"Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!" Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!

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

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

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

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

- Luke 19:28-40

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

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.  And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat.  Loose it and bring it here.  And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.'"  So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.  But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?"  And they said, "The Lord has need of him."  Then they brought him to Jesus.  And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him.  And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.  Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem as the expected Messiah.  It's important to understand the popular notions about the Messiah in this setting of the entrance into Jerusalem.  He was expected to deliver or liberate Israel from Roman control, and to reestablish David's kingdom.   Jewish nationalism played a great role in these expectations, and clearly was part of the contemporary political lives of the people, given that Barabbas, a rebel, will play a role at Jesus' Crucifixion (23:13-23).  But Jesus does not come onto this scene in a political mode at all.  This is called the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, which the Church celebrates on Palm Sunday.  But Jesus is not riding on a horse or a chariot, as a great political liberator or deliverer would do.  He does not have an army with Him.  Rather, He deliberately selects the colt of a donkey upon which to ride into Jerusalem, which is a sign of humility and peace (Zechariah 9:9).  My study bible says that this entrance into the Holy City declares the establishment of the Kingdom of God.  It is also a promise of Christ's final entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem with all believers and of His accepting the New Jerusalem as His pure Bride (Revelation 21:2).  The people spread their clothes before Jesus as paying reverence to a King, even an assumption of identity which the King will establish.   Spiritually, this has been interpreted as our own need to lay down our flesh, even our lives, for Christ.

Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:  "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"   The disciples cry out a verse from Psalm 118:26, associated with messianic expectation.  This was recited daily for six days during the Feast of Tabernacles (the Feast of the Coming Kingdom, or Sukkot), and seven times on the seventh day as branches were waved.  The Messiah was expected to descend from the Mount of Olives, coming from the east, like the sun.

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples."  But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."  Jesus gives us a sense of overwhelming impulse, and also of all of creation responding with joy in recognition of the Christ (Psalm 65:11-13).

Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem with the highest expectations of the people.  They consider Him to be a political Messiah, and in the popular understanding and hope among the people this meant liberation from the Romans, and the establishment once again of the kingdom of David.  The title "Son of David" which we've heard in a recent reading, shouted at Christ as He headed toward Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, reflects this understanding about Him.  In yesterday's reading, we were told that among those who followed Him there was the expectation that the manifestation of the Kingdom was imminent, and would happen immediately.  One can simply imagine the chaos and fear when, less than one week later, Jesus will have been crucified.  But in another sense, this Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is also a manifestation of what is absolutely true:  Christ enters into Jerusalem in a kind of icon of the wedding of the Son with His heavenly spiritual Bride, the Church, the community of the heavenly Jerusalem.  This is not a separate reality that exists somewhere far off and absolute, but one which exists in the here and now and is intersected within our lives and the life of the world, whether we can see it in the flesh or not.  It is the spiritual reality of this moment which is ever-present, with us, and yet always remains coming toward us.  In the phrase, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord" is a kind of truth of the spiritual reality that unites heaven and earth.  Christ is the Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to come (Revelation 1:8).  With the Resurrection, the world is entered into the "end time" -- the telos, in Greek, this time of becoming and increasing fullness, toward the manifestation of the fullness of the return of the One who is always coming (Revelation 22:12).  We live in the "time of the end" -- in which we live our lives in awareness of His return in fullness, which He has taught us to do.  The very stones which would cry out represent creation fully aware of the presence and manifestation of Creator, all of the cosmos welcoming the Lord.  This paradoxical scene, of Christ welcomed as political messiah and earthly king, is illustrative for us of the times in which we live, in which human worldly expectation is so often frustrated, defeated, entirely mistaken about the true things of God and surprised by God's work in the world -- but on the other hand, the truth is present for those who may discern through faith, and hidden to those who cannot.  Let us remember His entrance into Jerusalem and understand it as an eternal truth, present with us, although "not with observation" as He has said (17:20-21).  It is with us, within us, among us -- and all of creation responds to He who has come for the life of the world (6:51).

For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him

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

- Luke 19:11-27

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

Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  The text explains to us the attitude and expectations of those with Jesus.  They believe in the contemporary understanding of what the Messiah would do, and surely Jerusalem was the place for the Messiah to enter as king.  So, their expectations of are an immediate manifestation of the kingdom of God, and the worldly reign of the Christ over Israel.

"A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.  So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'  But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'  And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.'  And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'  And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.'  Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'"  Jesus, of course, tells this parable about Himself as the nobleman, who went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and was initially rejected by those over whom He would rule.  This is a parable about the time when He will be away, before He returns to the fullness of His kingdom at the Second Coming.  In Matthew's Gospel, this parable is told using a unit of money called a talent.  Both the talent and the mina were measures of weight, to which value was attached as weight of gold or silver, and later coins.   Our modern English understanding of the word "talent" comes from the interpretation of this parable.  Although a talent was worth far more than a mina, the understanding is the same.  The minas represent talents or gifts given by God.  They represent the goodness which God has bestowed on each person.  That would include the qualities we may possess from character, skill, intelligence, capability -- and more specifically, our capacity for spiritual gifts.   My study bible says that the amount each receives is based on that person's abilities (Romans 12:4-7).  It adds that God does not show partiality in the ultimate reward, for all are invited to share the same joy.   It is interesting that the master who returns tells those who have traded, "Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over . . ." because this parallels Jesus' saying when He spoke of choosing between God and mammon.  After telling the parable of the Unjust Steward, Jesus told the Pharisees, "He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.  Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (see this reading).  If we think of talents, gifts, and capabilities as wealth, then we understand what it is to be faithful in little; that is, how we choose to live our lives in accordance with the Lord's teachings, regardless of what area of life we're talking about or what we are doing.  In this case, what was given to each was put to use, traded, even invested in something.  

Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.  For I feared you, because you are an austere man.  You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'  And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant.  You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'  And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.'  ("But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')  For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"  This wicked servant, my study bible says, could not evade responsibility for ignoring his talent (or mina) as idleness is as much a rejection of God as outright wickedness.  The bank represents the body of the Church, where others can help to bring out and make the most of whatever it is we may contribute.   As there is help available at this bank, there is no excuse.  To keep the money put away in a handkerchief seems to indicate a careless way to keep the money, and one heedless of its value.  The handkerchief is of course for personal use for wiping perspiration away or cleaning one's nose.  But another use for this particular piece of cloth is as a head binding for a corpse (John 11:44, 20:7).  Either way seems to indicate an ignorance of the things of God, and a devaluing of them.  Moreover, this suggests the burial of the talents as told in this story in Matthew's Gospel; a pursuit of the purely earthly.

How do we use what we have for the purposes of the Kingdom?  How do we glorify God by the lives we lead?  What do we consider wealth?  We first of all should consider what it is to be faithful, and remind ourselves of this saying of Jesus, asking what it means to be "faithful in a very little."  Jesus is perhaps contrasting the things of this world (those which are very little) with the greater things of heaven.  We must consider that whatever we have -- our bodies, our gifts and skills and talents, our intelligence, all that we have -- are gifts of God, including spiritual gifts.  To be faithful in this word in the Gospel is to be trustworthy, reliable, loyal, a kind of fullness of faith.  Its root is the Greek word for trust.  So, it seems to me, to invest our lives in the faith of Christ is to entrust whatever skills and talents we have to the Lord's direction.  The man who put away his money in a handkerchief, or a face-covering for a corpse, invested or entrusted his gifts to that which is dead and has no life, something used for that which is cast off or cast away.  But when we give ourselves and our lives to faith, we are entrusting ourselves in what is, in fact, eternal and timeless.  To be faithful in a little, then, is to invest ourselves in something that pays off in the long run, that rewards us with timeless gifts.  In guiding the ruler who came to Him to ask about eternal life, Jesus teaches him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me"  (see this reading).  The point is that whatever it is we truly invest ourselves in will determine what we reap, the "treasure in heaven" we possess or not.  In that sense, if the rich ruler had considered giving his money to the poor, this would have been an investment that gained him treasure in heaven.   There are all kinds of things in which we can invest ourselves in life and in this world.  There are a million ways to follow fashion, to entrust ourselves to one ideology or abstract philosophy or another.  There is the pursuit of worldly wealth -- of any sort -- as our number one goal or achievement.  But whatever it is we gain, we should consider this image of the handkerchief which is also used as a shroud for the head of a corpse.  In what do we invest that is of immeasurable value?  How do we live our lives as an investment in the faith of Christ?   Our choices become guided by whatever it is that we put our heart and soul into.  As Jesus puts it in naming the first and greatest commandment, it's what we choose to love with all our heart and soul and mind (see Matthew 22:35-40).  This then guides our relationships to everything else:  what we choose to do in life, how we choose to treat or love others, what we do with all that is available to us, personal wealth or talent or skill or character capacity.  So think about where you invest what you have.  What do you really put your trust in? What is it that is worthy of this precious thing that is your life, or your soul?  What direction do you want to guide you through all things and choices?  Where do you invest yourself?  Moreover and beyond, who exactly is most worthy of that trust?

Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost

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

- Luke 19:1-10

Yesterday we read that Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.  They will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.  Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.  And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.  So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him.  And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God.  And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.

 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  In yesterday's reading and commentary, we noted that Jesus was approaching Jericho, which was a place notoriously associated with sin.  The encounter between Zacchaeus and Christ, my study bible says, teaches us that grace can accomplish that which is impossible to man (see this reading).  Zacchaeus is not only rich, but he is a chief tax collector.  The tax collectors, as we've noted in earlier readings, were not only collaborators with the occupying Romans, but also frequently took more from their own people than was due in order to profit privately through methods of extortion, using Roman might.   Consider what it means to those who observe Jesus that Zacchaeus is a chief among them.

And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.  My study bible says that there are many traditional interpretations of this important encounter, so universal is its significance.  Theophylact views the crowd as symbolizing sins, writing of Zacchaeus:  "Crowded in by a multitude of passions and worldly affairs, he is not able to see Jesus."  St. Ambrose notes several parallels:  First, Zacchaeus being short symbolizes that he's short on faith and virtue.  Next, the fact that Zacchaeus must ascend a tree shows that no one who is attached to earthly matters can see Jesus.  Finally, that the Lord intended to pass that way shows that Christ will approach anyone who is willing to repent and to believe.

And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."  So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.  But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."   We note, as remarked upon in the commentary by St. Ambrose (above), Jesus' clear intent, expressed directly to Zacchaeus.  At the same time, there is the response of the crowd, which complained of Jesus choice to be a guest of one who is a sinner, a chief tax collector.  But we also note the joy of Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."  My study bible explains that Zacchaeus uses the term give for his free and generous offering to the poor, and restore for what he owes to those whom he's cheated.  The latter is not a gift but was required by the Law (Exodus 22:1).  In doing both, Zacchaeus not only fulfills the Law, but he also willingly shows that he has a love of the gospel.

And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." My study bible tells us that the title Jesus gives to Zacchaeus, son of Abraham, indicates that he had become like that patriarch of Israel:  he is counted righteous by his faith, he became generous to the poor, and he is united to the people of God.  Early records indicate that Zacchaeus went on to become a bishop of the Church.

