisy, and the essential importance of what we choose, what we really do. Do we pay God lip service, and act differently? Which is what counts, what we really believe and do, or how we appear to others in order to make an appearance? It is a focus on the love of God, and our real faith, our trust, in expressing that love.

Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him, and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him." My study bible says, "Jesus mentions the tax collectors and harlots, presumed to be great sinners, to jolt His hearers into obedience." There is a kind of hierarchy here, a measure of hypocrisy and the failure to accept truth. Even those considered great sinners went to John and practiced his baptism of repentance. But this made no difference to the leadership. Somehow they cannot be shaken out of their own authority, to accept that which comes from the Spirit, which has produced the spiritual fruits of repentance. John, in his own time, was greatly respected and widely viewed as a holy man. He also condemned the hypocrisy of the leadership.

There is a great deal of emphasis here on truth and directness, and a condemnation of hypocrisy. Do we mean what we say? How deep and direct is our love of God? Maybe the deeper question really is about authority, and leadership. Where does it come from? How do we get it? What is it made of in Jesus' heart and teaching? Over and over again, Jesus has emphasized leadership in the past several chapters in Matthew's gospel, and how the leadership in His church should differ from that of the Gentiles, in which some "lord it over" others. In His church, the leadership must serve all -- and the one who would be first must be slave to all. Here, Jesus condemns a kind of servile hypocrisy, that doesn't really love anything but the praise of men, the rank of authority. Where are their hearts? What do they really believe? How do choices bear this out? Ultimately, the parable He gives tells the story. How do we love God? Is our love authentic? With what faith do we finally choose? Authority is rooted in our hearts, what we really put our faith into. Remember the withered fig tree from the reading just before. It is the fruits we bear that tell the story of the heart, the spiritual fruits that reveal where leadership and authority begin.

It is written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer," but you have made it a "den of thieves"

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a 'den of thieves.'" Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read,

'Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants

You have perfected praise'?"

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

Now in the morning as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done . And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

- Matthew 21:12-22

Yesterday we read the story of Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. He sent His disciples to get a donkey and its colt, in order to ride into Jerusalem. This, we are told was to fulfill prophecy. But it also sends a message: this is a peaceful and humble king, not one that conquers with an army and chariots. As He rode into Jerusalem, many people welcomed Him as Messiah, spreading their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!" All of Jerusalem was stirred, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds welcoming Him said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee." See Tell the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey".

Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of thieves.'" Jesus is now in the center of Jewish worship, the great temple in Jerusalem. It is also the center of the powerful parties who control the temple and worship practices. His first act in Jerusalem is to cleanse the temple. The quotation from Scripture that Jesus repeats is a combination of passages from Isaiah and Jeremiah. In this act of cleansing, we can see many different things. Among them, first of all, is Jesus' act as Messiah; He has this authority in His divine identity. Secondly, we vividly see the two-edged sword of truth at work, and His compassion for the "little ones." The system of exchange (Roman coin for temple money) allowed the trade of animals for sacrifice, a system that penalized the poor, who could ill afford the best sacrifice. We have read a great deal in Matthew of Jesus' preparation of the disciples for leadership -- above all, the theme is about protection of the little ones, the meek in the church, from abuses of power. Here we see His love in action, and the result is this cleansing of the temple.

Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. This is another sign of the presence of the Messiah, also foretold in prophecy.

But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant and said to Him, "Do You hear what these are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes. Have you never read, 'Out of the mouths of babes and nursing infants you have perfected praise'?" As we read in yesterday's commentary, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" is a clear cry to the Messiah. Here, the sword of truth teaches its powerful reality again, also to the dismay of those in power, who do not accept Him and His leadership. While the good news is clear to those who have been healed, others cannot accept this as good news, and we see the results. But Jesus is revealing who He is now, in the center of religious power, whether or not they want to hear. Again, as with so much of the past few chapters of Matthew, the focus is on the "little ones" who are His followers, who will remain His greatest concern. Jesus quotes from Psalm 8 (verse 2), a psalm about the majesty and power of the Lord.

My study bible also notes, importantly, that the image of the cleansing of the temple is seen as an image of the cleansing of our souls. To understand the good news is also to understand the double-edged sword of truth: that in addition to its blessings of love and comfort, it will cleanse from us the things we need to lose, even those things we may cling to in the belief that they are good for us -- but are not truly so.

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there. Now in the morning as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, he came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you again." Immediately the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?" My study bible notes that the fig tree is a symbol of prosperity and peace -- and that this is a prophetic act by Jesus. After three years of preaching, teaching and healing, it notes, the leadership is destitute of spiritual fruit; "therefore, He withers them with His reproach. He curses the tree to warn of the curse on those who will crucify Him. He submits Himself willingly to the Cross; He is the Suffering Servant who yields to their torture." Elsewhere, this incident with the fig tree is more drawn out, but the message is the same. That which does not bear spiritual fruit shall not flourish. The fig tree is also a traditional symbol for Israel, the people of God.

So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done. And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." To me, this statement of power is an illustration of what happens both with the fig tree and the cleansing of the temple. We have to think of faith not merely as belief but as trust. (In the Greek, the word implies trust.) Faith, then, becomes an active trust in God. Jesus is not making a statement with some magical portent. Rather, He is telling them what faith in His truth can do, and illustrating its great moving power. This handful of disciples will go on to spread His gospel, and establish a widespread church within a matter of years. My study bible says, "Jesus does not expect His disciples literally to move mountains, but this extravagant image accurately depicts the astonishing power of undoubting faith." It goes on to explain the power of faith as trust in God's truth: "To receive whatever things you ask in prayer, one must have the faith and discernment to ask for what is in accordance with God's will. God cannot be manipulated by our prayers." So, in some sense, the image of the withered fig tree is that of the temple cleansing: Jesus has made a declaration of the power of faith in His gospel. It is the disciples who will see the fruits of this power.

