Our Lady of Fatima - Madonna Della Strada to the Wedding Banquet of Her Son

 Mary, the Theotokus, who has been also the Queen of Heaven and Earth upon her Assumption, made six apparitions in Fatima, Portugal, from May 17 to October 17, in 1917, as Our Lady of Fatima, as well as Our Lady of the Rosary.

It was the year before a great pandemic, known as the Spanish Flu, while many lives were being lost and many cities were destroyed as World War I was raging.  Many had been losing their souls to atheism, a form of relativism, which had been wide-spreading across Europe. In response, Pope Leo XIII encouraged Catholics to pray the Rosary as our spiritual weapon against Satan’s works against the Church and the faithful, with his 12 encyclicals and 5 apostolic letters. He also denounced modernistic relativism in his Humanum Genus (1884), as Karl Marx’ communism was gaining popularity around that time in response to capitalism tainted by materialism, consumerism, and greed. As such, the post-industrial revolution Europe had become a dangerous place for the faithful as relativism had been turning many believers into atheists and communists and freemasons, pulling them away from the Communion of Saints. So, apostasy was not unusual.

Though Pope Leo XIII tirelessly shepherded the faithful to act more with the Rosary, Satanic forces were becoming ever stronger through relativism. His successor, Pope Benedict XV, continued on with the Church’s fight against relativism.

In such a worldly backdrop, Mary came to the world from heaven with three important warnings: the reality of hell, the imminent danger of another world war upon World War I (namely, World War II), and advancement of persecution against the Church and the faithful into the post-modernistic period. This third warning included the prophecy of assassination attempt against pope. In regard to her prophecy of another world war after World War I, Mary urged the faithful to pray for the conversion of Russia and for Russia’s consecration to her Immaculate Heart so that this might be averted. And, she pressed on the importance of praying the Rosary daily for penance and fight against relativism and all other enemies of the Church and the faithful.

Mary knows so well, who she can best convey her important and urgent message to keep our souls from damnation. So, she directly appeared to three shepherd children: Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, whose hearts were rather innocent and not contaminated with relativism, as to reflect what her Son has said in Matthew 18:1-0; 19:13-15; and Luke 18:15-17. And these three children were obedient to Mary, conveying her warning messages to adults. But, these adults were not necessarily receptive, while some actually persecuted these three children. So, on September 13, 1917, during her fifth apparition, Mary told Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco, “In October, I will perform a miracle for all to believe.”

So, as she promised, on October 13, 1917, many witnessed the sun dancing. As it cannot be explained with science, it was certainly a supernatural phenomenon. And it proves that Mary certainly intercedes for us to make God’s power to manifest in such a supernatural occurrence.

Not to mention, many of those who witnessed the dancing sun, as Mary promised, on that day, had repented and converted and returned to God.

As his mother, she must have been so sadden to see how people had abandoned her Son and his salvific teaching – even though he had purchased the chance for us, sinners, to enter into his Kingdom at the eschaton, so that we may not end in the eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire, through his blood – as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (Agnus Dei, qui tolis peccata mundi)(John 1:29). She was so heartbroken to see her children, as she is also our mother (John 19:27), she came from heaven, where she has been residing as the Queen of Heaven, since her Assumption, to give us the three-fold warning so that wrath of God the Father may not come upon us.

So, she reminded us of the reality of hell to tell us to avoid sins, not to get lost in relativism but to remain in her Son, Christ, who has said, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it”(Luke 11:28), as found in the Gospel Reading for the Memorial Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, October 13 (Luke 11:27-28).  To juxtapose the significance of the six apparitions of Mary as Our Lady of Fatima, as well as Our Lady of the Rosary, to the Gospel Reading for the 28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, (Matthew 22:1-14), it is to make sure that we will not end up being like the man, who was expelled by the king from his banquet hall, for not being dressed for the occasion of his son’s wedding feast. Being dressed for the occasion of the wedding feast of the king’s son means wearing the robes washed white by the Lamb’s blood (Revelation 3:5; 7:14), having endured tribulations of the war against Satan’s attacks, including attacks by relativism. And for us, the faithful, as Mary has reminded, upon Pope Leo XIII emphasized through his magisterium, we need to pray the Rosary, which taught us through St. Dominic in 1208, in his struggles with a spiritual warfare against heresies. Along with this powerful spiritual weapon against Satan and his demonic effects, we keep our prayers so that we will abide by the Word of God, thus enjoy blessing of God, being prepared for the heavenly wedding banquet (Revelation 19:6-9), whenever God calls.

Yes, Mary, as Our Lady of Fatima, through the Rosary, points us to her Son, Christ, so that we may enjoy his wedding feast, when the Father calls us to come join!

Blessed are we to have Our Lady of Fatima as Madonna Della Strada al banchetto di nozze di suo figlio, Gesù (Our Lady of the Way to the wedding banquet of her Son, Jesus)!

Be Ready for God’s Invitation Call to His Son’s Wedding Banquet, Sustaining Our Fidelity and Humility through Challenges – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

 As a Liturgical Year comes closer to its end, Sunday Mass Gospel Readings heavily bear the theme of the Kingdom of God with the eschatological tone. The Gospel Readings for the 26^th Sunday to the 34^th Sunday (Christ the King Sunday), which is the last Sunday of a Liturgical Year, on Cycle A, are taken from what Jesus had argued with the hypocrite religious leaders and what he had taught during his last days in Jerusalem.

Now we have come as far as the 28^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, with 6 more Sundays left in this Liturgical Year.

Having spent three Sundays in a row (25^th, 26^th, and 27^th Sundays in Ordinary Time, Cycle A) to reflect the Kingdom of God with metaphors of vineyard from Jesus’ parables in the Gospel Readings (Matthew 20:1-16a; 21:28-32; 21:33-43), now we read and meditate on the Kingdom likened to a wedding banquet that the king hosts for his son (Matthew 22:1-14). In the first two parables of the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16a; 21:28-32), Jesus distinguished two types of people for the vineyard.

In the first vineyard parable (Matthew 20:1-16a), there were the group of  workers, who worked all day long since the crack of dawn, and various groups of workers who were brought to work in later hours. The first group of workers complained to the vineyard owner as the workers who were brought in later hours also received the same pay, out of envy. In this parable, the group of the workers, who worked all day long and complained about the way paid, indicate the people of the first covenant, namely the Israelites in the Old Testament. On the other hand, the workers who were brought to the vineyard in later hours are liked to various types of the Gentiles. Among them, some were brought to work in the vineyard earlier than the others, and this reflects that some among the Gentiles were Christianized earlier than other Gentiles. Regardless of when to come to know and accept Christ, in the end, those who remained in faith receive the same benefits of the salvation.