What do we make of the extraordinary transformations we read about in the Gospel?  Here, the transformation of Zacchaeus is possibly among the most surprising and surpassing.  A chief tax collector, as explained above, was a notorious sinner, generally considered among the people to be reprehensible and in extreme disfavor.  But yet, Christ singles out this man Zacchaeus, in order to find him and to restore him as a son of Abraham.  It is a tremendous and personal illustration of the three parables that Jesus told to the Pharisees when they criticized the fact that tax collectors came to hear Him speak:  those of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son (which is found only in Luke's Gospel).  Here, Zacchaeus, this chief tax collector, was lost and is found by Christ, and restored as a son of Abraham -- an illustration of salvation.  We might ask ourselves what qualities this chief tax collector possessed that were used in a wrong direction, and salvaged by Christ for service to the Church.  As chief tax collector, Zacchaeus must have been capable of leadership and management, with a capacity for exercising authority over others.  He would also have been able to work with others who were non-Jews, and come to an understanding of working within and among the Roman system of laws and administration.  His rank most likely gives us to understand that despite crooked dealings, he is a highly intelligent man.  In other words, his wrong direction in life was a poor use of the talents innate to his person, which were gifts of God.  Salvation, then, is a way of not just setting things right with God, but restoring a person to a proper use of gifts.  That is, finding a place which is fitting and right for personal gifts created and bestowed by God.  Zacchaeus' wrong direction was self-chosen and perhaps one apparently available to one of short stature, unimpressive, not a part of the upper or ruling classes to begin with (such as the Pharisees and Sadducees or the priestly class) -- but who was nevertheless highly capable and intelligent.   In our modern age, there are plenty of real life examples of highly intelligent and capable men who made choices to go into a life of organized crime, also practicing extortion and graft, who came from backgrounds which made more legitimate leadership or administrative positions unavailable to them in their own societies.  But Zacchaeus is reclaimed by Christ, becoming a bishop in the Church.  And here is the true restoration:  to be lost and found is to be restored to identity as son of Abraham.  Like the Prodigal Son, Zacchaeus is able to "come home" and find his patrimony, reclaiming true identity.  His acts of both restoration and giving let us know that his heart is sincere in its desire to return to this place of true self through salvation by faith in Christ.  But none of this would have been possible without the intention of Christ in the first place to pass by the place where Zacchaeus had climbed the tree to see Him.  In that we can see a parallel to the Incarnation itself; Christ, Son of God, intentionally "passes by" our world as Son of Man, the human Jesus, making Himself available to all of us for restoration, our own salvation to our proper places.  It is the Creator who makes available the grace that gives us our rightful place and identity as creations of God.  In this is the full story of the gospel and of Jesus Christ.  Zacchaeus is a stand-in for all of us, reaching toward something we don't quite know, seizing what looks like a good opportunity in earthly or worldly terms, and coming up short -- until we find the One who passes by and teaches us restoration, gives us the grace for salvation, and true direction for proper use of our very lives.  This is the choice for a life of faith and communion, an ongoing discipleship that takes everything we are and everything we have, teaching us honest repentance and our rightful place.  Let us remember that Jesus is passing through Jericho on His way to Jerusalem and the Cross.  He asks us all to follow, each in our own way.  Are you ready to join Him on that journey for you?

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

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

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

- Luke 18:31-43

Yesterday we read that infants were brought to Jesus that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"   And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."   So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon.  They will scourge Him and kill Him.  And the third day He will rise again."  But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.  Jesus gives yet another explicit warning to the disciples about what is to happen at Jerusalem.  As we can read, this is an explicit and detailed account of what is to come, but the disciples understood none of these things.  My study bible says that this saying was hidden not by God, but because the disciples could not comprehend its meaning until the events of the Passion had taken place.

 Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging.  And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant.  So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  The fact that Jesus was coming near Jericho is confirmation that His approach to Jerusalem is truly near.  Jericho was a place commonly associated with sin, as for example, in the story of the Good Samaritan (see this reading).  Blindness is commonly associated with sin, as a kind of illustration of how sin keeps us from fullness of sight or perception.  Son of David is a title deeply associated with the Messiah.  Have mercy on me! is an important refrain here in Luke's Gospel.  It parallels the prayer of the tax collector in the parable Jesus has recently given (see Saturday's reading).

Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"  So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him.  And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  My study bible comments that although Jesus knows what we want before we ask, He calls us to ask freely so that we might learn of His mercy.  This question also forces the one making the request to directly dialogue with Christ Himself, and to consider the question -- and the One of whom we ask -- seriously.

He said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight."  Then Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has made you well."  And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God.  And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.  There is a spiritual interpretation also traditionally made of this miracle.  The blind man (in the case of Matthew's Gospel, this story is told of two blind men) symbolizes future generations who will come to faith solely through hearing, without the benefit of seeing Christ in person (see John 20:29).   Those who tried to silence the one crying out to Christ are persecutors and tyrants who, in every generation, try to silence the Church.  But nevertheless, under persecution, my study bible adds, the Church all the more confesses Christ.  It is also worth noting the gratitude, in this notorious place of sin.  The text tells us that all the people gave praise to God.