I think it's important that we consider the positive and negative effects of trust in God's truth. By positive and negative, I do not mean "good" and "bad" -- although perhaps there are those who will see them this way. Most of us are very happy to hear the loving message of Christ's deepest concern for even the littlest among ourselves, in His church. His greatest concern and care seems to have been to establish a model of leadership that knows it will be held accountable for every kind of abuse or exploitation of His sheep. But then it may come time when even the things we hold dear -- say our own personal notions of worldly power and stature -- are things we are called upon to give up in this gospel, and that will challenge our faith in this truth. The giving up, the cleansing, is what I am referring to as "negative" -- something we must, in effect, discard or subtract from ourselves. This is always in order to draw us closer to God, and to discard the things that make for separation. Can we do it? Does our faith hold this strongly? We remember that what we cast away is only done so that we may become even more fertile ground for good seed, and that Christ taught that we lose our life in order to save it. In this way, we also take up His Cross. How can we feel the effects of that cleansing, and yet believe? Where is the strength of your faith?

Tell the daughter of Zion, "Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey"

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them." All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

"Tell the daughter of Zion,

'Behold, your King is coming to you,

Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David!

'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'

Hosanna in the highest!"

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

- Matthew 21:1-11

In yesterday's reading, Jesus was walking through Jericho, on His way to Jerusalem. There, two blind man sat by the road. When they heard that Jesus was passing by them, they cried to Him, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" The crowds told them they should be quiet, but they cried out yet again, the same cry. Jesus stopped, and said to them, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." So Jesus had compassion for them, and touched their eyes, and they were healed. They then followed Him toward Jerusalem.

Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them. Here, Jesus prepares -- or rather, teaches the disciples to prepare -- for His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, on the day we celebrate as Palm Sunday. It's important to remember the times in which Jesus lived, and the popular expectations of the people. Many wanted a kind of savior who would establish again the nation of Israel, the kingdom of David, and forcefully throw off the Roman rule. This would mean a kind of nationalist king, a great warrior. But Jesus' triumph looks a little different, to say the least. In fact, it is making a great statement about His kingdom and His rule. His men prepare, not with an army and a chariot and horses, but with a donkey and her colt. This kind of humble transportation told a story, and had nothing to do with the mobilization of an army.

All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'" This quotation is taken from prophecy of both Isaiah and Zechariah. It teaches what the Church has held: this is indeed the Savior of Israel, and it tells us about the kingdom being proclaimed. This triumphal procession is not of a warrior with a physical army, but one who is humble. Matthew's gospel has given us a great deal of teaching on leadership and humility over the past two weeks. Jesus has been preparing the disciples for what is to come, and especially for leadership in His Church. (See especially the readings beginning here, through Friday's.)

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' Hosanna in the highest!" To welcome a great king, the Son of David, the One who comes in the name of the LORD, is to welcome the expected Messiah or Savior. (Hosanna means "save [we] pray.") We remember the popular expectation, the kind of nationalist king in the popular imagination -- and we see how Jesus enters. It is a combination of great king of Israel and humble and lowly. The welcome is from Psalm 118:25,26. (See the whole of Psalm 118 here. It is a psalm of great triumph of the nation of Israel, and reliance on the mercy of the LORD.) This psalm was well-known to the people. It was recited daily for six days during the Festival of Tabernacles -- the Feast of the Coming Kingdom. It was recited seven times on the seventh day of the festival as branches were waved. See also the Transfiguration reading for Peter's response to Christ's revealed divinity.

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee." Jesus' entrance stirs the whole city, all must take notice of something happening, something which otherwise might be missed. He is "the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee" -- there is a humble statement! My study bible says that this humble Triumphal Entry is a declaration of far more than a mere earthly king. This is, instead, "the King of Glory who has come to reveal the Kingdom of God. Thus, the Church sees the Son of God entering not the earthly Jerusalem only, but more importantly the celestial Jerusalem, to establish His reign and His Kingdom. He is taking the New Jerusalem to Himself as a pure bride, and the children celebrate His entrance as if it were a marriage."

So, in this scene we have the kindling of many types of expectation. Will this be the new kingdom of Israel? Will they be saved from the Roman occupation, with its taxes and powerful rule? Will the kingdom of Israel be restored to what it once was? Will He be a king like David? But all of Jesus' teachings to His disciples over the recent readings have taught us quite a different sort of leadership. This is not the commander of armies but rather the commander of the hearts and souls. He is the One who has taught His disciples: "Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." And we recall that He has also prepared them for His Passion, death and Resurrection. But in this entry into Jerusalem, we see in Christ a combination of all of these things. He is King of kings and Lord of lords -- and His kingdom will have no end. He is received into Jerusalem, but He is also received into the hearts and souls of those who will come long afterward, and find in Him the leadership we need in order to draw closer to God. His salvation is for all of us, Jews and Gentiles, powerful and meek, those who can hear Him, and find value in His message. In this sense, the Triumphal Entry is not just a scene in Jerusalem from 2,000 years ago, but it reaches the heights of heaven, and it is timeless: it stretches for us to each moment we can accept His call, hear His words, follow His teachings. When we cry for "help" or to "save" or "have mercy" let us remember the two blind men on Jesus' way to Jerusalem, their shout in Jericho and the Hosanna of the people here. What are we asking for? What does our savior look like? How does He live for you today? Jew and Gentile, we are all in some sense the blind who ask that our eyes may be opened.