In the second vineyard parable (Matthew 21:28-32), there were two sons of the vineyard owner: the son, who declined to work when his father called but changed his mind and actually worked, and the other son, who promised to work but never worked in the vineyard. The son, who said “no” to his father’s call to work in the vineyard but actually worked upon changing his mind represents those who have converted to become faithful Christians, while the other son, who said “yes” to this father’s call but never worked are synonymous to those who were baptized shortly after birth but drifted away from the faith. Or, the son, who promised to work in the vineyard but never worked, may represent hypocrite religious leaders, who are no longer faithful to their vows to serve God and His people.

The third vineyard parable (Matthew 21:33-43) describes how wicked the tenant workers of the vineyard were. These workers were filled with vices, especially dishonesty and greed. For their greed to hijack the vineyard, they not only killed the servants of the landowner, who established the vineyard, but also killed the owner’s son, who was to inherit the vineyard. And, in this parable, Jesus was rather clear to the hypocrite religious leaders that they were like these vicious tenant workers. In this third parable of vineyard, Jesus zeroes in on those who are not only unfaithful but really wicked enough to be anti-Christ during the time of the Old Covenant, And the parable further tells that the wicked were thrown out of the vineyard, which was given to new workers, suggesting the vineyard in the New Covenant.

Upon these aforementioned three parables of vineyard to reflect the Kingdom, on the 28^th Sunday, the parable in the Gospel Reading (Matthew 22:1-14) likens the Kingdom to a wedding banquet, hosted by king for his son’s wedding. And this parable has a similar pattern to the first vineyard parable for the 25^th Sunday (Matthew 20:1-16), as there are two group of people representing the Jew, whom God called first in the Old Covenant, and the Gentiles, whom God called later and who accepted Christ in the New Covenant.

Now, let’s take a look into this Gospel Reading and its parable (Mathew 22:1-14).

As it was the case with the third parable of the vineyard (Matthew 21:33-43), Jesus spoke this parable directly to the religious leaders in order to mirror their hypocrisy, as Nathan confronted David’s double mortal sins through the parable of the ewe lamb of the poor man (2 Samuel 12:1-13). Though David repented in response, the religious leaders, whom Jesus confronted, did not even acknowledge their sins of hypocrisy and not serving God.

 

The parable metaphorically juxtaposes a wedding banquet for king’s son, hosted by king, to the Kingdom of God, which is in the will of God the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit. And in this parable has two parts: how those who were originally invited for the banquet by the king responded (vv.2-7) and how those who were later brought to the banquet were with the king (vv. 8-13).

Those whom God invited for the banquet represent the people in the Old Covenant, namely, the Jew. Say that the banquet represents their opportunity to meet the Messiah, whose coming had been prophesized in the Old Testament (i.e. Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2). And such prophecies has been already fulfilled with the first coming of Christ (Luke 2:1-7) upon the incarnation of the Logos-Theos (John 1:1, 14) through Mary’s pregnancy by the power of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:35). Those whom the king had invited – the Jew – had the privilege to meet the Messiah in person and believed in him. However, as described in all canonical Gospels, many ignored and refused him, still hoping and waiting for all these prophesies about the Messiah to be fulfilled.

Those who killed the king’s servants, who tried to summon the invited, (Matthew 22:6) represent those who had persecuted and killed the prophets during the time of the Old Testament, also liked to these vicious tenant workers of the vineyard (Matthew 21:35-36).

Among those who had refused to believe that Jesus is the prophesized Messiah, the living Christ, though they were with him in Jerusalem, conspired the Roman authority to kill Jesus. They were juxtaposed by Jesus to the vicious tenant workers of the vineyard, killing the son of the landowner in the third vineyard parable (Matthew 21:37-39). And they were the hypocrite religious leaders that Jesus confronted during his last days in Jerusalem. However, at the time of this parable was spoken, they did not yet laid their hands on Jesus to kill. Therefore, the son of the king was untouched but his wedding was ignored in this parable.

Because those whom the king had invited to his son’s wedding refused or ignored and even killed his servants, the king punished them by destroying them and their city (Matthew 22:7), paralleling to Matthew 21:41.

Actually, this parable is more likely to have an eschatological indication, pointing out the heavenly wedding banquet of the Lamb, the Christ, and his bride, the Church, in Revelation 19:6-9. Those who actually attended the wedding banquet for the king’s son were those who were not invited first but later called and brought by the king’s servants upon the king’s order (Matthew 22:8-13). This took place after those whom the king had invited forfeited the opportunity by ignoring and refusing the invitation and the king’s severe judgement upon those who had killed the king’s servants. The heavenly wedding banquet (Revelation 19:6-9) will take place upon the great eschatological tribulation, through which those who are not worthy to attend the banquet and to enter the Kingdom upon its completion will be eliminated along with the anti-Christ (Revelation 6 – 19).

The RSVP result was so disappointing to the king as those whom he had sent the invitations did not respond and went away, while others sent “no”. Thus, the king said those whom he had invited were not worthy to come to the banquet anymore when it finally became ready to be served (Matthew 22:8). But, he sure did not want to forego the banquet without any guests. So, he ordered his servants to go out into main roads to bring whomever they can, whether they were good or bad (Matthew 22:9-10). This reflects, first, Jesus’s great commissioning of his disciples to go out into the world and make more disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), with an eschatological projection in Matthew 13:47-48.

Both good or bad are at the wedding banquet for the king’s son and the king now greets all of them but kicked a man out for he was not wearing a garment suited for the occasion (Matthew 22:11-13). This is like the fishermen casting away bad fish out of the net upon hauling it to the shore in order to keep only good fish (Matthew 13:48), further reflecting the wicked will be separated from the righteous and thrown into the eternal damnation at the eschaton (Matthew 13:49-50; cf. 13:30).