Let us consider this prayer that the blind man repeats:  "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"  Much has been written and considered throughout the history of the Church about this phrase, "Have mercy on me."  In Matthew's version of this story, the two blind men shout, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Lord is the title appropriate to the God of the Old Testament.  Therefore the refrain so often heard in Christian worship throughout the centuries comes to us:  Lord have mercy or Κύριε ἐλέησον/kyrie eleison in the original Greek of the New Testament.  As a prayer, this phrase is found everywhere.  It is truly a universal plea for all of us and for any of us, at any time.  It suits all circumstances and situations.  Whether we are praying for ourselves or others, for circumstances beyond our reach or control, or situations we need help with, this prayer always fits.  In varied languages and traditions, this simple prayer, Lord have mercy, is used as repetitive plea for deepening and strengthening our communion with Christ.  It is used in the Jesus Prayer practice, also called Prayer of the Heart, as a way of internalizing a depth of prayer, and for fulfilling St. Paul's injunction to pray without ceasing.  This simple prayer has for us all the benefits touted by modern popular psychology (and medicine, for that matter) of meditation.  But it has an added advantage above and beyond the power of meditation:  it is also prayer.  It is not simply a mantra or repeated phrase for concentration.  In it, we call upon the Lord for God's grace and help -- and it applies for all things and in all ways.  It is an active way of taking time in our lives, in any moment -- while we are commuting, washing dishes, waiting for an appointment, through all things -- interjecting prayer into our lives and asking for Christ to be present with us and for whomever else we may be praying.  It is a way of understanding that Christ is present at all times, invoking God's grace at work in the world wherever we are or wherever our thoughts may be directed.  It opens a window and reminds us that this Kingdom intersects our lives and our world; it has no limitation of time or space, and we can pray anywhere.  In John's Gospel, Jesus teaches that "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).  There is no better way to pray with such an understanding than the practice of this short prayer, repeated any time and any place.  One may read about the history of the Jesus Prayer and its practice, but it is important -- even essential -- to understand that it is based on this prayer, this short plea.  It need not be more fancy or specific, but it can also be embroidered and made more distinct if such prayer works better for us.  Let us remember the insistence of this blind man, especially when there are times in our lives when we can't see, for which we need God's help -- which is true, at least in some great spiritual sense, at all times.  Like the people of Jericho, let us also remember to give praise to God.

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God

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

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"   And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."   So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

- Luke 18:15-30

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

Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  My study bible tells us that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  Theophylact explains:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.    He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity."

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."   This man comes not to test Jesus, but rather to seek advice from someone he simply considers a good Teacher, my study bible says.  Christ's response is not to deny that He is God, but rather to lead the rich man toward that knowledge.

So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing."  In Matthew's version of this story, the man himself senses he still lacks something, although he has kept the commandments.  Here in Luke, it is Jesus who tells him, "You still lack one thing."  Either way, this story asks us to understand that formal observance of the commandments does not make us righteous before God; there is a deeper discipleship that awaits.

"Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  My study bible says that perfection consists in the willing sacrifice made of that which is necessary in order to follow Christ.  One must freely give such a sacrifice for discipleship.  It adds that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  As wealth had such a strong grip on this rich man, his hope was to sell and give away his possessions, so he had the freedom to follow Christ.  We note the exchange of one way of life for another, a form of total repentance:  to sell and distribute to the poor is to have treasure in heaven.  According to St. John Chrysostom, giving away possessions is the least of the instructions of Jesus.  To follow Him in all things is a greater and more difficult calling.

But when he hard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, 'Who then can be saved?"   There are many interpretations of the saying of Jesus about a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some say that camel sounds alike to the Aramaic word for rope, and so it is conceivable that my unraveling the rope altogether, it could possibly gradually be threaded through the eye of a need.  There is another suggestion that the eye of a needle was the name of a very small city gate, through which a camel could squeeze only after it were relieved of all of its baggage.  My study bible notes that there is a similar saying in the Talmud:  "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  At any rate, regardless of what this saying refers to, it is an illustration of the impossibility of salvation for those attached to riches.  Such a pervasive reality then and now is made totally clear by the response of those who heard it, "Who then can be saved?"

 But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  With God's grace, my study bible says, even what is impossible to human beings can come to pass.

Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  We read here of the sacrifices made by the disciples for the Kingdom, to follow Christ.   We read about the things that remain the contents of settled middle life in the world, which may all in a certain sense be considered forms of wealth or possessions:   house, parents, brothers (extended family and relations), wife, and children.  Once again, Jesus speaks in the language of exchange.  Peter, speaking for the rest of the disciples, notes for us that they have left them all behind in order to follow Christ.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, two notable facts are given to us about the ruler in today's reading.  In Matthew, we're told that this is a young man who comes to Christ (Matthew 19:20).  And in Mark's Gospel, we're told -- just before Jesus tells him of the "one thing" he lacks -- that Jesus loved him (Mark 10:21).  I find it notable that this story is given just after Jesus tells the disciples, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  Combined with the understanding that this rich ruler is both young and beloved of Christ, we can come to the understanding that even in this figure of a man attached to wealth, Christ sees the image of a little child, someone capable of hearing his "hard word" that must be given to make sacrifice, in order to overcome attachment that prevents his full service and discipleship to the Kingdom.  And here is the great wisdom hidden in the Gospels:  it really doesn't matter who we are or what our status is in life, sacrifice will be asked of us, and the hard things we will be asked to give up will be those which are given in exchange for a deeper, fuller, and more rewarding dependence upon and communion with God.  Each of us is capable of being this little child who receives Christ's word, even a very rich ruler.  We know the man is "good" -- for he has kept all the commandments from his youth.  But Jesus asks of us a step further.  He asks us for trust -- the meaning of the Greek root word for "faith" in the Gospels.  He asks us to take whatever it is we are most attached to, and exchange it for attachment and trust in Him, and where He leads us.  This is a "hard saying" for anyone, not just for a rich person.  But Christ does not minimize the difficulties for those with "riches."  He does the opposite, and remarks on the extraordinary difficulty of detachment for service to the Kingdom, to lose one's life in order to save it, for one who is rich.  And here is the great good news, that "the things which are impossible with men are possible with God."   In other words, any one of us may be like this rich man.  It really doesn't depend on our specific circumstances to find difficulties in following the word of God, trusting in and deepening this reliance on Christ.  All of us have things in life to which we are deeply attached, and each of us may be challenged precisely because of the attachment, to learn to give up what we cling to in order to replace it with our depth of communion with Christ.  This is why even this figure of a man, for whom giving up his wealth to follow Christ is a step too far, is beloved of Christ and as such, given the difficult command.  Each of us is gifted with the potential of being that "little child" in the eyes of Christ, for whom a command can be given in order to grow in closeness, in trust, in communion with Him.  The apostles, indeed, comment on all that they have left behind.  But what we don't read here is the depth of life given and received of Christ through the taking up of our own crosses, and our willingness to realize the "treasure in heaven" potentially received by this rich man through distribution of what he has to the poor.  The great exchange is for a deeper communion with God, and there is simply no telling where that will lead us, into what depths that will take us.  We may even find ourselves, after giving up such a position, once again responsible for great wealth, only this time with the first duty to faithfulness in Christ (16:10-12).  In the exchange of one way of life for another, of the certainties of possession for the faithful life in Christ and where it might take us, there is only one thing that is a yardstick by which to measure:  the trust within which we grow in communion to God, the redeeming sense of exchange that blossoms with new experience and growth.  The disciples will go from fishermen on the Sea of Galilee to those who spread His Gospel to the world.  Where will your exchange of one life for another take you?  As Jesus teaches, everything is possible with God, even the greatest depth of change we may be asked to make. 

