Day: August 19, 2020

MATTHEW 22: 1-14 “Fitness Into God’s Home”

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 22: 1-14 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (AUGUST 20, 2020)

Jesus continued speaking to them in parables: “This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven: A king gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the banquet, but the guest refused to come. Again, he sent other servants, instructing them to say to the invited guest, I have prepared the banquet, slaughtered my flattened calves and other animals, and now, everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’  But they paid no attention and went away, some to their farms, and some to their work. Others seized the servants of the king, insulted them and killed them. The king was furious. He sent His troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then He said to the servants, the wedding banquet was prepared, but the invited guests were not worthy. Go instead to the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast. The servants went out into the street and gathered all they found, good and bad alike, so that the hall was filled with guests, and he noticed a man not wearing a wedding garment. So he said to him, Friend, how did you get in without the wedding clothes?’ But the man remained silent. So the king said to his servants, bind his hand and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The Bible reading, captures the kingdom in heaven as a wedding celebration inviting guests to partake the banquet.  The king hosted the celebration in due preparation hoping all would come and take their share of the banquet.

The king (God) uses his servants (disciples of Jesus) to call upon the invited guest (the chosen people of God) for whom the banquet was prepared but they refused to come for their personal concerns like farms, works and numerous earthly concerns. Some of them gravely harmed and even killed the servants (persecution) behind divine efforts of reaching all. No doubt God would be furious, knowing invited guests were not worthy.

As the king commanded his servants to invite everyone in the street, the door of heaven is widely open to all of us not just the perceived good but included as will those who are bad and sinners.

As the king came to notice a man not in a wedding garment, teaches us that the banquet in heaven does require changing of oneself fitting for the occasion. Brothers and sisters, if we turn into deaf ears about the call of salvation and do not change, will be thrown into a fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth for eternity.

Finally, let us be reminded that heaven is preparing a banquet for all of us, God’s chosen people. The gate of heaven is about to be opened for those who are renewed befitting to the theme of the celebration for salvation and redemption. Befitting one through change is the toughest requirement in the banquet in heaven.

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MATTHEW 20: 1-16 “A Family Like Relationship with God”

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 20: 1-16 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (AUGUST 19, 2020)

This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven: A land-owner went out early in the morning, to hire workers for his vineyard. He agreed to pay each worker the usual daily wage, and sent them to his vineyard.

He went out again, at about nine in the morning, and, seeing others idle in the town square, he said to them. “You also go to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is just. So they went. 

The owner went out at midday, and, again at three in the afternoon, and he made the same offer. Again he went out, at the last working hour- the eleventh and he saw others standing around.  So he said to them, ‘why do you stand idle the whole day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ The master said, ‘Go, and work in my vineyard.“

When evening came the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wage, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ Those who had gone to work at the eleventh hour came up, and were each given a silver coin. When it was the turn of the first, they thought they would receive more. But they, too, received one silver coin. On receiving it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 

They said, ‘These last, hardly worked an hour; yet, you have treated them the same as us, who have endured the heavy work of the day and the heat. ‘The owner said to one of them, ’Friend, I have not been unjust to you.  Did you not agree on one silver coin per day? So, take what is yours and go. I want to give to the last the same as I give to you. Don’t have the right to as I please with what is mine? Why are you envious when I am kind?’

So will lit be: the last will be first, the first will be last.”

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The vineyard in this gospel reading resembles the kingdom in heaven from which all are part of. The Landowner is the Father Almighty. This passage is not telling us that the Father is the boss, instead a father of the family treating all as siblings.

When the evening came for the landowner to give the worker’s pay, all received the same amount, “a silver coin”, regardless of the time of actual work done.  The scenario is not to be understood in the relationship between the boss and an ordinary worker but more of being the Father (God) and the Son (workers) relationship. The Father always gives enough food for His siblings regardless of the nature and amount of work he is doing in a single day. Being the son of the Father who is in heaven, all are assured of His everlasting bounty.

An invitation by the landowner at varying times reminded us that today is enough for one to be saved on judgement day. Invited may happen to be the first, just now  and the last but regardless of when all  will receive the same and equal reward in the Father’s house in heaven. Just do not mind how others became Christians by way of comparison, after all, God knows what everyone really deserves towards the end of time.

Let us be reminded, that our response to God has nothing to do with our human feelings and understanding of others but instead it is about our godly feeling and consideration to others as all enjoin the cause of salvation in union with Christ and to the Father in heaven.   

Brothers and sisters, God is always on his way looking for all of us. He is not mindful of the time for us to respond but today really matters. Now is the right time to respond to God’s calling. Think about this. God is just a prayer away.

 

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MATTHEW 19: 23-30 “God Says: Today is The Right Time To Re-evaluate One’s Heart”

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 19: 23-30 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (AUGUST 18, 2020)

Jesus said to His disciples, “Truly I say to you:  It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”

On hearing this, the disciples were astonished and said, “Who, then, can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and answered, “For human beings it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Then Peter spoke up and said, “You see, we have given up everything to follow you. What, then, will there be for us?”

 Jesus answered“ You , who have followed me, listen to my words: on the Day of Renewal, when the Son of Man sits on his throne in glory, you, also will sit, on twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. As for those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or property for my Name’s sake, they will receive a hundredfold, and be given eternal life. Many who are now first, will be last, and many who are now last, will be first.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The Bible reading of today clarifies where a heart should belong, for most likely one’s heart belongs to where one’s possessions belong.

Jesus warned us by saying “Truly I say to you:  It will be hard for one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Yes, believe me: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for the one who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Why this? It is because in most cases one’s possession enslaved their hearts and it is perceived to be earthly rather than being heavenly.  There is a need for all of us to be extra careful of keeping our possessions which this bible passage strongly suggests not on this life on earth but in life in heaven with the father.  When Jesus ordered the young and wealthy man to sell all he have and give it to the poor to become perfect in the eyes of God having claimed to obey God’s commandments (MATTHEW 19: 16-22), He mean that those who are less around could be the conduit of earthly possessions into heavenly possessions.

What Jesus had ordered to the young man (which could be any of us) might be very hard but if he will surrender everything in his heart to the Father it would easier for him to give up earthly possession in exchange for the heavenly one. All this would be the same to all of us who desire God.

Brother and sister, God is worth more than anything of this life. Get ready to lose earthly nature and gain all the magnificence in heaven.

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