Those who rejected or ignored the king’s invitation and forfeited the his son’s wedding banquet represent those who rejected or ignored God’s provision of His Son as the Messiah and those who killed His servant prophets and His Son. Because of their offenses against God, their names are erased from His Book of Life (cf. Exodus 32:33; Deuteronomy 29:20), they forfeited the Lamb’s heavenly wedding banquet, for which the names of its guests are written in the Book of life (cf. Revelation 3:5). And through the Son’s blood, which is the Lamb’s blood, the invitation to the banquet was renewed, known as the New Covenant (Matthew 26: 28//Mark 14:24//Luke 22:20). Upon this renewed invitation, the servants of the king went out to the main street to fill the banquet hall when it is ready, and they brought both good and bad to the king’s palace. And there, the king inspects those who are brought, as the fishermen inspects the net full of fish.

Remember, the real wedding banquet of the Lamb (Christ upon Parousia, as the King) in heaven at the eschaton, are only for those who have endured the great tribulation, according to the Book of Revelation. And, this is when we no longer need to celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist, as this heavenly wedding banquet means the reunion with Christ (cf.  Matthew 26:29//Mark 14:25//Luke 22:18). Those who are truly eligible to attend the heavenly wedding banquet for Christ the King, the Lamb of God (Revelation 19:6-9) are those whose names are written in the Book of Life for having endured the great tribulation (Revelation 6 – 16), wearing lobes washed white by the blood of the Lamb (cf. Revelation 3:5; 7:14).

In the parable, the king, who is the host of the banquet for his son’s wedding, weeded out a man, who was not dressed for the occasion (Matthew 22:11-13), and he represents those who lost their privilege to be at the heavenly wedding banquet of the Lamb because of their failure to keep their faith – though the Lamb gave the privilege through his blood. And, they are those who are lost through the great eschatological tribulation in Revelation 6 – 9 because of their apostasy or of their lukewarm faith, unable to sustain the challenges.

So, we must ask ourselves:

Are we wearing the garment of purity and righteousness, washed white by the blood of Christ from his Cross, now from the Eucharistic chalice at Mass of Sacrifice, by sustaining our faith in Christ, until this heavenly wedding banquet in Revelation 19:6-9, enduring all sorts of challenges and tribulations, not falling to Satan’s temptations and apostasy – so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God with its capitol, New Jerusalem (Revelation 21-22)? Or are we blind and deaf to God’s will, and therefore, ignoring His invitation to His Son’s heavenly wedding banquet? Or are we rejecting Christ, the Son, therefore, refusing his Father’s invitation to the Son’s heavenly wedding banquet?

Remember, we cannot afford to lose our privilege for the wedding feast, for Christ has already purchased it for us through his blood, which has made our lobes clean white, because we can taste and see the best of God’s goodness so rich and no enemies to distract, as reflected in the First Reading (Isaiah 25:6-10a; cf. Psalm 34:8), echoed in the Responsorial Psalm (23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6). In the Second Reading (Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20), Paul, who has endured so many hardships, even with a little food, reminds us to remain humble and faithful to God, trusting the richness and abundance in His providence, in order for us to sustain our privilege for the heavenly wedding banquet – not to botch what Christ has purchased for us – the renewed invitation from God for His Son’s wedding in heaven.

Third Vineyard Parable in Matthew and the Coming of the King for the Harvest– 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

It is already the 27^th Sunday in Ordinary Time in Year A of the Liturgical Calendar!  As a liturgical year ends with the week of the 34^th Sunday in Ordinary Time on all cycles, Year A, Year B, and Year C, this liturgical year is coming to its conclusion. On the last Sunday of Liturgical Year, 34^th Sunday, we celebrate Parousia , return of Christ as the King of the Universe in advance. And as the Book of Revelation envisions, the Kingdom, which he reigns, will be consummated upon his return.

As the end of Liturgical Year draws nearer, Gospel Readings for Sunday Mass have a theme of the Kingdom (25^th Sunday, 26^th Sunday, 27^th Sunday, 28^th Sunday, 32^nd Sunday, 33^rd Sunday), and Jesus likened the Kingdom to the vineyard for the Gospel readings of the 25^th Sunday, 26^th Sunday, and 27^th Sundays. For three Sundays in row, from the 25^th the Sunday to the 27^th Sunday, we read about Jesus’ teaching on the Kingdom likened to the vineyard. So, what do we learn from these vineyard parables to teach something important about the Kingdom, which is to complete at Christ’s return, as we have begun to prepare for the conclusion of a Liturgical Year?

Namely, these vineyard parables, Matthew 20:1-16; 21:28-32; and 33-44, are about how we, as vineyard workers, are to conduct ourselves for the harvest time. Through these parables, the vineyard is a metaphor for the Kingdom, which is to be consummated with the harvest. And, the harvest time is the eschaton and the time of the judgement, as we are judged for the fruits that we have produced according to our faith.

Through these three vineyard parables to teach what we are to do to keep the Kingdom (vineyard), as the citizen of the Kingdom (as vineyard workers), Jesus teaches what we are not to become and what we are not to do. And, it reflects our problems, which may risk the forfeiting the Kingdom. And, these problems are: envy, infidelity, and greed. In Matthew 20:1-16, 25^th Sunday’s Gospel Reading, Jesus teaches us not to be like the vineyard workers complaining about their wage out of envy. It also teaches that our envious heart make us ungrateful to God’s grace. And, envy in us makes God’s generosity to those whose needs are greater unfairness to us. In Matthew 21:28-32, 26^th Sunday’s Gospel Reading, Jesus reminds us that we must be true to what we have promised through our deeds.  Superficial lip service may result in losing the Kingdom before its consummation. What about the Gospel Reading for the 27^th Sunday, Matthew 21:33-44, the sequence to the Gospel Reading for the 26^th Sunday, vv.28-32?

In the Gospel Reading for the 27^th Sunday, Matthew 21:33-44, unlike the first two vineyard parables (Matthew 20:1-16 for the 25^th Sunday; 21:28-32 for the 26^th Sunday), Jesus does not describe different types of workers or different types of responses to a command to work in the vineyard. Rather, Jesus zeros in on problematic workers to draw our attention to the judgement. And, this parable reflects how greed to gain the ownership of the vineyard by killing its legitimate hair, the son of the landowner, who established the vineyard, upon killing all of his servants, entail. The parable teaches that those tenant vineyard workers’ attempt to hijack the vineyard ownership by killing the landowner’s servants and son will result on the expulsion from the vineyard. It reminds us that God’s justice prevails over any evil, no matter how offensive it may be.