Lord, that our eyes may be opened

Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

- Matthew 20:29-34

In yesterday's reading, Jesus first warned His disciples, for the third time, what will come to Him in Jerusalem. He taught more explicitly than before about what He will go through, His betrayal, His condemnation, suffering and death at the hands of the Gentiles. And He taught that on the third day He will rise again. Then the mother of James and John Zebedee came to Him, and asked that her sons be seated on His right and left hand, in His kingdom. Jesus told them, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" The brothers replied that they were. But Jesus said these places were not His alone to give, but for those for whom it is prepared by His Father. Then He said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many."

Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" Passing through Jericho, we read different versions of this story in the Gospels. Here, it is two blind men. Jericho, of course, is the city whose walls fell with a great shout of faith. My study bible points out the two titles these blind men give to Jesus, as He is on His way to the triumphal entrance in Jerusalem. They call Him Lord which is "the common name for God," and Son of David, "a title deeply rooted in popular messianic expectation." It notes, "This last miracle before Jesus' triumphal entrance into Jerusalem reveals the arrival of the messianic age." The cry, "have mercy on us" is the prayer we pray when any of us need help, and call upon the Lord. It is the prayer echoed in Christian worship services throughout the centuries. He is the one who helps the blind to see.

Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!" Persistence in prayer, in relationship to Christ, is reflected in the persistence of these two blind men. Often I have remarked on the kind of "doubling" that appears in Matthew's Gospel. (In the story in Mark, it is one blind man.) It seems to me that this doubling indicates for us that He is the Messiah for all, Jews and Gentiles, who will give His life as a ransom for many, for the whole cosmos.

So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened." So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him. My study bible says, "Jesus knows beforehand what they want -- and what we want. But He calls us to ask freely that He might answer us in mercy." I think it's important to understand that once they receive their sight, they follow Him. They did not merely go back to their lives in Jericho. A touch of healing from Christ is a change that affects much more than the physical healing we read about, but every aspect of the inner life, the soul and spirit. Healing works on all of these levels, and, in effect, they become followers. We wish for more. All of the readings from last Thursday until yesterday focus on leadership. Here, we get a taste of the followers that are to come, the Church as it will gather the flock, the "least" of them, who will be touched by Christ -- even the formerly blind who now see.

As my study bible notes, this is Jesus' last healing miracle before His triumphal entrance into Jerusalem. It is quite symbolic of those who are to come, those who will be the followers in the Church: Jews and Gentiles, in effect, the whole world. We should think, then, about those who are to come. To shout out for God's healing mercy is to be persistent in prayer. It doesn't matter what the crowd says or thinks. Decorum, the littlest ones staying silent, this is not the way with Christ. Each is called to call upon Christ, so to speak. And our prayer can knock down walls, barriers. Each of us may shout out to the Lord, and to be persistent, and specific. We may each hear His question to us, individually: "What do you want Me to do for you?" He takes His time for each of us. He is the personal illustration of His teaching in yesterday's reading: "Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for man." As He makes His way into Jerusalem, let us remember how we form relationship with Him. We call upon Him in prayer. We are persistent. And, in following, we in turn desire to serve, to become a part of His ministry. How are your eyes opened? Do we have the desire for that, as well? I think we make a mistake to think of this merely as an astonishing sign of His divinity, that He is the Anointed One, or Messiah. In some ways, we can all reply as they did to His question, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Lord, that our eyes may be opened! That is an ongoing journey, with Him, in His Way. We just don't know where it may lead us, in faith.

Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many

Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again.

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And he said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many."

- Matthew 20:17-28

In yesterday's reading, Jesus told a parable of what it is like to work in the kingdom of heaven, and the reward that comes to each. There was a landowner who contracted with laborers to pay them each a denarius a day. At various times of the day he went into the marketplace to call more people to work for him. Finally, when evening came, he went to his steward and told him, "Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first." So each laborer, no matter how many hours he or she worked that day, was paid the same sum: one denarius. So the ones who worked longest complained, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day." But he answered one of them and said, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again. Since the past Thursday reading, Jesus has been teaching His disciples about leadership in His Church. Every day since, the readings have touched on various aspects of leadership, and the core of humility and service that is required for understanding of what it is to truly be great. This is the third strong warning Jesus delivers to the disciples specifically about what is to come in Jerusalem. This one, however, is the most detailed -- each warning has been a little more graphic with respect to what is to come. He will be betrayed, to the chief priests and scribes, who condemn Him to death, and will then deliver Him to the Gentiles. There He will be mocked, and scourged, and crucified. It is hard to imagine how the disciples can take in this news, no matter how many times He has begun to prepare them.

Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. And he said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." As noted above, all the recent readings have been instruction and preparation for leadership in Christ's Church. It all began with a question from the disciples: "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" After all of Jesus' teaching (see all the lessons in between last Thursday and today), and Jesus' extraordinary statement about the suffering and death He Himself will endure, James and John Zebedee's mother approaches Him, asking for positions of greatness for her sons. My study bible points out that while Matthew reports that it is their mother who makes the request, James' and John's own involvement is revealed by Jesus' address to them -- in the Greek, the "you" is plural -- and by their plural "we" in response to Him. What it shows is the stubbornness of our ideas of greatness and position, contrasted with the values of the Kingdom which Jesus (and Matthew's gospel) has taken such great care to present. In contrast to the disciples and their mother, we note specifically the wording Jesus uses in His own response here regarding what is to come for Him. My study bible says, "Christ calls His Crucifixion a cup and His death a baptism. The Cross is a cup because He drank it willingly. His death is a baptism, for He was completely immersed in it, and by it He cleansed the world." It is a choice He is making, a transformation He will undergo for the life of the world.

So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." The brothers themselves -- and so many of the disciples -- will make sacrifices for the Kingdom, including martyrdom. But here is another example of humility in Jesus: to sit on His right hand and His left is not His alone to give. Christ works always in cooperation with the Father.

