My friends, in this day and age when it seems that the only answer to conflict around our beautiful world is war and the taking of human life, as opposed to the much harder work of communication and negotiation—give and take, coming to solutions, while maybe not perfect, are, at the least—just, in some ways, for all involved; I lift up the “hope” reflected in this weekend’s Scripture readings.  I will get to that in a bit. 

   In order that we might see the need for hope, based on faith, in the “best angels” around us, which someone said to me recently, I would like to name more of the seemingly “hopeless” words and actions that came to me this week.

• Without saying much by way of explanation, let me just lift up the U.S. House of Representatives and their apparent lack of leadership in being able to choose someone “to speak” justly for all of them.
• With heavy heart, I lift up the example of an innocent 6-year-old boy in Chicago, an Arab American, stabbed 26 times by his deranged land-lord for what cause? —fear, revenge? This makes as much sense as our Church saying that every beautiful baby born into this world comes with the stain of sin.  With regard to the first boy mentioned, as our president said in an address to the nation, and I paraphrase—revenge is never, ever right.
• And a final example, and then I will move on to more hope-filled ones: I saw a copy of our diocesan paper the other day and read that Bishop Barron, in heading to the Synod in Rome this month, went with a “concern.”  While acknowledging the “continental” hopes of those who answered the surveys in preparation, wanting more “welcome” for those who feel “alienated” from the Church, the bishop basically said, pastorally, it is “legitimate” that the Church be concerned, but at the end of the day, law always trumps love. And because I think it important for you to know how cut and dried, the bishop looks at this matter, here are his exact words: “But if the estrangement is caused by a deep disconnect between what the Church legitimately demands and the manner in which someone is living, then the needful thing is for that person to change his attitude.” Funny thing, my read of Scripture tells me that our brother Jesus came to say just the opposite—while we respect the law, which is almost never played out in people’s lives in black and white ways, but in hues of gray, love is always, always, the better choice. 

A final note is that “the very real hope” of our bishop that the “pastoral and properly theological dimensions will be a key work of the Synod,” is based on the Bible, the theological tradition, and the natural moral law.  To that I would say, as did theologian, Sister Sandra Schneiders, “the Bible was written by men, about men, and for men,” and theological tradition and natural moral order was constructed and put in place by men as well, seemingly inspired by a male God, so I wouldn’t depend on “voiceless” women or others on the fringes being treated very fairly or justly in all of that. 

   Before going on then, to what is more hopeful, let’s see first what the Scriptures have to say:  Isaiah, Paul, and Jesus—prophets all, speak to “hope” in different ways.  Isaiah reminds the people that throughout history, they have been known to be the “chosen” of God. With the completion of this “First” testament and the “Second” with Jesus, we come to know that we all,  each of us is “chosen” and should consider all others, regardless of age, color, gender, sexual expression—whatever, “God’s chosen” too.  With that in mind, it is interesting to think of both the Israelis and the Palestinians praying to the same God, to quote Isaiah, on behalf of God, “I am your God, there is no other.” 

   Paul says it a bit differently, “You are proving your faith by your actions, laboring in love and showing constancy in your hope in Jesus.”  If I might revert back to Bishop Barron’s “concern”—with regard to Paul’s words here—it would seem that the bishop does not have much hope that the Spirit “is continually renewing the face of the earth,” and may be calling us to a broader view than theological tradition.

   And finally, Jesus says in Matthew’s gospel for today, “Give to Caesar [what is his], give to God what is God’s.”   I will leave you to find the meaning for this one in your own lives.  In simple parlance though, for myself, I would say that Jesus’ words are about “showing up” and showing God’s love. 

   With that, I will end with two examples that give me hope in our troubled world:

• You may be aware of writer, speaker, Michael Perry—he’s a favorite of ours and one of his programs was on this past week on PBS. Suffice it to say, he came from a family of two loving and generous parents who not only cared for their own three sons, but took in many foster children, some of which they adopted, and always, for the most part, these were children few others wanted.  So Michael learned “generosity” and care for others, throughout his growing years watching his mom and dad, and other adults in action.  One story that he shared was about his 4^th grade teacher, a man who gave him a lesson to live by.  It seems that in this 4^th grade class of boys and girls, there was a girl whom, for whatever reason, was picked on and teased by the others, Michael included, he shared.  One day the teacher asked for a volunteer to go next door and help with a project. Everyone but the girl who was teased raised their hands. The teacher looked at her and said, “Why don’t you go!”     After she left, the teacher closed the door and spoke to the children.  “I want you all to know that when I asked for a volunteer, all of you raised your hands, except for her. She would not volunteer because of the merciless way that you always tease her about everything.  Michael said that he has never forgotten that story, that it was basically, a teaching moment. It’s good to remember, I think, the effect we can have on others.
• And finally, a story about a man I think most of you know who completed his life’s journey this past week—Dave Palmquist.  He was a naturalist for many years and opened up for many of us the wonders of our earth through plants and birds and all.  Dave had fought cancer for several years, and when his wife, Kathy asked where should she look for him in the night sky, as they always enjoyed looking at the stars together, he answered, “Look toward Orion.”  I read Kathy’s Facebook post out loud to Robert and when I finished, he said, “Do you want to hear something neat?  Sure, I said! “This morning, I went out in the dark, and looked up to see Venus, something I don’t regularly do, and do you know what I saw? Orion was right overhead, usually seen only in the winter sky!

   Both stories give me great hope friends—for I will always hold onto, and look forward to seeing the best from us humans, always, no matter what the present time might pre-sent!  Amen?  Amen!

My friends, I am sure that you, like me, have been appalled and saddened this past week by the start-up, once again, of active “war” between the Palestinians and the Israelis in the Middle East.  While I in no way condone the violence perpetrated by Hamas on the Israelis, when one looks at the years of suffering that the Israelis have dealt out to the people in Gaza, it is understandable that this unjust situation will “bubble up” and boil over from time to time. 

   It is most important that we as onlookers understand that this situation is multi-layered, and that violence has happened on both sides.  It is almost incomprehensible to me that Jewish people in Israel would be okay doing to the people in Gaza what was done to them during the Second World War.  The Gaza Strip has become a ghetto enforced by the Israelis, and when the “pot boils over,” “when enough is enough,” we unfortunately see the actions that Hamas did this past weekend. But let’s leave this for a bit. 

   Our readings for this Sunday are all about a God who walks with us “spiritual people here having a human experience,” as someone once said.  The fact that each of us started out as an “original blessing,” instead of being people who, “carried an original sin,” as Matthew Fox has made the case, should tell us something significant about how we are to act in our world. 

   Starting out as “spiritual beings” tells me that we will need to continually rise above the “human condition,” which is “imperfect,” responding to the “hurts in this world,” with less than perfect actions.  In my 73 years, thus far, I have found that most evil done in this world is not “black and white,” but “multi-layered.”  In other words, “nothing comes from nothing” –basic humanity responds as it has been treated. 

    But as Christians, or members of any other religious group, are we not called to more? I would think so!  The gospel from Matthew today tells the story of a ruler who has invited everyone to the wedding feast of his heir.  And of course, the ruler represents God.  This story should be familiar to each of us as it is the mission statement for our Vatican II parish –everyone is welcome!  If God can include us all, why would we not think that we are called to do the same, in the memory of Jesus, the Christ, truly our brother in our human sojourn.

   When I consider the conflict now, and in the past, between the Palestinians and the Israelis, it seems to me that one group of people can only enjoy “justice” if and when that same justice is available to others. 

   Hopefully, you can go deeper into the Gospel reading today and realize as others have, who have gone deeper, that the “wedding feast” is not so much, “a place” as an “attitude,” where, as I said above, “everyone is welcome.”  The “cloth” or the garment, we are told, is “our attitudes” toward life, and all of creation:  mercy, justice, long-suffering, and patience, to name a few. 

   If we simply stay on the surface of this parable, all we will see is a vindictive, ruler/ God.  Although, we might say that the apparent vindictiveness of God comes from the expectation that each of us, “will be, or strive to be, our “best selves” in our “human experience.” 

   Going back to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, I believe, “hopelessness” comes for people when the “cloth” is about “selfishness,” rather than, “justice.”  The other readings for today likewise give a picture of who each of us should strive to be in our world. 

   The prophet Isaiah says it simply: “God will wipe away the tears from every cheek.”  So must we!  At least, we must try.  The prophet Paul, writing to the Philippians gives us hope: “I can do all things through the One who gives me strength.”  And finally, we should take up the prayer of the psalmist today as we attempt to do the good each of us is called to in this world: “Shepherd me O God, from all my wants, from all my fears…”

   And because, “being good” can really be hard at times, I will end with the wisdom of a few others that I have shared in the past, in the form of “good quotes.”  The thing with a really good quote is that it is timeless.