In this parable, the landowner is a metaphor to God the Father, while the servants represent God’s prophets, and the son is the Son of God, Jesus. The how the landowner set up his vineyard may reflects God’s work of the Creation, as out of the Creation, the Kingdom is established on earth as it is in heaven. Just as God will the earth that He created with creatures, including the humans, the landowners hired tenant workers so that his vineyard would not be an idle land to be wasted.  God the Creator does not want the earth of His Creation to be wasted either. For this reason, He has chosen and commissioned the humans to serve as the steward of His Creation, as Pope Francis reflected in his “Laudato Si”(paragraph 66) on Genesis 1:26, 28. Likewise, the landowner must have expected the tenant workers he hired would take a good care of his vineyard so that their workmanship will bring a good harvest in the vintage time. However, these tenant workers killed all sent by the landowner, including his son, along with his servants. The servants and the son of the landowner were sent to the vineyard to inspect the condition of the vineyard and the workmanship of the workers. The fact that the workers killed them all suggests that they did not want their workmanship to be reported to the landowner for their poor work. The fact the workers killed the landowner’s son to illegally gain his inheritance reminds that they are not only unfaithful to their promise to the landowner but greedy to a point of committing murders to gain what they desire.

Unfaithfulness and greed are at least two vices represented by the tenant workers of the vineyard. And, unfaithfulness – infidelity is a theme to reflect in the Gospel Reading of the 26^th Sunday, Matthew 21:28-32, and greed may stem from envy, which can be a theme to reflect in the Gospel Reading of the 25^th Sunday, Matthew 20:1-16. In fact, the vineyard parable of Matthew 20:1-16 is given to his disciples in response to the self-righteous rich young man’s inability to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16-30). And it is about this paradoxical teaching of Jesus: “the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 19:30; 20:16) to remind that God’s generous grace can put those who are treated as the least in the world before those who are treated as the first in the world and envy those who are least in the world receiving God’s generous grace. The theme of envy in Matthew 20:1-16 is now reiterated as greed, along with infidelity theme from Matthew 21:28-32, in Matthew 21:33-44. Now, see how these three parables on the vineyard can be connected as the first two parables can lead to a point in the third one.

The third parable of the vineyard for the 27^th Sunday, Matthew 21:33-44, is not only about how infidelity and greed, stemming out of envy and jealousy, may result in the kind of judgement to have every privilege revoked and to be expelled from God’s domain, which is the Kingdom, symbolically represented by the vineyard. It also reflects what will follow God’s judgement on those who offended God with their infidelity and greed, given vv. 42-44.

As recorded in Matthew 21:42, immediately following the parable, Jesus cites Psalm 118:22-23, to speak of himself, as well as his impending death and what will follow his death, as he is fully aware that these religious leaders, to whom he confront and debate and speak the parable, are dying to kill him. Those who reject the stone are also those who killed the servants and the son of the landowner and received the due judgement.

To the new tenant workers of the vineyard, the stone rejected by the previous evil tenant workers become the delight cornerstone, juxtaposing the cornerstone for the restored Kingdom for the good harvest in the vintage time, while the stone will smash those who rejected and did evil to the vineyard and its owner’s servants and son into pieces. As the new tenant workers of the restored vineyard with the cornerstone, which was rejected by the previous workers, are the workers in the New Covenant, while the those who did evil to the previous vineyard and its owner’s servants and son, represent the hypocrites of infidelity and greed in the Old Covenant.

How God, the landowner, who set up the vineyard in His land and brought tenant workers, will judge the workers of infidelity and greed in the Gospel Reading for the 27^th Sunday, Mathew 21:33-44, is prophesized in the First Reading, Isaiah 5:1-7, more than 600 years before Jesus’ teaching of this. The workers of vices, lacking fidelity to the vineyard owner, cannot bring good harvest. And this will result of the owner’s revocation of all privileges of the workers, including their right to be in the vineyard. So, the Second Reading, Philippians 4:6-9 calls us to fidelity with no anxiety but with prayer, praise, and gratefulness to God, who provides everything so that we can keep up with the good work for abundant harvest in the fullness of time for the Kingdom. This is to keep us from falling into infidelity and other vices.

The Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20, is taken from Psalm 80, which is Israel’s lamentation and prayer for God’s restoration. In this Psalm, the Israelites see themselves as God’s vine and Israel as the vineyard, saved by God from a terrible soil of Egypt, recalling Passover into Exodus, upon lamenting how their infidelity to God, who saved, damaged their relationship with God – damaging their nation, God’s vineyard.

God’s response to this prayer in Psalm 80 is to bring the rejected stone in the time of the Old Covenant as the cornerstone in the New Covenant, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, as his blood from the Cross, filling the chalice of the Communion symbolizes the New Covenant ( Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 11:25). Because it comes with the accidence of wine made from good fruit of the vineyard as a result of the hands of faithful workers, through transubstantiation, the blood of Christ in the communion chalice calls us to these three vineyard parables. Therefore, the Holy Eucharist shall be the food and drink for us to remain faithful to keep up our good work in God’s vineyard until its vintage time, when the vineyard owner’s son returns to judge us, upon Parousia, when his Kingdom becomes complete on earth as it is in heaven.

Yes, the Kingdom is at hand (i.e. Matthew 3:2; 10:7; Luke 10:9, 11). The harvest time is at hand. The King is coming for the harvest. Are we getting ready to meet the King on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year for the harvest in the vineyard of the New Covenant?

October – the Month of the Rosary, St. Therese of the Child Jesus, and Mary

 It is fitting to begin the month of the Rosary with the memorial feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus.  Because praying the Rosary draws us closer to Jesus as Mary was so close to him. The Rosary guides us closer to Jesus through the perspective of his mother, Mary.

There is no other human being as close to Jesus as Mary is. After all, she is the mother, who let him grow in her womb, gave birth to him, and raised him together with her husband, Joseph. And, she followed him all the way to the Cross. Therefore, Mary is a model disciple of her son, Jesus, though she is his mother.