And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." What is the greater good? Whose is the higher love? Says my study bible, "Here is a new definition of greatness. All offices and positions in the Church are for service of God's people based on love." What we take away from this statement is a comparison to those to whom Jesus will be handed over -- and the type of leadership He desires in His Church, for which He will set down the great example for all. Christ's life of service is for all -- "for many" in the Aramaic, my study bible says, carries the meaning of "for all." The radical statements here are the greatest and most potent examples of Jesus' teaching on humility and service. They culminate all the readings emphasizing humility and leadership in the Church, and cannot be overemphasized for the language Christ uses here so vividly for us all.

Jesus will set us the great example of service and humility in His own death and Resurrection. He will give His life as a ransom for many, meaning for all those who come afterward in faith. The Church also teaches that He will go to the deceased as well, that they may live in spirit. There is no one left out of this phrase for many. This is something we often lose sight of, but the Church has always held that Christ is really a savior for the whole world, for every person, "for the life of the world" as John Zebedee will write in his own gospel bearing his name. Jesus' focus on leadership has been a focus of tremendous sacrifice, and today's language is even more strong in this dimension: the great shall be servants, the first shall be a slave. And we know what His own great sacrifice will entail. But I feel it's a good idea to focus on the good that is done in sacrifice that we may know nothing about. If Jesus' plan is indeed for the life of the world, those living and those passed, everyone to whom His name has gone and those who may know nothing of Him in their lifetimes in this world, we trust that these words are true, and that the traditional position of the Church is sound. There is no one left out who may benefit, find salvation and eternal life, through this sacrifice that begins the Church, and that is an example for the the life of the church. There is no one who is left out, one way and another. The repercussions of the good things we do today, the sacrifice we make and even the suffering we may endure for the sake of this gospel, may be something entirely incalculable for any of us. We just don't know how far down the line, and how far into the heart, even into eternity where all may dwell, what we do and what we may be asked to contribute may actually go. While the gospel readings focus on sacrifice -- the cup of Jesus' suffering on the Cross, the baptism of His death -- we must focus on the tremendous importance of what He is saying here. His life is a ransom "for many," for anyone who will accept it. Can we put a calculation on what may be, in fact, infinite? Let us consider Jesus' words, and where they lead us. Consider what you are a part of when you sacrifice and accept, with Him, the work for the kingdom which is for the life of the world. We remember the words from John's gospel: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." The life of which He speaks is of this age and the age to come, the world in the Greek is not planet earth, but the whole cosmos, the whole of creation. We just can't possibly calculate how great that extends, its depth and height and breadth. But it lives in us, and in our service which we contribute, with Him as our prime example of leadership.

So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.' So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

- Matthew 20:1-16

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His teachings after the encounter with the young ruler. In that reading, the young man asked what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus first told him to follow the commandments, which the young ruler said he always had done. What did he lack? Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." The young man went away sad, for he had many possessions. In yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke to His disciples about this encounter. He 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 disciples wondered who, then, could be saved? Jesus replied, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Peter answered that they had left all to follow Him. Jesus said, ""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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard." Jesus replies with a parable to illustrate His last words to the disciples in yesterday's reading. The vineyard is the world in which they labor for the kingdom; the owner, of course, is God. My study bible specifies that "the vineyard is the life God gives us in the world; the day is the time of laboring, the here and now; the laborers are those He calls to fulfill His commandments."

"And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went." The vineyard owner goes out later in the morning to find yet more laborers. In the sense in which my study bible sees this parable, we can compare it to the constant call of Christ. It comes to us at all stages of life -- and we are free to join in to this labor at any time, no matter what our age. In another sense, we may see this parable as speaking about the age in which we currently live, in which the laborers continue to do the work of the kingdom in the world, to work to produce the fruit of the vines, and the wine that will celebrate the ultimate wedding feast of the Bridegroom with His Church.

"Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, 'Why have you been standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.'" Tellingly, all the hours that Jesus names are the times of the day for prayer, and today we continue with the system of prayers of the hours in many branches of the Church. In this parallel, we can see prayer for the Kingdom as a part of this work. The "day" can be seen as the lifetime of the person, if we wish to read it that way. Each can be called to work for the Kingdom at any time.

"So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.'" Here, we must recall Jesus' words to the disciples from yesterday's reading: "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

"And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, 'These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.'" Let us consider the ways in which we can view this parable, along with the disciples to whom it is told in the gospel. My study bible says that those called at different hours represent the different ages of those who draw near to God in life: "those who from earliest youth, from mature age, or from very old age hold to virtue." (We recall what Jesus taught the young ruler he must do to inherit eternal life.) It continues, "God's generosity provides equal access to and enjoyment of rewards in the life of the Kingdom for both early and late comers." In addition, I believe we can also see this parable as that of the work for the kingdom in the life of the Church: there are those who suffered in ways that others do not; the Church has her apostles and saints, her martyrs and those who sacrificed -- all come to Christ in the ways in which they are called throughout her history, as the time and circumstances demand. A Christian life can come anytime, in any place, under any circumstances, no matter how or when we are called. The apostles, of course, are the foundation of this Church. But that does not neglect the work of those who will come later. Even in Jesus' own time, and immediately following His death in the lifetimes of the disciples, many will join them later to serve.

"But he answered one of them and said, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen." My study bible says, "Jesus teaches the former they should neither be proud of their long service, nor question those called at the eleventh hour -- lest they themselves lose all. To the latter, He teaches it is possible even in a short time to recover everything. In Jesus' ministry this parable applies to the Pharisees and sinners, while in the early Church it applies to Jews and Gentiles. St. John Chrysostom's famous Easter sermon is based on this parable; for him the reward is the Lord's rich banquet of the Easter Eucharist." I see in this parable a great promise, and that promise is made equally to all of us, to each of us. How do we labor? How long do we labor? When are we called? All of these questions can be seen in terms of the life of the Church, or the times in which we are called, or equally, the time in our lives we are called. It all depends on how we respond, but even more deeply on how the Lord chooses. It should be noted that to have "an evil eye" is a common expression in the Near and Mid East that denotes envy or covetousness. Jesus is preparing us, and His disciples, to take note of the ways in which we look and see -- and here specifically He continues to address concepts of leadership in the Church, and the great humility required for her service.