• We cannot close our eyes to any form of racism or exclusion, while pretending to defend the sacredness of every human life. —Pope Francis
• Let us not seek the Republican or Democratic answer—but the right answer.  Let us not try to fix the blame for the past.  Let us accept our own responsibility for the future. —John F. Kennedy (for our Congress)
• Fight for what you believe in, but do it in a way that others will follow you. —Ruth Bader Ginsberg  (some in Congress might heed her wisdom)
• Everything is supernatural for those who know how to see. —Paul Tillich, Protestant theologian
• There are 1,000 ways to kneel and kiss the ground. —Rumi, 13^th Century Persian poet, Sufi mystic, and theologian
• Additionally, from Rumi, “You have to keep breaking your heart until it opens.” (I love this one!)
• If we had been holier people, we would have been angrier, oftener. —John Templeton, investor—who believed in a higher purpose beyond profit for profits’ sake. (Palestinian/Israeli conflict—just anger).
• And finally, from Sister Joan Chittister, Benedictine speaker and writer, “Do you want a test to know if your work in life is over, the philosopher asked?  If you are still alive, it is not!”  Sister Joan continues—as the rabbi and the disciple both well know, God needs us to complete God’s work. Now! Amen? Amen!

My friends, I generally love each season in nature as we experience them here in Minnesota.  Coupled with enjoying the physical changes that each season brings; I find it most spiritually uplifting to connect those changes with those in the Church Year, as we Catholics live through them each and every year. 

   Springtime here is bursting with “new life”—green shoots and buds, and all this comes forth from the formerly cold and barren ground of winter, often covered with snow.  Springtime proceeds into summer when growth, often in abundance, is present in the fields, gardens, and crops.  Autumn, or fall time, hints of a rest to come, as the multi-colored leaves literally “fall” from the trees as we are experiencing now.  Winter follows with seeming, barrenness, as our world “quiets” for a time, and silently prepares for a new season of growth. 

   I find that the seasons as we experience them here in the Midwest correspond beautifully with my spirituality as a Christian, as a follower of Jesus, our brother, the Christ.  Our readings today seem to be “summer and autumn” fare as both prophets, Isaiah, and Jesus, in the 1^st reading and the gospel, speak of “growth and the harvest.”   Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, calls for the people’s spiritual growth.  More on this later.

   As we move through the fall and into winter-time, and in our area, more cold and dark, the Church Year gives us Advent, a time of slowing-down, and preparation for the high feast of the Incarnation! Then, as we move through Christmas-time, the New Year, spring, and new life comes once again, the Church Year proclaims in a special way, the life-death-and resurrection of Jesus, our brother—the Christ! 

   The Church Year continues on through summer and into fall with the season of Ordinary Time which I have suggested in the past, might really be called, “extra-ordinary” because it is filled with so much challenge to be our “best selves,” in the footsteps of Jesus. 

   All of this then brings us right into the readings for today.  As already mentioned, Isaiah and Jesus speak of “God’s kin-dom” as a “vineyard.”  In the times when they wrote, 800 years apart, actually, “vineyards and the growing of grapes” was something the people understood.  Perhaps, not so much for many of us today.  But because Jesus always intends for us to go deeper, we can take his meaning into the present day, and think of a corn crop, a garden full of tomatoes, a family of children—perhaps. 

   Whatever our example may be in which to understand Jesus’ message today, each of us is called to “produce a crop.” Our “crop” should be as Paul describes it in the 2^nd reading today to the Philippians:

          “Your thoughts should be directed toward all that is true, that deserves respect, all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous…worthy of praise.”  [If you do all this], “the God of peace will be with you.”

   If we go back to the 1^st reading from Isaiah, and the gospel from Matthew, to make sense of what Jesus and Isaiah are actually talking about in the stories concerning “vineyards,” we can see, I believe, that each story is about “leadership.”  A “gift” is being left by the owner to those who are called “to watch over their respective vineyard.”  Again, place yourself into this story and determine whom or what, you as a follower of our brother Jesus, is called to “watch over and bring to harvest.” 

   Isaiah, in speaking to the people of Judah, tells them that they, “are God’s cherished plant…” In our own time, I have suggested to all of you, more than once, as someone else has said, “We are spiritual beings here, having a human experience.”  So, in other words, we might say, if “we are God’s cherished” [ones], then the very best is, first of all, expected of us, and equally so, hoped for us. 