Not just because she is the mother to him but because of her perfect humility and obedience to God’s will, reflected in her words in Luke 1:38, 48, she is always one with her son, Jesus. Though it is not written anywhere in the canonical Gospels, but as mentioned in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola and by St. Pope John Paul II, Jesus visited Mary first upon his Resurrection. Furthermore, Mary followed him into heaven to be reunited with him there, after his Ascension through her Assumption into heaven, as the Queen of Heaven. She is the first human to be with Jesus in heaven, and we are to follow her path to be with him, Christ the King, in heaven. It was all possible because of Mary’s exceptional humility, which enables her to be obedient to God and His will for her.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus is also known for her extraordinary humility as she lived a life of spiritual childhood. She lived according to the spirit of Jesus’s words in Matthew 18:3, the child-like innocence is a necessary condition to enter his Kingdom, as true humility reflects such innocence. For St. Therese, “childhood” is not about an egoistic demanding child. Rather, her spiritual childhood means to like a life of child-like innocence. By this innocence, self (ego) becomes as little as possible while the soul is magnified with joy of being blessed by God, just as Mary sung her Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).

Though she was poor in a worldly sense, she was blessed abundant grace from God through her closeness to Jesus. And it was all possible, because of her spiritual childhood. Because of this, she made her self so little in order to draw herself closer to Jesus and to be blessed with what the world cannot give but only God, reflecting Jesus’ words on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3, as well as in Luke 6:20.

In order to be closer to Jesus, we must deny ourselves, as he has taught for the first condition of the discipleship (Matthew 16:24//Mark 8:34//Luke 9:23). And, St. Therese’s spiritual childhood life begins with denying ourselves. It is to see ourselves as nothing in relation to Jesus. And, this enables us to be obedient to his command – God’s command.

The First Reading for her memorial feast, Job 19:21-27, reflects Job’s struggle with God in his relation to Him, as Job’s problem with his suffering had a lot to do with his large ego, which made him rather self-righteous, typical to the perfectionists. The Gospel Reading, Luke 10:1-12, on the other hand, reminds that we truly need to deny our egos – we really practice self-denial  - to be sent out on mission as Jesus’ apostles. In other words, we must be like St. Therese of the Child Jesus, living a life of spiritual childhood of self-denial for innocence and obedience. And, only living a life of spiritual childhood qualifies us to proclaim that the Kingdom is at hand (Luke 10:9).

The spiritual childhood of St. Therese is not about striving to be spiritually perfect and righteous. Such an effort may make us like Job. Instead, it is to deny ourselves in order to draw ourselves and to be drawn closer to Jesus to have our souls be magnified with joy.

Yes, there is a juxtaposition of St. Therese’s spiritual childhood to Mary being the handmaid of God.

Let us keep this in mind during the month of the Rosary and whenever we pray the Rosary.

Contrite Hear to Return to Virtues and to Do God’s Will for the Kingdom with Humility – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

 From this Sunday (26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A), the Gospel readings for the rest of this liturgical year, which ends with the week of the 34^th Sunday (Christ the King Sunday), are taken from Jesus’ teaching during his last days in Jerusalem.  These are the days reflected in the Holy Week, which starts on Palm Sunday (Passion Sunday). As you remember, the Gospel reading for Palm Sunday Procession for this liturgical year was from Matthew 21:1-11. So, we know that what we read from the Gospel for the remaining Sundays  of this liturgical year are what Jesus preached in Jerusalem as his prophesized death was fast approaching. Below you see the Gospel readings for the Sundays of the rest of this liturgical year.

26th Sunday	Mt 21:28-32
27th Sunday	Mt 21:33-43
28th Sunday	Mt 22:1-14
29th Sunday	Mt 22:15-21
30th Sunday	Mt 22:34-40
31st Sunday	Mt 23:1-12
32nd Sunday	Mt 25:1-13
33rd Sunday	Mt 25:14-30
34th Sunday (Christ the King)	Mt 25:31-46

 

All of these are Jesus’ response to the Pharisees, and other religious leaders, upon agitating them by his cleansing act in the Temple (Matthew 21:12-17). During his last days in Jerusalem, Jesus had rather more intense arguments with the religious leaders, who were critical of his authorities (Matthew 21:23-27).  So, as you read and reflect the Sunday Gospel readings for the rest of this liturgical year, keep this in mind. There is a heavy  emphasis on the Kingdom with an eschatological tone to prepare us for the week of Christ the King Sunday to conclude this liturgical year.

The Gospel reading for the 26^th Sunday (Matthew 21:28-32) bears a similar pattern to the Gospel reading for the 25^th Sunday (Matthew 20:1-16a), because not only both of these Gospel narratives refer to the Kingdom with a metaphor of vineyard but Jesus makes a point in his teaching by contrasting two types of people. In Matthew 20:1-16a, the contrast was between the vineyard workers, who worked all day long, and the vineyard workers, who were recruited later, and therefore, worked less hours. On the other hand, in Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus draws a comparison between the two sons of the vineyard owner: the son, who said no to his father’s order to work but later changed his mind and actually worked, and the son, who said yes to his father’s order to work but did not work at all.

So, what did Jesus try to teach by making such comparisons, in facing those who challenge him during his last days in Jerusalem?

Basically, Jesus tells who are to be entitled to the Kingdom and who are not, pointing toward the eschatological judgement.

In Matthew 20:1-16a, the workers who worked all day long complained to the landowner that he paid the workers who worked less hours the same daily wage. To this, the landowner indicated to the complainers to go somewhere else if they did not like the way he manages the affair of his vineyard. This indicates that we may lose our privilege to enter into the Kingdom if we are not content with the providence of God, as well as grace of God, though Jesus paid the price for us, sinners, to be acquitted from condemnation and to be entitled to his Kingdom, on the Cross. In Matthew 21:28-32, a point Jesus makes is that what matters to our privilege for the Kingdom is to do God’s will.

Given the Gospel readings for the 25^th Sunday (Matthew 20:1-16a) and the 26^th Sunday (Matthew 21:28-32), Jesus’ message for us to prepare for the Kingdom at the eschaton is:

1.     To be content with what we have received from God, not to envy or to feel jealous about others for what they have received from God.

2.     To do the will of God for us, keeping our promises to His will, with humility recovered upon contrition.

In Matthew 21:28-32, the son who said not to his father’s command to work in his father’s vineyard but changed his mind and actually worked represents those who have been despised as “sinners” but actually have gone through metanoia and renew themselves, committing themselves to God and His will. Jesus gives an example of tax collectors and prostitutes for this type of people in the narrative. On the other hand, the son who said yes to his father’s command to work in the vineyard but never worked represents hypocrites, who are self-righteous but their actually behaviors do not match their professed faith and promise to God. And, according to Jesus, the religious leaders, whom Jesus responded to their challenge on his authority, are this type of people.

