The Vineyard Laborer

Goodness From One’s Heart Lk 6: 39 – 45 8 th Sunday in Ordinary Time Introduction Our reading today highlights some of Jesus’ sayings about judging others and the cultivation of one’s inner spirit. Together, these sayings serve as important guides for our life as disciples of Jesus. The Gospel Our reading today teaches two important aspects of our life as followers of Jesus. The first one is about judging others. Jesus tells his disciples: “ Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit? No disciple is superior to the teacher; but when fully trained, every disciple will be like his teacher.” Then Jesus continues: “ Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own? How can you say to your brother: Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s ...

Loving Like God Lk 6: 27 – 38 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Introduction Today’s reading presents to us Jesus giving instructions to his disciples on how to treat others. Jesus exhorts his disciples to treat others well even if they themselves are not treated well. Love becomes the basis of how we relate with others, imitating God who loves everyone unconditionally. The Gospel This reading is a series of instructions on how Jesus’ disciples should relate with other people. Jesus tells his disciples: “ To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. In saying this, Jesus exhorts his disciples to put on love a...

God Alone Makes Us Blessed Lk 6: 17, 20 – 26 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Introduction Today’s reading is Luke’s version of the beatitudes. This version of the beatitudes speaks about the blessedness of those who do not enjoy what we may call the “good life” here on earth. On the other hand, those who already enjoy what seems to be the good life may after all end up not being blessed at all. The Gospel The reading today is Luke’s version of the beatitudes. Matthew’s version differs with that of Luke in a number of ways. First, the setting of Luke’s beatitude is on a stretch of level ground. In Matthew’s version, we see Jesus addressing the crowd on a hill, hence, the sermon on the mount. In Luke’s version too, Jesus addresses his disciples. In Matthew, however, he addresses the crowd. But the major difference between the two versions lie in their content. Luke’s version carries a certain clarity of message that is specifically addressed to the poor a...

The Power of His Word Lk 5: 1 – 11 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Introduction The Gospel today narrates to us Simon Peter’s great haul of fish after Jesus told him to go into deep water and lower his nets for a catch. This miracle moved Simon and his companions so much that they left everything to follow Jesus. The Gospel It was one of those days when Jesus was preaching by the Lake of Genesaret. There was a crowd there that pressed on him as they listened to him preach. Then Jesus saw two boats that were alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Luke then tells us that Jesus gets into one of the boats, the one that belonged to Simon. Jesus asked Simon to put out a short distance from the shore. Jesus then sat down and from there began to teach the crowd. After Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “ Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply: “ Master we hav...

A Common Jesus Lk 4: 21 – 30 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Introduction Our reading today speaks of how the people of Nazareth reacted to the words of Jesus in the synagogue. While they were at first amazed at his preaching, they eventually rejected him by driving him outside the town at the edge of the hill to throw him down the cliff. The Gospel Jesus was at the synagogue in Nazareth. There he read the passage from the prophet Isaiah and told his audience that the passage they have heard was fulfilled in their hearing. The reaction of the crowd was at first favorable. Luke tells us that “all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.” But somehow, some of the people in the synagogue began asking themselves: “ Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” This question came from a crowd who knew Jesus and perhaps have seen him grow in this obscure town. The question somehow revealed their amazement but at the same time their ...