   This past week, we celebrated the feast day of Francis of Assisi, one known the world over for his love of all of God’s creation –people, animals, and all that makes up the created world, naming each, “Sister or Brother.”  He lived his life in adulthood very simply, sharing what he had, bringing joy to himself, but more so to all others that he encountered.  It could be said that “he cherished” all of creation.

   And we can see by the hundreds/thousands over time who have followed him and his sister counterpart, Clare, how deeply many others saw the good of what he was doing in his life—basically following our brother Jesus. But, Francis’ earlier life, as a rich man’s son, indulging in all the trappings that such a life affords, was less than, “other-centered.”  He went off valiantly to fight in the Crusades, only to find that war was not glamorous, as he had assumed, being captured, and thrown into prison.  While in prison, he questioned deeply his previous life, hearing a call from God to make some changes. 

   My friends, our lives as present-day followers of our brother Jesus call us as well to make some changes if we have been comfortable to simply follow the status-quo—doing what is easier, when many in this world have far less than what is needed, on a physical level, but on other levels as well, to live in some comfort in this world.   There is much that is challenging in our present-day world and in a general way, we could say, all of it is about “good versus that which is not so good.” 

   As a Cojourner—one who “journeys” with the Rochester, MN Franciscan Sisters, I have spent the last several days with other Cojourners and Sisters at their annual General Assembly as we all pondered what our on-going future together will be. Before Francis died, he said to his brothers and sisters, “I have done what was mine to do, now you must discover what is yours to do.” This is the question all of us pondered these last days and for the greater Church, it is the prime question.

   Pope Francis has called the bishops of our Church to Rome this week and throughout the month of October in the 1^st of two meetings on “synodality” –in lay language— “journeying as the People of God.”  His intent, as I listen to him, is to discover more and more ways to “be one” in our world, listening to each other, finding a place for all, at our common table.  Now this is not to say that Francis, is as open as he should be to all the concerns of the People of God, but I find him, making the effort.  Hopefully, this process will give him a clearer view of women, and their calls to service, based on equality.  And this just may happen as a contingent of Roman Catholic Women Priests and Women’s Ordination Worldwide is in Rome advocating for this.

   Unfortunately, there is a movement within our beloved Church to move us backward, to be less inclusive, less welcoming—unless of course, one chooses to align themselves in a top-down style of Church with no input—only compliance.  Such as this, is what Francis will be up against at the Synod on Synodality.  We should all pray for this process because for many, change is so hard—it is about letting go of something that has been so comfortable—so easy, for us personally.

   But if the stories today about the “vineyards,” can challenge us in any way, it might be to come to the realization and question, that if all the People of God, don’t have access to the goods of this world, should any of us truly be comfortable enjoying them? This is what Jesus came to teach us, to challenge us to do in his place. 

   Unfortunately, we see much the same going on in our country today in the political realm—there is much self-centeredness, based on individuals getting ahead and seeing to their own needs as opposed to negotiating, listening to, and finding a way to get the most of what one might think is the way to go, yet allowing others some of what they feel would make our world a more fair and just place too.

   And sadly, we see this inability to come to a fair and just agreement for the good of all in the ages-old conflict, ignited once again this weekend between the Palestinians and the Israelis, especially in the Gaza Strip area.

   So, friends, whether in Church or State, in our nation, or around the world, we must move away from absolutes, this, or that, black or white, and find more of “a blend of color” wherein the “vineyard” can be shared by all. Amen? Amen!

My friends, this weekend once again, brings us to the section of the Church Year known as “Ordinary Time.”  As I have said in the past, Ordinary Time is a period, the longest of the Church Year, wherein there are no huge feasts—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, but a series of weeks wherein we are called to simply be “present” to our daily lives, checking again and again, with the words and actions of our brother Jesus, to see if our “footsteps” are more and more in line with his. 

   Paul’s words to the Philippians in the 2^nd reading today, say as much: “Conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel.”  With this thought in mind, I was struck by the fact that a number of Evangelical Christians met this past weekend in Iowa for what might be called, “political rallies” to hear Republican hopefuls for the presidency in 2024, speak their opinions/views on abortion and guns—against the first and for the second.  Politics aside, is it possible to be “for life” on one end of the continuum and against it on the other?

   I think my friends, if our own personal view is rather, “black and white,” with no middle ground, or we might say, “gray area” where any such decisions are not as simple, then it is easier to support life in the womb and deny it in light of the out-of-control gun issue in our country. 