This teaching of Jesus really made no sense to those who questioned Jesus’ authority. They were so proud of themselves for their privilege in religious leadership and contemning toward tax collectors (Luke 18:11) and sinful women (Luke 7:36-39), such as prostitutes. And, it was their pride on their righteousness that kept them blind to their need of metanoia , thus, making them akin to the son, who promised his father to work in his vineyard but never did, though his brother, who refused but later changed his mind and worked. So, Jesus rebuked their self-righteousness and blindness to their need of conversion with these words:

When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him. Matthew 21:32

This is why Jesus told that sinners who repented, as John the Baptist called for, represented by tax collectors and prostitutes, are going to the Kingdom ahead of the self-righteous religious leaders, who refused to convert and therefore failed to do the will of God as the religious leaders. And in Matthew 23, Jesus goes extensively on sharply rebuking their hypocrisy, which matches the son who promised his work in his father’s vineyard but never did.

The contrast between the son who first refused to work but later changed his mind and actually worked and the son who first promised to work but never worked in the Gospel reading (Matthew 21:28-32) is echoed in the First Reading (Ezekiel 18:25-28), which contrast a virtuous person turning away from virtue and committing iniquity and a sinful person who turns away the sins that he or she committed and acts right and justly. Ezekiel prophesizes the former will be condemned but the latter will be saved. So, Jesus indicates that repenting sinners are going to the Kingdom ahead of hypocrites who fail to fulfill their promise to God because they are unable to recognize their need of metanoia, due to their pride in self-righteousness. 

If you think that you have nothing to repent because you are virtuous or righteous, you may be at risk of forfeiting your privilege to the Kingdom, for which Jesus has paid with his blood on the Cross. And, such mindset is leading you to the failure to do your work for the will of God, you are in danger to losing the privilege to the Kingdom.

Those who were anointed as the religious leaders started out with virtues and promised God to do His will. However, as pride kicked in and grew in them, they have turned away from virtues and begun to become hypocrites, failing to do God’s will – failing to fulfill their privileged vow to God. As in Zechariah 11:4-17, they have failed and become subject to God’s condemnation. And, it was their pride that really led them to fail.

This is why Paul in the Second Reading (Philippians 2:1-11) calls us for humility, which is exemplified by Jesus. Who else can be as humble as Jesus, who is God but dared to come to reach out to sinners in the world by incarnating with the human flesh and died for us? Has his act of redemption for us on the Cross wakened us up to repent our sins and serve the will of God, starting with self-denial to carry our cross?

In this Second Reading, Paul also discourages self-centeredness as it prompts us to fail as the those Jesus rebuked in the Gospel Reading and as those condemned by God in the First Reading. For us to keep our privilege to the Kingdom, Paul encourages us to do the will of God, putting others’ needs ahead of us. Namely, this reflects the spirit of Jesus’ Mandatum Novum (John 13:34-35). It is also incorporated in “los hombres (y las mujeres) para los demas”, an objective of Jesuit education, as Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, has put it. Namely, it is agape, and the Gospel Reading for the 34^th Sunday (Matthew 25:31-46) reminds us how important this is to the judgement to enter the Kingdom.

We are on the pilgrimage journey to the Kingdom, being on exodus from sins, with contrite heart for metanoia and reconciliation, with grateful heart so that we are content with God’s providence, and with humble heart so that we are aware of our need of metanoia, not falling into self-righteous blindness to fail to do God’s will.

Our eyes are more sharply focused on the Kingdom and the King as we have 8 more Sundays to go for the remaining of this liturgical year with the Sunday Gospel Readings from Jesus’ teaching in his last days.

Think Not as Humans but as God for the Kingdom – 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, A

Self-centric mindset is a major obstacle to the Kingdom and to our need to think as God does. In order to appreciate Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom through his parables, including the Parable of the Vineyard Workers, which is the Gospel Reading for the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, Matthew 20:1-16, we cannot think as humans do but to adopt the mind of God. But, how? 

By overcoming our self-centric human thinking through self-denial.

As long as we only think as humans, then, we will be like the jealous workers, complaining about the wage, misinterpreting God's generosity for unfairness, out of jealousy. 


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In explaining what the Kingdom of Heaven is like (Matthew 20:1-16), through the parable of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16), Jesus likens the Kingdom itself to the vineyard and God the Creator and Provider to the landowner. And, in this parable of the vineyard workers, the landowner goes out to recruit workers for his vineyard multiple times during the day. Some workers were brought in and started working early in the morning. But, other workers were recruited on the day and started working in later hours.

At the end of the long work day, each worker received their pay. And, workers who started working early found out that those who started working also received the same amount of daily wage – though they did not work long enough to receive the daily wage. So, they complained to the landowner, “These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat”(Matthew 20:12).

To this complaint, the landowner said, “My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? Or, am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?” (Matthew 20:13-15).

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If you happened to be one of these who worked all day long from the early morning and found out that those who started working much later and worked for much less amount of time also received the same pay as yours, how would you feel? Would you also complain to your boss? or would you be glad that you get what you deserved and also others get paid, as well?

It all depends on your mindset.

If you only think as humans do, then, you would feel jealous of those who worked less hours and received the same pay – and complain out of your jealousy. In thinking only as humans do, the focus of your mind is always on yourself. The human mind has been working this way ever since Adam and Eve committed Original Sin. Remember, both Adam and Eve were self-centered, thus being unable to take their responsibility but blaming another (Genesis 3:12-13). And it is because of hyperconsciousness to self, symbolized with hiding the genital area as an immediate result of Original Sin (Genesis 3:7).

In fact, if we only think as humans do, influenced by self-centric psychological dynamics, we tend to be blind to what God thinks. That is why Jesus rebuked Peter with these words, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do”(Matthew 16:23), when he tried to stop Jesus from going to Jerusalem as he was unable to see God’s will on Jesus to die and rise because he only thought as humans. And, Jesus indicated that we need to cultivate our mind to think as God does by self-denial, as it is a necessary condition for the discipleship (Matthew 16:24). In other words, we need to deny ourselves as Paul did by crucifying himself in order for Christ to live within (Galatians 2:20), in order to overcome the blindness inherent to human thinking and to be able to think as God does.