God, be merciful to me a sinner

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

- Luke 18:9-14

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

 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector."  In the common understanding of the time, these two individuals are about as far apart as examples of personal conduct as they can possibly be.  A Pharisee was a highly respected and careful observer of the details of the Law.  The Pharisees were perhaps the most conspicuously righteous of all the groups of people, following not only rather strict interpretations of the Law, but an entire body of traditions built up around the Law as well.  A tax collector was a despised figure.   They were universally viewed with contempt for the job they did, seen as a betrayal of their people as they worked for the occupying Roman authorities.  Moreover, they frequently used the forces of military might in order to extort fellow Jews for extra funds; in effect, cheating them.

"The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'"  My study bible notes here that the practices of the Pharisee are worthy examples for all to follow.  He has good deeds that he does (fasting and giving tithes) which are the primary weapons against the passions of lust and greed (adultery and extortion).  But without a humble and repentant heart, my study bible says, these outward practices aren't effective but rather lead merely to pride and to judgment of others.  Let us pay close attention to the words of Jesus:  this Pharisee prays with himself.  Where is the communion with God in his "perfect" behavior?  My study bible says that God is absent where there is boasting.

"And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'"  My study bible comments on the posture of the tax collector in this parable, as given by Jesus.  He was standing afar off from the altar of sacrifice, and would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, and beat his breast.  These are all physical images of repentance, an awareness of the state of his soul, as my study bible puts it.  His prayer, asking, God, be merciful to me a sinner, has become the classic prayer refrain heard in the Church (Lord have mercy, or, in Greek, Kyrie eleison), used both for worship and for personal prayer.  It is also the foundation of the Jesus Prayer, or what is called Prayer of the Heart.

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  My study bible explains that justified here means forgiven and set right with God.  It notes that inward humility is blessed while pride in outward deeds is condemned.   This is the second time in Luke's Gospel that Jesus has taught that everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.  The first was in chapter 14, when He spoke to a gathering at the home of a ruler of the Pharisees, teaching the same (see 14:1-14).

What does it really mean to be humble?  We can see, from Jesus' teaching, that the root of humility is really communion with God.   The Pharisee here has great achievements in terms of spiritually "good deeds."  On the surface, we might say, they are works that defy selfishness:  works that speak of sacrifice and also of sharing.  But the Pharisee exalts himself in his failure to be face to face with God, regardless of outward posture.  As Jesus says, he "prays with himself."   The only judgment he therefore seeks is his own.  But the tax collector, as reprehensible as he is, knows his own failure, and this is due to the fact that his posture betrays that he feels he is in the presence of God, and he speaks in the presence of God.  He seeks God's will and not his own.  Therefore it is the latter, the tax collector, who includes in His prayer the honoring of the first and greatest commandment that Jesus names, to love God with all one's heart and soul and mind (see Matthew 22:36-40).  Oh, he may not be perfect at this!  He may have a long way to go for full faith in God, as we all have a ways to go for perfection.  But the key here is that he is making the attempt.  His dejected posture and self-awareness teach us that he sees himself speaking face to face with God, and knows that he's coming up short.  In communion with a loving Father, we need not fear the truth.  Rather, if we really love and know God, we understand that every rebuke and every correction is simply that which is for our own good, to get us on the path to our own place of justification.  Like this tax collector, we seek that place where, face to face with God, we can know ourselves as children in right relationship with our Father, and in right relationship through such with one another.  Humility before God is the point.  To simply seek pleasure in the approving eyes of another is not the same as real faith.   In chapter 6, Jesus has spoken of the "woes" to the Pharisees, saying, "Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets" (6:26).  In chapter 12, we're told that even among the rulers many believed in Christ, "but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God" (John 12:42-43).  The real key here to the kind of faith that Jesus is looking for is a living communion with God.  This is a dynamic internal relationship, ongoing.  It is one that shapes us and gives us identity, adding shape and a destiny to our lives for the long run.  It sets us on a journey, that is not so much about the discovery of "new lands" as it is about the ongoing process of getting to know the One to whom we owe all our lives, and who will, in effect, give us our lives and teach us who we really are.  It is a process of ongoing and increasing reliance upon God.  Let us note once again quite carefully that the Pharisee in the story "prays with himself" and that Jesus gives the parable specifically "to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous."  To understand the deepening relationship sought in practices inspired by this parable such as the Jesus Prayer, is to understand that we enter into mystery when we seek real communion with God, and that mystery of God includes the person that God calls us to be, and to become -- a constant state of discipleship on the journey of faith.  It is a call that we respond to from the inside out, and not simply to be seen for the "praise of men."  It is there that we find the humility He asks of us!