   I found it interesting that the National Catholic Reporter (NCR) once again had an editorial commenting on the complaints of our local bishop, Robert Barron against Pope Francis’ attempts to make our beloved Church more inviting, welcoming to all, less “black and white” and more open to differing views, really trying to see if truth can be found in the differences.  Bishop Barron has called this, “dumbing down” the Church. 

   Now, as I think about this more, I would have to agree from a little different angle, in that what I see Francis doing is not, “dumbing down,” but “simplifying” the Church. Isn’t that what Vatican II was really all about? –making the Church more relevant to peoples’ everyday lives? 

   If one listens to Bishop Barron’s weekly pod casts, which I have done on occasion, you hear him quoting “supposed” scholars from the past, and other “influential,” in his mind, people, many of which I have never heard of, who apparently spoke to the importance of rule and law, (some have called this, “the Romanization” of the Church), and the bishop would have us go back there. 

   Bishop Barron speaks in scholarly tones that strike me as arrogant, and one gets the idea that, “he has the truth” and is unwilling to hear anything to the contrary.  When I consider his silence to our board’s invitation to speak with our faith community, and reflect on his “black and white” view of religion, and other’s personal belief systems, I am not surprised that he chooses not to meet with us, but, at the very least, not extending the pastoral care of a response, does surprise me if he takes his commission seriously.

   Sister Joan Chittister speaks of this desire of not just our bishop, but of many within our present-day Church, “to go backwards,” saying that “the trouble is, they haven’t gone back far enough!”  Of course, she is speaking of going back to “the message of Jesus.” 

   Moving onward then, the prophet Isaiah speaks of our God, in today’s 1^st reading as one who, “will take pity on us.”  And he continues, “Our God is so far above and beyond where we are,” simply meaning, God’s justice, mercy, understanding, and ultimately, love, comes out of a well so much deeper than any of us can go.  And really, we should be so glad of that—glad that our God is like this—wanting so much to be, “in relationship” with us, not to punish, or make us, “tow the line,” but simply to know us and to love us.  The psalmist says of it, “O God you are near to all who call…”

   Then, my friends, let’s look to the Gospel selection from Matthew today; one that for most humans, is hard to understand, and even to the point of seeming “unjust” in many ways.  If we are looking at this story in a purely “black and white” way— “an hour’s pay for an hour’s work” than the beauty, and real justice of the story will be missed on us. 

   Before even reading this Gospel, or any for that matter, we must remember that Jesus always calls us to go deeper, expects us to respond, “outside the box,” stand apart, often times, from the status quo.

   Several other things are also important to keep in mind in teasing out this story. We must remember, as the prophet Isaiah said, “God’s ways are not our ways.”  We can probably be glad of that too when we see how some are treated in our world with much less justice, mercy, and love simply because of the color of their skin, their gender, who they love, their culture, their age and so on.  It is good that the Cosmic Christ, (a God for us all) doesn’t treat each of us, not carrying any of these human-made burdens in like manner!

   Our most, inclusive God, who loves us beyond all imagining—in an over-the-top way, represented by the owner of the vineyard, perhaps knows some things about these “last” workers that aren’t obvious to others looking at the picture on a surface level.  This owner may realize that the workers chosen at the end of the day would have worked the whole day if they had been given the chance. 

   It is kind of like picking sides for ball teams, queen, or king of the mountain—the best, and the strongest are always chosen first.  The worker chosen last has every bit as much need of a full day’s pay as those originally given the chance. 

   This story reminds me of a news piece I heard this week about those incarcerated, and the struggle they experience in finding work once they are released. As one woman said who had, “done her time,” improving herself through education while in prison, “I keep paying for what I did, because the fact that I am ‘felon’ goes with me on every job application. Is it right, she asks, that this should be the case?”  Jesus, in today’s Gospel, says, in my read, “No.” 

   The God of today’s readings my friends, is one of “relationships,” wanting, “to be near,” as the psalmist says, wanting us to become our best by challenging us to live-in- line with the gospel messages.  This same God, has, “pity on us” when we don’t do our best, and always gives us another chance, if we want it.  And finally, our God knows what we need before we ask, and walks with us, ready to supply, when we do ask, as is depicted so beautifully in today’s gospel.  Even though we humans may not show up when needed, or forget, our God never does.  Amen? Amen!