Jealousy arises in human mind when we feel what we have is  not enough as what others have or receive seems more in value – though it is not true, while envy is what human mind feels when we see another person having what we do not have.

The landowner indicated that the problem of the complaining workers is not on him being unfair but jealousy in their minds. They have already received what they deserve, as being promised by him. So, the landowner is fair to them. And whether other workers who worked less receive the same amount of daily wage or not is one of their business. It was their jealousy that mistakenly defines the landowner’s generosity to those who worked less as “unfairness”.  See, how a stain of Original Sin, self-centric propensity of human thinking, leads to distorted thinking through jealousy.

In jealousy, we feel not enough though we have or are given enough, because of our self-centric consciousness, which is a stain of Original Sin on human mind. The only way to overcome this problem is self-denial. That is why St. Ignatius of Loyola prayed hard to deny himself through these words:

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,\my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.

To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.

Give me only your love and your grace, that is enough for me.

This humbling prayer is known as “Suscipe”, which means “to receive” in Latin, and found in the Spiritual Exercise of St. Ignatius of Loyola (#234). This is how St. Ignatius denied himself by emptying himself as Jesus practiced kenosis when he was crucified, letting God receive all he had in him. By emptying himself, St. Ignatius was being filled and content with nothing but God’s grace.

When you are content with what you receive from God, God’s grace, would you feel jealous?

As long as we only think as humans do, we remain under the influence of self-centric psychological dynamics. And, we may misinterpret generosity to others as unfairness to ourselves, not only as the complaining vineyard workers did (Matthew 20:12) and the older brother of the prodigal son (Luke 15:29-30), because of jealousy, which is a product of self-centric psychological dynamics of human thinking.

Remember, to remain in the Kingdom, we must follow Christ. And, its first condition is self-denial, which is also the first step to be able to think as God does by overcoming inherent problem of self-centric human thinking, including jealousy and envy.

Now, as we become able to think as God does, we can also come to understand what Jesus meant by saying, “the last will be first, and the first will be last”(Matthew 20:16) in making his point about the parable of the vineyard workers to illustrate what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.

In the parable, the landowner began to pay the vineyard workers first with those who came to work last (those who worked for less amount of time) (Matthew 20:8). And, this suggests that those who are last in this world can be first to enter the Kingdom – that God’s generous grace is given first those who are last in the world. However, those who are first in this world but feel jealous of those who become first with God’s generous grace and in the Kingdom may not only be last but lose their place in the Kingdom, as reflected in the previous parable to this parable, the parable of the rich young man (Matthew 19:16:30). Both of these parables – the parable of the rich young man (Matthew 19:16-30) and the parable of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16) are about the Kingdom and are in pair. Both of these parables end with “last first, first last” contrast.

The Kingdom of Heaven is characterized “last first, first last”.  What does it mean? Does it mean that what is the world will be turned upside-down?

We need to be careful not to misunderstand by thinking like humans!

Does it mean that first in the world is always last in the Kingdom? Not necessarily so. But, it is certain, given both parables – the parable of the rich young man and the parable of the vineyard worker – that “the last” in the world to be the “first” in the Kingdom are those who have given up most in the world for the discipleship and not feeling jealous of those who have given up, according to the parable of the rich young man, and those who come to know the work for the Kingdom last in the world are those who receive first the benefits of the work, according to the parable of the vineyard workers. In addition, the parable of the vineyard workers also suggests that those who are the first for the Kingdom are not necessarily those who worked most in the world (cf. Ephesians 2:4-10).

The bottom line for the Kingdom and for us to appreciate Jesus’ parables on the Kingdom, characterized with “last first, first last” (Matthew 19:16-30 and 20:1-16) is to think as God does by self-denial. The first reading (Isaiah 55:6-9) is a humbling reminder to adopt God’s thinking as our thinking and God’s thinking are different. In the Second Reading, Philippians 1:20c-24, 27a, Paul encourages us to choose a life in Christ over our self-centric life so that we can let Christ be magnified in us as we act faithful to the Gospel of Christ. This way, what we give up in our self-centric life in the world is gain in our Christ-centric life (Philippians 1:21). The greater we give up in our life, the lesser we become in the world, and the first we may become in the Kingdom and the most we may enjoy God’s generosity.

Forgiveness – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

Forgiveness is ultimately for our own benefits - psychologically and soteriologically. But, we must live for Christ, not for ourselves.

No virtuous act is quite as virtuous from the standpoint of our friend or foe as it is from our standpoint. Therefore we must be saved by the final form of love which is forgiveness.

Reinhold Niebuhr, "The Irony of American History", University of Chicago Press (1952/2008) p. 63

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As the Gospel reading for the 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, Matthew 18:21-35, is the immediate sequence to the Gospel reading for the 23^rd Sunday, Matthew 18:15-20, it is important to refresh what we read and learned on the Sunday before.

In the Gospel reading for the 23^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A, Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus was teaching how they are to respond to a faith community member who has sinned against them. To this, Jesus presented three-step process to confront and correct the matter resulting from offenses: private conversation, conversation with a few, and public confrontation in the assembly (Matthew 18:15-17a). These three steps are for fraternal correction to prevent the Church from being fissured by the consequences of unattended offenses.

For the sake of preserving the harmonious unity of the Church, Jesus also taught that if a sinning member fails to repent and to reconcile after all these three steps, then, this member deserves to be expelled (Matthew 18:17b), echoing his teaching in Matthew 18:6-9. The spirit of this teaching is later applied to the nascent church in Corinth by Paul (1 Corinthians 1-13).

In fact, the purpose for Jesus to tell his disciples how they can facilitate repentance and reconciliation through fraternal correction with care is to maintain the harmonious unity of his Church. Though the Church was not yet born, Jesus had already given his disciples a blue print of how the Church should be. And Jesus told that he is present in our koinoinia as we gather in his name. It also means that he is certainly present in our ekklesia, namely the Church. And, as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, the Church is, indeed, one body of Christ, born of One Spirit, the Holy Spirit, with many parts, which are us. Jesus came to us as the Logos-Theos, incarnated in the human flesh, to dwell among us, so that he is with us in our gathering of at least a few in his name. But, for him to be with us, we should – our assembly – his Church – should be in harmonious unity. For this, Jesus wants all of us constituting the Church to watch each other with care to make sure offenses among us, sins among us, are not unattended but are fully addressed for repentance and reconciliation.  This fraternal correction practice to keep the harmonious unity of the Church, one body of Christ, in which we are its parts, is like our body’s immune system or self-correcting function during sleep. But, if pathology is beyond these function and threatens to affect the rest of the body, then, the problematic part of the body is surgically removed or amputated – to preserve the health of the body. That is why Jesus also gave a harsh teaching to remove such a member who stubbornly refuse to repent and be corrected to reconcile.  Such a person’s uncorrected sinfulness can bring negative effects to the rest of the community.

