These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus, but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." So to them Jesus addressed this parable. "A man had two sons, and the younger son said to his father . . . . (Lk 15:1-3, 11-32)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031123.cfm
They say that context is everything. Well, chapter 15 of the Gospel According to Luke, gives us the context for understanding three parables of Jesus: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, the Lost Son. The context of course is the Eating & Drinking with Sinners which is one of the earliest and most cherished memories the church has about the Eucharist because it answers the question about who is welcome at the Table of the Lord.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes? (Mt 21:33-43, 45-46)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031023.cfm
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants is extremely important because of its location so close to the Passion Narrative in the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew & Luke). Today’s quote from the Psalms is a key passage for the early church in its preaching of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus. The story of the Patriarch Joseph in the Book of Genesis is a masterpiece of salvation history and sets up the exciting story of the Exodus from Egypt. As the Responsorial Psalm reminds us: Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
Jesus said to the Pharisees: "There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day. And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Dogs even used to come and lick his sores. (Lk 16:19-31)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030923.cfm
The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man has been confusing for some because of the name Lazarus and because the story is actually a parable. The Lazarus of the parable is NOT the Lazarus of Bethany who is the brother of Martha and her sister Mary. During the Middle Ages, folks confused the Lazarus of the parable, who is covered with sores, as a leper, and so “Saint Lazarus” became the patron saint of lepers, leprosaria and lazarettos. In the parable the sin of the rich man is that he never even sees the beggar lying in front of his door.
Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink.” (Mt 20:17-28)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030823.cfm
The chalice Jesus is speaking of is the chalice of his suffering. But the audacity of the request to sit at the right and left of Jesus in glory and when Jesus asks, “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” the glibness of the response: “Sure, we can!” Then the others get angry with James and John because they didn’t think to ask Jesus first. So the poor Lord has to sit them all down and give them “a learning” as we say in the South.
The greatest among you must be your servant. (Mt 23:1-12)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030723.cfm
True greatness in the church has always been defined in terms of service, not in terms of apostolic power. The most cherished title of the Bishop of Rome is “Servant of the Servants of God.” As Jesus said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