Over the past week, we've been given teachings by Jesus that are especially directed at teaching the required humility in the leadership of His church. (See all the readings beginning last Thursday through today.) Today, He gets down to the heart of the question of service: who serves best? who serves most? who then gets the greatest reward? And the powerful message we get in return is really that it all depends on how He chooses. It's really not up to us to determine who is more deserving, who gets what, which service is best or better, or to look with "evil eye" in any sense at the work of the kingdom and the workers within it. We are called as we are called, and this is what we pay attention to -- our relationship with Him comes first, and determines our relationship to others. (In a nutshell, these are the two greatest commandments, which will be given us later on in Matthew's gospel.) Jesus' teaching gives us -- and the disciples -- focus. Whom do we serve? What do we serve? Who sets the terms of our service? And in serving, what is it that we must pay attention to? It is reminiscent of the last story we read in John's gospel, when Peter and John see the risen Christ for the last time. Jesus tells Peter three times to "feed my lambs." But Peter, standing in for all of us as he so often does, then turns to John and asks, "What shall this man do?" Jesus replies, "If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me." And so it is, we "follow Him." He sets the terms of our service, and we respond to the call. We are given the day to do so, just as the Father sets the times for all things, even the end of the age. Let us be grateful for our vineyard and the work we are to do, and the rewards the Lord calls us to, whatever they may be. For many are called, but few chosen. Today in the United States, it is a day for giving thanks. Let us remember the good things the Lord has done for us, including the work He calls us to do, and the reward of His promise.

With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, 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." When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

- Matthew 19:23-30

In yesterday's reading, we began with a scene in which children were being brought to Jesus for prayer and blessing -- but the disciples wanted to keep them away. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Then Jesus met a young man -- who is understood to be a young ruler. The young ruler asked Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus first taught that "no one is good but One, that is God." And then He instructed the young man to keep the commandments. "Which ones?" asked the young ruler. Jesus repeated the commandments concerning community: those against murder, adultery, false witness; the command to honor father and mother; and to love one's neighbor as oneself. All these he has kept from his youth, says the young man. "What thing do I still lack?" he asked. Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, "Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, 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 is a double emphasis here -- a complete and powerful metaphor for the difficulty encountered in attachment to wealth. I think we have to consider again the previous passages, so recently related in Jesus' teachings. He has been teaching all about leadership -- the humility required, to come to God like a little child, to consider always the priority of the "little ones" in the Church, even as if they are receiving Christ Himself. He has taught about forgiveness in the Church. (See the several readings that begin with this one.) Jesus has also taught about proper relatedness in marriage, and even to little children, building on His instruction concerning rank, hierarchy, leadership. If we see yesterday's and today's readings in context, then, Jesus is still building on teachings that concern hierarchy and leadership: wealth and rank are linked in the social life -- especially concerning a ruler, a type of aristocracy. In Jesus' kingdom, detachment from riches is necessary if only as a beginning step to understanding the radical nature of relationship and humility before God, especially with respect to the "little ones."

Additionally, my study bible points out that there was already a phrase familiar in Israel that comes from the Talmud: "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle." There is a lot of speculation on what Jesus may have meant by the vivid phrase He uses here, even whether or not it is a mistranslation. Either way, it is used as a strong metaphor for difficulty, already somewhat familiar to His listeners. If we think of it as metaphor, it is as if there is a lot of baggage of which to let go -- the things one carries around as if they are truly part of one's person. Identity, in this kingdom, comes from relationship to God and to neighbor.

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" Appropriately, the disciples respond to Jesus' teaching, His emphasis, and the strong metaphor. But the question is useful, for it teaches us something about the power of God.

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." If we reflect on this statement, we can see that it will apply to a number of things that can be possible in our lives, almost anything we can think of. But here, it is in important context: God's power and grace help us to do the things we need to do in order to be a part of this kingdom. The seemingly impossible is possible with God, so great is God's love, so powerful an act of mercy in assistance to those who want to be a part of this Kingdom. It is in that context that "all things are possible." God will work with us to transform, to build, to help us in His image for us. Of ourselves, we do not do this work alone!

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. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." Peter continues in His beginning leadership role, as he speaks for all the disciples. They have indeed left all behind to follow Him, as was requested of the young ruler in yesterday's reading. The word for regeneration is a Greek word (palingenesia) that combines two things: palin -- again, and genesia -- birth. Genesia is of course related to Genesis. So, into this we can read many meanings or metaphors, but Tradition holds that Jesus is speaking of the rebirth of creation itself, the "Re-Genesis," so to speak. This inference is made clear in the references that follow -- what is in store for the disciples as judges, and all that shall be added unto them. But we can also think of this in other symbolic ways: just as Jesus has taught that great figures from the spiritual history of Israel shall sit in judgment on those who fail in their faith in the present, who should know better. There is no specific time connection here, but rather the kingdom works also to intersect our lives in this world in many dimensions. Building this impression, He adds, "But many who are first will be last, and the last first." These apostles who shall be "first" on the thrones are in some sense also the last -- in their lifetimes the Church is just a beginning of what it will become, they will not live to see the fullness of its growth. They are also the ones called upon to practice great humility -- to the point of the sacrifice of their lives. But there are so many more ways to read this statement: as a teaching on humility for all of us, and what it means to serve, even to lose one's life in order to find it. All of these things are in this teaching, including the great mystery of the kingdom's unfolding, the things we don't know and can't know -- even what its fullness really means. But above all, there is Jesus' promise.