Now we know what to do if a fellow brother or sister in our faith community sins against us.  We practice fraternal correction. We do not ignore. Neither do we accuse nor judge him or her. Not to mention, we do not respond him or her with retaliation.

The Gospel reading for the 24^th Sunday, Matthew 18:21-35, takes off from Jesus’ teaching of fraternal correction for the sake of preserving the harmonious unity of his Ekklesia, which assembles koinoinias of his name, in which he is present. And it seems that Peter understood the necessity of forgiveness in practicing fraternal correction. So, Peter wanted to know more about forgiveness in practicing fraternal correction and asked Jesus how often we need to forgive, thinking as many times as seven times (Matthew 18:21). But, to his surprise, Jesus told Peter, “seventy seven times”(Matthew 18:22).  Of course, these numbers are not to be taken literally. By saying “seventy seven times”, Jesus was teaching that we should not put a limit as to how often or how many times we are to forgive those who offend us.

When Peter asked Jesus, if he would need to forgive as often as “seven times”(Matthew 18:21), he could have been thinking seven as the number of completeness, as it is so in the Old Testament thinking. It is because God’s Sabbath day is the seventh day (Genesis 2:2). And, when Jesus answered with the specific number of “seventy seven”, it is believed that Jesus was also reversing sinful Lamech’s boasting of his vengeance in Genesis 4:23-24.

Then, Jesus spoke a parable about a servant, who refused to forgive his fellow servant for owing him, even though his debt to his master was forgiven by the master (Matthew 18:23-35) to teach the importance of forgiveness.

This parable on forgiveness humbly reminds us that we have been in immeasurable debt of gratitude to God, because God has forgiven and redeemed us (Colossians 1:13-14; cf. Acts 26:18).  It is because God the Father is so merciful to us, as reflected in the Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12), because God the Son, Jesus, has offered himself as the ultimate Korban Pesakh (Passover Sacrifice), letting his blood save us from the wrath of God the Father (Exodus 12:1-13, 21-28; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29) and as Korban Chattat (Sin Offering )(Leviticus 16:6, 15-16) for atonement (kippur)(Galatians 3:13). There is no way that we can pay back what we owe God. But, God has forgiven our debt through the Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are like the servant, whom his master forgave his entire debt in the parable.

The question we must ask ourselves as often as “seventy seven times” – ask ourselves always is:  Are we also forgiving our fellow brothers and sisters, who sin against us or who offend us, as God has forgiven us? Or, are we refusing to forgive our fellow brothers and sisters, like the servant who treated his fellow servant mercilessly for not being able to pay what as owed to him?

The parable also reminds us that the servant, who refused to forgive his fellow servant’s debt but treated him harshly, was severely punished by his master, who forgave him when he owed him (Matthew 18:31-35). And, in concluding the parable, Jesus is challenging us:

Should you not have had pity (mercy) on your fellow brothers and sisters, as I had pity (mercy) on you? (v.33)

In other words, Jesus, our master, the Lord, is prompting us to ask ourselves, “Shouldn’t we be merciful and therefore forgive those who owe us and those who offend us, as God the Father has forgiven us through God the Son’s sacrifice and his blood?

Jesus further reminds us that if we do not forgive, then, we may face the kind of fate that the unforgiving servant had – punitive judgement. And, this is also reflected in the First Reading ( Ben Sirach 27:30—28:7), which rebukes the inability to forgive and holding grudge.

After all, forgiveness is ultimately for our own benefit and wellbeing. And this teaching from the Gospel Reading and the First Reading is also consistent with psychological research study by Ashley Ermer and Christine Proulx, “Unforgiveness, depression, and health in later life: the protective factor of forgivingness” in Aging & Mental Health, Vol. 20 (10), 2016, pp.1021-1034. Not to mention, our inability to forgive may cost our eligibility to enter the Kingdom at eschaton.

Finally, the Second Reading (Romans 14:7-9) gives a psychological insight as to what helps us to forgive and what can contribute to difficulty in forgiving. In this, Paul reminds us that our existence is not for ourselves but for the Lord. In other words, Paul gives psychological and existential insights that our life is not for ourselves but for the Lord. It means that we were born and given life to live on earth to serve Christ. Remember, the two main conditions that Jesus has taught for the discipleship? These are: self-denial and carrying our cross (Mathew 16:24), as reminded on 23^rd Sunday. In fact, self-denial and carrying our cross are closely related, because unless we deny ourselves, we would not be able to carry our cross.

The principle of self-denial is an indispensable psychological factor for us to forgive. But, if we are clinging to our ego, as we live for ourselves, then it is very difficult to forgive but we are more likely to hold grudge. As Paul has said in Romans 14:7-9, we are not living to cling to our ego but are living for Christ by overcoming ego (by denying ourselves) to the extent of giving up our own lives (carrying our cross). And as we live for Christ, then, we are more able to be like Christ. Therefore, as he has forgiven those who tortured him and put to death through his Father’s mercy (Luke 23:24), we are also able to forgive those who sinned against us and offended us – as we deny ourselves and live for Christ. This psychological insight is also empirically verified by Julie Exline’s study, “Forgiveness and the Ego: Why Hypo-egoic States Foster Forgiveness and Prosocial Responses” in “The Oxford Handbook of Hypo-egoic Phenomena”(2016), edited by Kirk Warren Brown and Mark R. Leary.

So, are you free from ego’s holding forces as you try to forgive your fellow brother or sister, who has offended you? Are you living for Christ, who has forgiven, as having denied yourself and thus living in the hypo-egoic state so that there is no obstacle in forgiving? Or, are you still living for yourself as having difficulty with self-denial, thus, also having hard time to forgive but tending to hold grudge?

Remember, we practice fraternal correction for each other with love and forgive one another from our hearts as these are our ways to love one another as the Lord has loved us. This way, the harmonious unity of Jesus’ Church, the health of one body of Christ, is sustained.

Pater Noster, Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris.