Paul's Reflections 22nd August, 2010 Twenty - first Sunday of the Year - C

22nd August, 2010 Twenty - first Sunday of the Year - C

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I had my own ironic version of todays parable played out for me … and I can tell you, I found it very confusing and upsetting. …..

It makes me think of the parable from today’s gospel……. I wonder what it would be like for me to be knocking on heavens doors and saying “let me in,.. look I have the badge and the membership… only to get the hear God say...... ‘who are you?” ...I don’t know you? I don’t know where you come from?”

that would be devestating .....… terrible….

Who we are goes with how we act.. how we live…. And how we respond to God’s invitation to be disciples….. we gain entry into the kingdom not by our badge of membership alone… but by being recognisable as a disciple of Christ by our love and faithfulness to God’s message….. by being true friends of Jesus … in act as well as name…. knowing Jesus and being known by Jesus….. in our lives and choices…. / The people listening to Jesus’ parable (his own people, the people of Israel), would be very concerned by his message and they would say what is on

the lips of the people in the parable. The people are really saying words to the effect of this: “But, we ate with you, we heard your teaching! We are your fellow People of Israel. We are the chosen people who have Abraham as our Father and the Prophets as our inheritance. We are the saved people, and the privileged people of God’s promise.” The shocking reply would be too awful to contemplate: “Sorry, I don’t know where you come from!” What does he mean ‘I don’t know where you come from?” They come from his own people, but this is not enough. People from other nations and cultures, who are not part of the chosen people, as welcomed into God’s family and God’s house ahead of those who have gotten cosy and self-satisfied in the presumption that their place in God’s house is assured. Jesus is warning all who follow him that a place in God’s house is offered to all who actually respond to his values and teachings and to his invitation, irrespective of their background and culture. It is a sobering reminder to us all that we need to be constantly open to God’s surprising wisdom and teachings. We must never fall for the trap of thinking that we have gotten the message and that we having nothing more or new to learn about God’s ways.

Jesus, throughout the Gospels, constantly has to teach his disciples that they have an enormous amount to learn, (a lifetime and beyond to learn), about God’s ways and God’s wisdom. Discipleship in Christ demands of us constant vigilance, an openness of heart and mind and a willingness to be transformed and changed by God’s wisdom. Jesus also seems to be inviting us to be welcoming and open to an ever-increasing group of people throughout the community and beyond, to whom God is also extending a warm welcome.

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REFERENCES:

· FR. PAUL W. KELLY