Repeated in today's reading is the teaching that Jesus gave to the young ruler. In following this kingdom, in seeking Jesus' promise of eternal life and so much that may be added unto us, we practice a kind of humility before God that calls us forward. We don't know what we may be asked to exchange in this re-birth, renewal, re-genesis, regeneration. We just don't understand nor know where God will take us. But we remember that "with God all things are possible." We don't do it of ourselves or by ourselves. It doesn't come by our own design, but rather we "follow Him." We have grace and assistance and power and mercy to help, and to show us the way. But while all things are possible with God, all things may also be at the disposal of God. That is, in a sacramental life, we offer all that we are to God, and asked to be shown God's purposes for our lives, resources, time, talent. This is the radical humility of Christ which He teaches to His disciples. Many who are first will be last and the last first. In prayer, we practice not just asking for what we want, but also surrendering ourselves to this relationship that will teach us what we truly have and what we need. It will also take us to regeneration, rebirth, in so many ways. It is a mystery that invites us in, to go further, to "follow Him" and to find ourselves in His kingdom.

Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?

Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'you shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

- Matthew 19:13-22

In yesterday's reading, Jesus was questioned - or rather tested - by the Pharisees. He is now in Judea. They asked Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" Jesus' answer is one that returns the state of matrimony to that of the Garden, and the relationship of Adam and Eve before the Fall. He replied, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." He challenged the custom of easy divorce for men, and said this was granted by Moses due to their hardness of hearts. Some of the disciples said to Him that if this were the case, it is better not to marry. Jesus replied, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And He laid His hands on them and departed from there. It's a little ironic that Jesus has just finished teaching them about leadership using a "little child" as a reference point and example (see here and here). Of course, in those readings He used the little child as an example of humility, and what it is to care for the "little ones" in the Church. But here, I believe we can read into this passage a repeated emphasis on humility and love for the little ones. "Of such is the kingdom of heaven" re-emphasizes for us that we come to God like a little child. My study bible says, "Little children are given 'equal opportunity' to live in the kingdom of heaven, for their humble openness accepts God's gifts. There is nothing about them, including their age or immaturity, to keep them from the Kingdom." Therefore children, it notes, like adults, participate in the Kingdom through the life of the church and sacraments. Perhaps, also, we are to understand the children as fruits or blessings of marriage, also a part of this kingdom. To lay His hands on the children is to bless them. I think the emphasis in my study bible on the full "personhood" of children, and their place of belonging in the church and the kingdom, gives us a repeated glimpse of Jesus' notions of inclusion -- to the littlest and humblest.

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." My study bible points out that the young man (traditionally and in accordance with other Gospels considered a "young ruler") calls Jesus "Good Teacher." He recognizes Him as a man, not with the faith of the disciples - but as a teacher of the written Law. Jesus has been teaching a message of humility in leadership, and He responds in turn by demonstrating the power of His teaching. "No one is good but One, that is God." He then expands His example by placing emphasis on the commandments. My study bible says that in this way, Jesus demonstrates the connection of virtue to salvation. We also see in this young ruler of Judea a connection to the salvific history of Israel; Jesus starts with the things he knows. In a sense, we can see in this young ruler one of the "children" who may be brought to Christ for instruction and teaching.

He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'you shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus notes commandments that reflect on righteous relationship in the community. This is a hint of how He will teach the young man in the following verses, what Jesus' emphasis is to the young ruler. We recall that Jesus has been teaching His own disciples about leadership. We also note that this answer is quite different from the answer to the question about the greatest commandments (in Matthew, this will be addressed in a later chapter). Jesus has, in His own way, already pointed to the greatness or goodness of God in His answer. Here the young ruler asks for specifics. He is wise enough to understand that there must be more. My study bible says that Jesus reveals His divinity in His teaching: He can open up for the young man the treasures of heaven, "offering Himself as the guide to them."

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Jesus zeroes in on this particular young man's needs. He is a young ruler, and he has great possessions, which we assume are a part of inheritance, substantial and related to his social rank. Therefore Jesus' answer focuses on a number of things specific to this young man. First of all, he is a ruler, he holds rank and position; already Jesus has focused on the commandments of community. Here, He takes it a step further and invites the young man not only to detachment from position in the society, and his wealth, but to become one of the littlest ones. But Jesus does not leave the young man with a command to become destitute; rather, this is an invitation to join Him. He promises that he will have "treasure in heaven" and invites the young ruler to "come, follow Me." It is a radical promise of belonging, but a belonging that takes him out of what he knows, what he feels he has -- and the pain of this "letting go" is too strong. My study bible points out that the great virtues Jesus is inferring, beyond the strict observance of the law, are faith, hope, and love. We also recall that the disciples have left everything behind to follow Christ. What Christ asks for is voluntary; no one is compelled to salvation.

Today's story is a hard one. While we must empathize with the young man, we also trust that Christ's teaching is not too harsh, too much a penalty. Instead it seems we must ask ourselves what the intention is in the teaching. The young man earnestly desires to inherit eternal life. Jesus teaches him that to do so requires that he take his faith a step further, that he plunge all in and detach from the old life, an old way of thinking. Jesus also reveals Himself in this dialogue as much more than a "good teacher," and we should also keep in mind that there were traditions of radical poverty -- such as that of John the Baptist -- already in existence. But I believe we should see Jesus' offer here as one of exchange. The young man is offered one kingdom for another, a belonging to Christ for the belonging to family and possession, wealth and rank. In a sense, it's like Jesus' goading talk to to the Canaanite woman. How badly does he really want this? Is he prepared to go the whole way? What do we hold back within ourselves and in our lives from our faith in Christ? Faith is a sort of "all in" thing -- it will always call us beyond where we have already been prepared to go. God will call us forward deeper into the practice of our faith. This can come in almost any form, but we trust that Christ, in this teaching, suggests what is appropriate specifically for this particular young ruler. When we give our whole lives to God, we trust we will be led in the proper use of our lives, talents, wealth, resources. We don't know how we will be called. That is not up to us. But we know that faith will always ask more of us. That is the journey in relationship to God, the way toward the union of the wedding feast, and the treasure of the kingdom. Where does He call you today? In what way are you called to go further along His Way? Let us remember the radical nature of this call -- that we may be called out of what we already know to be good, and onto another greater good, a new way of seeing. We will be called specifically in the way that is needed for our own salvation in this journey toward His eternal life.