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

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

- Luke 18:1-8

Yesterday we read that when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Then He said to the disciples, 'The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart . . .  We recall here that Jesus has just taught the disciples about the time of His return, the Second Coming (see yesterday's reading, above).  But in the meantime, life will go on as it has, but they will long to see Him in the flesh.  Here is the requisite "posture" for His followers in this time in which we now live, while we await His return, and those with faith encounter struggle and difficulty.  We always ought to pray and not lose heart.

. . . saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily."   This widow is an image of the Christian who struggles only through faith, and without necessarily worldly stature or support.  My study bible says that persistent and faithful prayer is the remedy for the tribulation described in yesterday's reading, above (17:22-37).  He has also warned the disciples that in this time after His Ascension they will "long to see one of the days of the Son of Man," and they will not see it.  The widow's constant and persistent pleas before the judge are an image for us of our own persistent and faithful prayer.  My study bible reminds us of St. Paul's words to us:  "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  My study bible says that Christ often uses this form of question when speaking of characteristics that are rarely found (see 11:11; 12:42). 

Christ asks if, at His return, will He really find faith on the earth?  He uses the term Son of Man to denote His presence in the flesh, as Jesus, and the fullness and presence of His Person in the world, similarly to His Incarnate life.  But His own plaintive question here is one that is stirring, because it tells us about His fondest hope and wish and also the rarity of that faith.  In the modern West, we might perhaps live in a time and place where we find it startling to wonder if there are those remaining for Him to find on the earth who have faith in His Gospel.  But Jesus, as always, tells us the startling and vivid truth with this question.  Faith is rare and difficult.  It will require of us a struggle.  We will face adversity, coming both from within ourselves and from the world.  It is simply in the nature of things as they are, the world as it is, and forces that remain beyond our control.  And perhaps here is one key to today's reading.  There are so many things that are beyond our control.  We can't necessarily control other people at all.  We might not even find we can control ourselves or our impulses, the things that give us pain and heartache, the sadnesses, anger, rejection, and the myriad other struggles we encounter in our lives.  And so, Jesus gives us the image of a widow, one who is without worldly support, without others to advocate for her and protect her.  In the ancient world, justice systems -- while they were recognized as necessary and developing -- frequently required or relied upon assistance of family or clan for a favorable outcome.  Even today, with systems of justice created with the best of intentions, we are all aware of the need for good advocacy, which comes with a price, and good public relations and community ties.  Perhaps we are all too sadly aware of what it is to seek appropriate attention to a complaint if one is alone or isolated or without stature and funds.  In the image of this widow, we are given the appropriate understanding of our place before God:  we are to be persistent and faithful in our prayer, in our pleas before God.  Whatever it is and whoever we are, this posture is the one that is appropriate for a follower of Christ.  It is not simply a necessary part of our faith, but faith itself is that strength that develops from a more fully developed reliance upon God than we considered we had yesterday.  In other words, if I may be so bold as to consider Christ's words here in their fullness, what He asks of us is a faith that grows through the daily and even constant practice of prayer.  In this is our reliance and our real strength.  Everyone, sooner or later, faces adversity.  If we seek to follow Him, we might face more than most.  But the true and central ingredient in life, especially for those circumstances which are beyond our control, is faith, a reliance on God.  Jesus says, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily."    In the Greek, the word "avenge" also means to justify or vindicate, to execute justice.  We don't always know what form God's justice will take, but what we may find is that through faith, life works out in particular ways on a deeper and grander scale than what human justice would dictate.  We may suffer in a present and particular circumstance, but a life lived in faith has a way of teaching us something and giving us growth for the long run, wisdom through our experience coupled with prayer, insight not available to those who live on the surface and trust only in the worldly.  With Christ, we get down to what is truly real, and find the justice of the heart, and the long way round of working out what we see and hear in this world.  We may find, as does this persistent widow, that a deeper sense of justice than is understood otherwise may come to us with our faith.  But, oh how rare that faith might really be!

The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!" or "See there!" For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you

 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."

Then He said to the disciples, 'The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

- Luke 17:20-37

Yesterday we read that as Jesus went to Jerusalem He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  As is so frequently true in Scripture, the Greek words in the original text give us a full sense of Christ's meaning.  My study bible says that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality that is present within the Christian believer and within the community of the Church.  The words translated as within you can also mean "among you" or "in your midst."  Both senses, in the fullness of the language here, are true.

 Then He said to the disciples, 'The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed."  This is yet another warning in Luke, couched in the language of His second coming, in which Jesus tells the disciples that first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  But the teaching is on the coming of the Kingdom.  Jesus makes it clear that daily life will go on just as it has been, without any awareness of what is about to happen.  But this second coming of Christ will take place suddenly, as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven.  By including the warning again about His suffering and rejection, Jesus keeps their focus on the pragmatic reality of what is to come, and the life of the Church and awareness its mission before His return.  My study bible says that this warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes.

"In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  Jesus teaches that His second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven, my study bible tells us, and the other will be left for eternal condemnation.  This separation of the saints and the wicked will occur on the day when the Son of Man is revealed, as Christ's words indicate here, and not at an earlier event before His return.

And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  My study bible says that the body is Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.

What does all this mysterious and rather perturbing talk of the Second Coming mean?  Jesus stirs up disturbing images of a sudden and great cosmic shift in the reality of life.  One will be taken while the other will be left are words that are rather shocking to hear, and surely Jesus is aware of this when He speaks them to His audience.  He raises the image of Noah and the suddenness of the flood, of which the world was unaware before it happened (see Genesis 6-8).  He tells His disciples about Lot and Sodom, a sudden disaster that came without warning on those who were heedless of the understanding of God.  Moreover, He tells them they must "remember Lot's wife," who was told not to look back at the devastation in Sodom -- and when she did she was turned into a pillar of salt (see Genesis 19:1-29).  These are both accounts in Scripture of times when God executed judgment in the world, well-known to His Jewish disciples.  We note also that they are both accounts of judgment that comes amidst a world which has given itself over to violence and brutality, and therefore is far away from the teachings of God.  In Genesis 6:13, God says to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth."  But Jesus' teaching here is not simply to make a prediction about what is to come in the world; it is to teach the disciples what they are to be about as His servants.  While the world remains unaware of judgment, they must carry out His mission and be aware that there is a time when He will return, and indeed a time when judgment will take place.  He repeats to them something that has been taught already in the context of taking up one's cross daily, and following Him:  "Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it."  In other words, our job, as faithful disciples, is to remember His commands, to continue in His word.  He warns the disciples not to be swayed by those who say that He has returned, in the times when they will long to see Him after His death, Resurrection, and Ascension.  Like the times of Noah and Lot, His return will come at a time when the world is unaware of what is about to happen.  They must not focus on predictions and warnings, but rather on living the life of faith and following the Gospel He has given them.  The world will go on as it has gone, but they must remember His commands and what they are to be about, especially in the time when He is no longer with them as the Incarnate Jesus.  We are left together with the disciples, in this place where the world, forgetful of the God who teaches us love, may live in a violence born of selfishness, in which exploitation and corruption and its brutal expression may grow unchecked.  But we remember that we are servants to Christ, and that His Kingdom is both with us and within us.  It is within that living Kingdom that we find our true lives, and that for which we are truly grateful.

Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

- Luke 17:11-19

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught His disciples:  "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

 Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  Jesus is leaving His home territory of Galilee for Jerusalem, and He must pass through Samaria on the way (see map).  It's not clear where exactly this village is, but clearly it is of mixed population.  The ten lepers stand afar off because leprosy, as one of the most dreaded diseases of Jesus' time, not only brought great physical suffering.  It was also associated with total banishment and isolation from the society, and regulated by strict rabbinical law.  For the Scriptures, it is also spiritually symbolic of our sin, something that disfigures, causes pain, and diminishes our souls.

And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  Jesus' command, Go, show yourself to the priests, is one that is necessary so that a cleansed leper may get a certificate that they are able again to join the community.  In chapter 5, Jesus gives a similar command (5:12-14), and thus giving the priests a tangible miracle showing his power to be greater than that of Moses, who prayed for mercy when his sister Miriam was struck with leprosy.  She was healed only after seven days, but Jesus acts by immediate command and divine authority.  (See Numbers 12:10-15).

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."  My study bible responds to Christ's question, Where are the nine?  It notes that Christ came to heal all of fallen humanity, but only a small portion receive Him in faith and thanksgiving to give glory to God.  Therefore, it remains true that "many are called, but few chosen" (Matthew 20:16).  For those who have made such a commitment to follow Christ, the lesson here is that worship is the number one priority.

To give glory to God is to give thanks.   Indeed one of the main purposes of worship is giving thanks.  This theme has been present throughout most of our recent readings, as Jesus has been addressing Pharisees, and also their criticism of the tax collectors and other sinners who come to hear Him speak.  The theme of gratitude is particularly strong in His teaching to the Pharisees on the conflict between serving God and serving mammon, even in the ways in which we think of whatever it is that constitutes our wealth in life.  To remember that everything that we have comes from God to begin with is to support this understanding of proper gratitude and, indeed, even our place in life, in all of creation.  In the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the rich man is heedless of what he has, and pointedly understands ownership with the self-centered sense that he owes nothing to anyone, in particular the Lord who is also the God of Lazarus.  He therefore has no sense of relatedness to the wretched Lazarus outside of his gates.  In yesterday's reading (see above) Jesus has turned to His disciples to instruct them in the powerful necessity not only of humility but of the attitude of service to God.  As disciples, their proper orientation is as those servants who are working off a debt, who owe their service to their master.  This may seem even strange and possibly harsh to us, but we need to understand that Christ is only speaking of our proper orientation toward God, our Lord.  All that we have, all that we are, all that we may become or develop into is not only by the grace of God, but is a gift of God.  Whatever we think we possess, it is through the gracious love of God for us.  When we live, work, and dwell within this understanding of ourselves and our places in all of the Creation, then we come to know who we are more thoroughly.  Moreover, we become oriented to that disposition which will bring us, in fact, the greatest satisfaction.  A person cannot live within improper boundaries, a lack of understanding of their own origin and purpose, and fulfill their own greatest happiness.  Without this deepest sense of our true center, whatever we have becomes a dangerously risky pillar on which to base our sense of ourselves and our lives, as material circumstances are so easily changed.  But if our true heart is staked on our true Center, we base our sense of ourselves on something that cannot leave or disappear, and which remains true.  Many modern trends in self-help and in popular psychology emphasize the practice of gratitude as a weapon against depression, and a way to keep a positive focus.  But there are deeper and more important reasons why the practice of gratitude puts us in a "right place" as human beings.  Let us consider, as we head into the season of Thanksgiving, and preparation for Christmas, how important it is for us to remember to give the glory to God.

