Today's Thoughts...

​Today’s Thoughts: It would be easy to listen to our first reading today from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and the parable from the Gospel of Matthew and say, “Right on God – Right on Jesus. I am with you!” After all isn’t God talking to the people Israel through the prophet Isaiah because they have turned away from God and the covenant? Isn’t Jesus talking to the chief priests and the elders of the people just like he has in the previous two parables because they have not been faith in their leadership? The readings today are about others not us!
 
There are two sayings that I often think about in these situations. The first is that someone described a biblical prophet as one who comforted the disturbed and disturbed the comfortable. The second is “Christ came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Both statements say the same thing and our readings today need to be heard in of them.
 
It is easy to listen to the scriptures and hear them as a challenge to others, while keeping them at arm’s length from ourselves. However, Isaiah and Jesus are speaking to us today and if we feel uncomfortable perhaps it is because we are living, acting and responding to God’s grace and presence in our live just like ancient Israel and the chief priests and elders of the people in Jesus’ day. Perhaps we are the wild grapes and the tenants who think we know better than the vineyard owner!
 
St. Paul’s words in our second reading today remind us how faithful grapes and tenants are to live – we are to live by “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen…. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
 
May the God of peace be with you today and always. Have a blessed and holy Sunday everyone and don’t forget to give God a little time today!