The two shall become one flesh

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry." But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it."

- Matthew 19:1-12

In recent readings, Jesus has been teaching about leadership in the Church. It began with Thursday's reading last week, in which we read that the disciples asked the question, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus drew to Himself a little child, and then began to teach. They must become like a little child to receive God. They must take care how they treat the "little ones" in the Church. He said, "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me." He warned severely against causing the "little ones" to sin and stumble. In Friday's reading, He said, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." He came to save the lost sheep, and so must the leadership take into concern in His Church. Jesus then gave a formula for forgiveness in the Church, repairing relationship among members. Finally, on Saturday, Peter asked, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Then Jesus told a parable of the kingdom of heaven, about a king who forgave a huge debt to one of his servants, but then the servant would not forgive the smaller debt owed to him by a fellow servant. When the other servants found out, they went and told their master. The king said, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?" Jesus taught, "And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, that He departed from Galilee and came to the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there. Once again, Jesus is traveling with the disciples. They are now in the region of Judea. Here we are told that He is as popular as in His ministry around Galilee, a following of multitudes, and the same signs of healing.

The Pharisees also came to Him, testing Him, and saying to Him, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for just any reason?" The Pharisees had come into Galilee before to test Him, now He is in their home territory. But the gospel writer also has other things to teach us here, and that is also about relationship and relatedness. In recent readings, we've been taught about relatedness in the Church, how the leadership must lead by example and what kind of relationships should characterize His Church. Here we begin Jesus' teachings on the sacrament of marriage, the character of relationship between men and women as instituted by God.

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female,' and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." I believe we really need to focus on the disparity between the two genders in Jesus' time, and understand the power of men and the lack of power, generally speaking, that belonged to women. In Jesus' expression here, then, we can see several important aspects of this relationship in terms of social structure. If we look very closely at His words, there are several powerful things implied. First of all, as Jesus restates from Genesis, we note that both genders are united in this bond; in other words, the social and political world of power and rank may be divided up between the genders, and male and female inhabit different social worlds. But in this sacrament, both are brought together. Secondly, while family and lineage may determine so much of status and rank in the world, it is secondary to the institution of marriage. In this bond, a man leaves his father and mother and is instead joined to his wife. In this vision of marriage, it is the wife who becomes the closer bond. Finally, this bond is so important that not only does it rank more strongly than relationship to parents, but it is so complete that "the two shall become one flesh." The implication of closeness is so strong that it says that if one feels pain, then so does the other. Looking closely at the text of Matthew, the Evangelist has invited us into an understanding of relationship that contrasts strongly with the social custom, and especially the traditional place of women. This follows on the heels of the understanding of leadership, rank, service and relationship in the Church. Here, the teaching is drawn out to that within the sacrament of marriage. What we are in fact reading about, as pointed out by my study bible, is a re-institution, by Christ, of marriage relationship in the Garden, before the Fall. It is, in effect, an undoing of the effects of sin, after which Eve was told as representative of all women: "Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you” (my emphasis). As the conversation continues, we will understand more deeply the contrast in values Jesus offers from the custom of the men to whom He's speaking. My study bible says, "The harmony of Adam and Eve with God and with each other was a great virtue. Adam considered Eve a part of himself (Gen 2:23). When he cut himself off from the love of God, that harmony was broken. Jesus restores the marriage relationship to its original state, giving it a spiritual dimension."

They said to Him, "Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?" He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery, and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." The Pharisees' understanding of divorce is from an interpretation of Deut. 24:1-4. At the time Jesus was speaking, a man could obtain a certificate of divorce very easily. In this sense, a woman was treated like a form of property -- in which she could easily be left destitute and without resource, rank or status. What Jesus, in effect, is doing here is explicit: he's addressing the "hardness of their hearts" embodied in this practice of easy divorce. The emphasis on monogamy was enhancing the status of women through the importance of relationship in spiritual terms. My study bible says that the reasons for divorce in the ancient Church were eventually increased to include threat to one partner's life, desertion, and forced prostitution (thereby, it seems, evidently increasing protection for women by doing so). Also of interest, it comments on the passage: "Divorce is permitted only for sexual immorality, which destroys a marriage -- a teaching held also by the stricture school of the Pharisees." While the Church may grant divorce, it notes, divorce is regarded as "a spiritual tragedy requiring great pastoral care."

His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry." But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it." My study bible says, "Eunuchs are lifelong celibates. Jesus praises those who have made themselves eunuchs, that is, those who are celibate by free choice and according to God's will for them." Jesus quite clearly implies there is a choice to be made. It's not for everybody; there is a freedom here. We don't share the custom any longer of "those who are made eunuchs by men" (and the first Ecumenical Council in A.D. 325 would reject willful mutilation), but we can understand what Jesus is teaching. There are those who choose not to marry for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The disciples themselves understand with powerful impact what this type of marriage means, as Jesus institutes such relationship. The choice, in effect, becomes more powerful, more important, carrying a great depth of responsibility and effort.