So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do"

Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

- Luke 17:1-10

In yesterday's reading, Jesus told the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus:   "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be bed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  We note that these sayings, coming after the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, are directed to the disciples, and they are also warnings that have to do with humility and how that lends character to our relationships with others.  There is first here a dire warning -- as these will be the bishops and pillars of His Church -- about offenses that may come, particularly to the "little ones."  My study bible suggests that little ones refers primarily to children, but also by extension to anyone whose heart is humble and dependent upon God.    In other words, this warning applies to their care of all those who will be in their charge, and in particular the "least of these" in the Church, those with little power or stature, as well as children.  Most certainly that includes all those who are "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3).  And powerfully, this leads to Jesus' teachings on forgiveness and repentance, also in this context, a powerful affirmation of the need for humility on the part of those who will be leaders of His flock.

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  It puts things into perspective when we realize that these sayings of Christ still come in the context of His encounters with the Pharisees, to whom He also preached humility -- and who now criticize Him for the fact that tax collectors and sinners come to hear Him.  But now, His teachings on humility are directed to His disciples.  The Gospel tells us something really quite important here, hidden in the text:  the disciples as well have problems and struggle with this difficult notion of humility.  Immediately after the teaching on forgiveness and repentance, they ask him, "Increase our faith."  Jesus does so with a powerful affirmation of just what faith can do.  But in patristic tradition, the interpretation of this saying has a particular kind of meaning.  My study bible says that the mulberry tree is symbolic of the devil's works.  It is on the leaf of this tree that silkworms feed, and worms are an image of hell (Mark 9:42-48).  There are numerous scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10).  In this context, then, we should understand that the demand, "Increase our faith," is given in the context of the faith that it will take to overcome their own selfish tendencies, to achieve the kind of humility and service asked of them.  Jesus is explaining that even faith as a mustard seed is strong enough to overthrow personal tendencies that hinder real discipleship for those who will be in positions of authority, and therefore facing temptations for abuse of power.

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."  My study bible explains that the servant plowing is mentioned first and the one tending sheep second, illustrating in this symbolic way that one must first work out one's own salvation (Philip 2:12) before one can become a shepherd of others. 

"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  My study bible explains the word unprofitable as literally meaning "without merit" in the Greek.  Other ways to understand this word are as if one would say "useless" or "good for nothing."   The word doesn't convey that the servants are without intrinsic value.  Instead, it focuses on the need for service and the attitude of those whose necessary value is based on the model of service.  The word translated as duty here really indicates service in payment of a debt, what is owed.  My study bible says that it means that all that we have comes from God and is owed back to God.  There is nothing that we can offer to God that does not already belong to God.    In effect, discipleship, to be appropriately effective, is entered into in the spirit of service.  These words to the disciples at this stage of His ministry say that this applies in particular to those who would be leaders of the Church.

What does it mean to be a good servant?  Why should one who has done all that it was commanded to do still call oneself an unprofitable servant?  Even if one has done one's duty, why does this still merit the understanding that one is unprofitable?  This is a far cry from the modern age in which merit is demanded to be recognized in each person, or awards given to schoolchildren regardless of standing or achievement.  Rather, Christ stresses an entirely different kind of struggle for one who wishes to serve Him in real discipleship, and in particular for those who will hold positions of power.  Not only is real service and the following of His commands expected, but it is to be met with an attitude of acceptance that understands there is always more to do.  Moreover, with an understanding that to do one's duty is a basis for all the rest of life, a kind of minimum standard or expectation.  I wonder how we who approach life so differently in a modern mindset can understand the one that Christ offers us for discipleship?  The real key here is how discipleship actually demands of us more than we think we are capable of doing.  It is a key to Christianity itself, which holds a promise for us:  that as human beings we are understood by our Creator to be capable of so much more than we expect from ourselves.  Heroism and service go hand in hand.  To go above and beyond the call is part and parcel of the definition of one who calls him or herself "an unprofitable servant" who has done simply what is one's duty to do.  This is an understanding of ourselves as dynamic and not static beings.  We are always on call to go beyond, to struggle more deeply, to increase our faith so as to meet new challenges.  It is the opposite of complacency.  At the same time, there is no shrinking back from looking clearly at the difficulties of this life of service and particularly of humility which Christ asks from His servants, the disciples.  There is no fudging the struggle against one's own tendencies for abuse of power.  And this is the brilliance of Christ as loving Creator and Master.  He knows full well our struggles and He knows what He asks of us.  But He insists that we are equipped to meet our temptations, even with faith as tiny as a mustard seed.  For faith is the key to our connection to Him, the sharing of His power, His capacities, His strengths, so that we may be the kind of servants He asks us to be.  The temptations to power are never glossed over in the Gospels.  Jesus rails at the Pharisees for their lack of humility and hard-heartedness, but He also warns His own disciples against the same.  (Indeed, there are several times when they display undesirable character traits for correction, especially when it comes to position and rank.)  He prepares all of us for a life in which we consider ourselves to be servants, whose meaning and value in life is the readiness to follow the commands of our Lord, to live our lives in service to Him as the basis for our sense of ourselves.  What a different and challenging way to assert meaning, to find purpose and strength, and most of all to give us a sense of who we are as beings created for things so much greater than we would ask of ourselves.  This is the key question here:  How does humility characterize our faith and give us the capacity for so much more than we think we're capable of?  In the ancient world of Christ's time, into which His faith and teachings would go, there were myriad competing faiths in the Roman world and the extent of its empire.  The one thing that truly distinguishes Christianity from all the rest is Jesus' championing of humility as virtue.  If we think of ourselves as servants, we will be surprised at how much this does for our true nature and our sense of ourselves.  Think of it, try it, and keep in mind the face of the One who loves and cherishes us, and thereby calls us to a home and true sense of self much greater than we can know.