When we look at today's passage, we really must think about the world into which Jesus was born, the perspective of the men to whom He's speaking, and include even the perspective of His own disciples. What Jesus is instituting, or re-instituting here, is a powerful bond. He's just spoken of the tremendous bond between God and those faithful who will be in His Church. Here He extends the understanding to another kind of bond as instituted by God, the holy sacrament of marriage. And it is for the good of the whole of humankind. Jesus is undoing the effects of the Fall, that which causes one gender to fear another, an imbalance in relatedness that results in exploitation, easy discarding of one person in the relationship that may leave the one with less power ostracized, isolated, destitute. It is for "the hardness of their hearts," He says, and the hardness of one's heart is something that Jesus will strive to counteract in all circumstances, in so many ways. The spiritual reception of the heart then becomes another manifestation of love, the relatedness desired by God. We replace in both the teachings on leadership in the Church and here in the institution of marriage, worldly understanding of rank and hierarchy and power with God's understanding of what it is to be truly "great." All involves humility and service -- even those who are eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of God. So let's think about the terms of Jesus' understanding here, and how we make choices in life -- and the essential importance of those choices. They all imply responsibility. To what do we choose to bind ourselves? Do we make a commitment of love, what is best for community and for relationship? Do we take such bonds lightly? How do God's spiritual plans for us counter our worldly sense of political or social hierarchy and relatedness to one another? And most importantly, what does it all say about how Jesus teaches that we bring the kingdom of heaven into this world, in undoing the Fall?

Seventy times seven

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

- Matthew 18:21-35

Jesus has been teaching the importance of leadership in the Church, a leadership that must serve in important ways. It began with a question from the disciples, in Thursday's reading: "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Jesus responded by bringing a child in front of them all, and teaching about receiving God like a little child, and then about how they must treat the "little ones" in the Church. The essential importance of humility has been stressed. In yesterday's reading, He said, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven." He said. "For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." He stressed the importance of going after the lost sheep -- "Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." He also gave a recipe for dealing with problems in the church -- if one sins against another. First discuss it privately, He said. Then if the person who's sinned against you doesn't hear, there should be witnesses to the problem. If he still refuses to hear, tell it to the church, "let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." He then repeated a promise of covenant: "Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Peter asks a question that comes out of the passage on forgiveness in yesterday's reading, in which Jesus gave a formula for forgiveness and reconciliation in the church. The words reflect something of the Old Testament Scriptures, although it is a kind of reversal. After Cain killed Abel, God left a mark on Cain -- to assure that he would not be victim to others' murderous violence. With that mark, God assured that "whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." Here, the question becomes potent as part of Jesus' teachings on love in action, in His church -- and instead of vengeance, it is all about forgiveness.

Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Again, we have a reflection of the Old Testament Scriptures. As Genesis chapter 4 continues, Cain's descendent Lamech declares for himself a singing boast: "If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” In Christ, the "seventy times seven" is all about forgiveness, as contrasted with the fallen violent world of Cain and Lamech. Here, the Kingdom is undoing the damage and evil of violence and all its forms. This clearly is the job of the Church, of those who will take Christ's words to heart, and accept to bear that kingdom into the world.

"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt." Jesus begins a parable to illustrate His concept of forgiveness and how it works. My study bible says, "Sin is portrayed as a debt to God, a debt originated by neglecting God's will." Ten thousand talents, it notes, is an impossible sum, more than a laborer could earn in an entire lifetime. But here, because of his humility and earnest request for patience, the king is moved with passion to the extent that forgiveness is truly grand: the servant is released, the debt is forgiven. Let us review the language here -- the word for forgiven is the same as in the Lord's Prayer, when we pray for our debts to be forgiven. It means, essentially, to let go, to release. So the message here is of the tremendous forgiveness that the King has given, in his compassion upon his servant. We remember that Jesus is speaking to His disciples, His servants whom He expects to serve in the church, to His flock.

"But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.' And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt." The man who was forgiven much -- ten thousand talents -- does not release another fellow servant from a much smaller debt. A hundred denarii, my study bible tells us, was the equivalent to about a hundred days' wages. We should note the same cry for mercy, an acknowledgement of the debt on the part of the fellow servant -- and keep in mind Jesus' formula for forgiveness, as told in yesterday's reading. Mirrored here is a formula for salvation and repentance; hence, forgiveness becomes an all-important understanding of saving the lost sheep in the church.

"So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses." The great lesson on forgiveness here continues as the example in which we are forgiven so much -- and therefore extend the great compassion to our fellow servants. Once again, there is a reflection of the passage in which Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer. In the prayer, He spoke of the forgiveness of debts. After the prayer, He added words about trespass: "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." It is a reciprocal action, a dependency. As we know we are loved, so we are called to love. My study bible says of this parable: "Because God forgives us, we in return are obliged to grant this gift of forgiveness to others. When each Christian forgives from his heart, true reconciliation and healing come to the Church by God's grace."

We note here that forgiveness is not necessarily automatic. This is, I'm sure, something that may rankle. But the parable is clear: there is at least an acknowledgement of the debt. We are called to be responsible for our own trespasses, our debts -- but we are also called to love and forgiveness, to compassion, to a relationship that is an embodiment of love in which we, in turn, learn to love. And there is the key. There is so much interdependence at work here. As we are loved, so we learn to love. As we forgive, so we are forgiven. It is all a great, circular reality, one which encompasses a great community and a bond, forging more deeply covenant between us and Our Lord, and between those of us in this community, an endless cycle. This is our picture of love in action, and, as my study bible notes, "reconciliation and healing" that comes "by God's grace." So, how do we put love into action? There is above all love and compassion, but that does not neglect truth nor does it neglect justice. Mercy incorporates it all. Grace is its energy and work in us and with us. Let us remember, then, our part in this grace, and love in action. Accountability does not mean all is well without our own work and acknowledgement, without our own efforts at community and relationship. The love of God is all in all, and calls us to participate in it. God's grace will work to mend all things. It is always available to our call, and calls us in return.