Study and Meditations on this Sunday's Scripture Readings: March 6, 2011

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From the 1859 Haydock Commentary with DRV text:

…Perseverance in the practice of Christian virtues.

*21 Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father, who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Ver. 21. Here Jesus Christ shews, that it is not sufficient to believe in him and hear his words, but that in order to salvation, we must join works with faith; for in this shall we be examined at the last day. (Menochius) — Without faith they could not cry out,* Lord, Lord. *(Romans x.) But the strongest faith without the works of justice, will not be available to salvation. (1 Corinthians xiii.) (Bristow) — Many who have the Lord continually in their mouths, but care little about putting on the Lord, or penetrating themselves with his true spirit, will find their presumption, and the false consciences they have made to themselves, wofully disappointed. (Haydock)

*22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many wonderful works in thy name?

**Ver. 22. ***Have not we prophesied in thy name? *The gift of prophecy, and of doing miracles, may sometimes be granted to bad men, as to Caiphas, and Balaam. (Witham) — Under the name of prophets, the Hebrews comprised not only such as predicted future events, but also in general all such as gave themselves out for inspired, or who undertook teaching and interpreting the holy Scriptures; and here by *prophesying *is understood, in a general acceptation, all public functions, predicting futurity, expounding Scripture, instructing the people, preaching, &c. (Bible de Vence)

*23 And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

**Ver. 23. **So as to approve and reward your works. Here he shews that even prophecy and miracles will not save us without good works. (Menochius) — How much less will faith, unassisted by good works, preserve us from condemnation. (Haydock) — The gift of miracles is bestowed on men not for their own good, but for the advantage of others. We must not then be surprised if men, who had indeed faith in Christ, but whose lives did not correspond with their faith, should be honoured with these extraordinary gifts, since the Almighty sometimes employs as his instruments in working similar wonders, men destitute both of faith and virtue. Balaam, void of faith and probity, still by the will of God, prophesied for the advantage of others. To Pharao and Nabuchodonosor were revealed future events of the greatest moment; and the wicked Judas himself cast out devils. Therefore St. Paul said, “if I had all faith so as to remove mountains, and if I knew all mysteries, and was possessed of all wisdom, but had not charity, I am nothing.” (St. Chrysostom, Hom. xv.)

Continued on the next post…

 

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*24 Every one, therefore, that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock.

**Ver. 24. **In the Greek text, “I will compare him;” an apposite comparison, to shew the necessity of good works. It is the duty of each individual to erect this spiritual edifice of good works in the interior of his soul, which may be able to resist all the attacks of our spiritual enemy: whilst those men who have true faith and no works are compared to a fool, and are sure to perish. (Menochius) —Here again our Saviour dispenses his rewards to such as order their lives according to his instructions; but as before he promised the kingdom of heaven, divine consolations, and other rewards, so here he promises them the numberless blessings attendant on virtue in this life. The just alone are surrounded with virtue as with a strong guard, and amidst the high swelling waves of worldly troubles, enjoy a calm and unchangeable tranquillity. Thus was Job strengthened by his virtue against the attacks both of men and satan. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxv.)

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.

**Ver. 25. *The Scribes and Pharisees only explained the law, and laid open the promises of Moses, whereas our Saviour gives new laws, and makes new promises in his own name; But I say to you, &c. The energy also with which our Saviour spoke, together with the miracles which he wrought, had far greater influence on the minds of the people than the frigid manner in which the Scribes delivered their doctrines. (Menochius)
*
26 And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.

Ver. 26. Nothing can be more foolish than to raise an edifice on sand: it carries punishment with it, causing indeed abundance of labour, but yielding neither reward nor repose. The slaves of malice, luxury, and voluptuousness, labour in the pursuit of their desires, yet not only receive no reward, but, on the contrary, the greatest punishment. They sow in the flesh, from the flesh they shall reap corruption. (Galatians vi.) (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxv.)

27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.

**Ver. 27. **Such again shall be the end of all false prophets. Their death shall be in the same proportion, ignominious and miserable, as their life had been glorious and attractive. They shall be punished with so much greater severity, than others, as their sins have proceeded from greater knowledge and greater malice. (Haydock)

 

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Other thoughts and commentary on the Gospel Reading…

21 "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven: Those who called on the name of the Lord" was the usual description of Christians when Matthew wrote his gospel. To be a Christian, it is not enough to profess oneself a Christian; one must live as one. Devout invocation of Jesus as Lord and the reception of the charismatic gifts do not guarantee that one is a genuine disciple. Saint Paul tells us that these gifts are in vain if we do not also have love (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
**
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven: **The law by which the true Christian must live is the law laid down by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount, which he is just concluding. This law he calls the “will of his Father” who is in heaven.

**22 Many will say to me on that day: **On the day in which the individual appears before Jesus for judgment, at the end of their earthly life
**
‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’: **When the unfaithful Christian finds that he is not being welcomed into heaven, he will begin to enumerate all the miracles he worked in Christ’s name. But the possession of the charismata which was common in the infant Church, was no proof that the possessor was himself a true and loyal follower of Christ. St. Paul tells the Corinthians (1 Cor. 13: 1-3) that if he possessed all the supernatural gifts granted to the Church, but had not true love of God and neighbor, they would profit him nothing, they would not make him a true Christian.

**23 Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’: **This formula of reprobation comes from Psalm 6:9 and is directed at false disciples within the Christian community. Christ will not know them. He will never have known them for they were not members of his flock. He will order them away from his company, that is, from heaven, for they have proved themselves unworthy of it by their evil deeds. They were nominal Christians only. In practice and in reality, they disobeyed Christ and his laws.

**24 "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock: **He uses a parable now to stress his point. The Christian who heeds his Sermon (“these words”) and lives by its teaching, is building his house on a rock, a solid foundation. Difficulties and trials will test him, but he will stand firm, as a house on the rock can withstand the storms and the floods. This is truly a challenge to action: merely understanding the words and not acting on them is not a sufficient response.
**
25 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.

26 And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand: **The nominal Christian may know all the teaching of Christ, but unless he puts it into practice he is building his house on sand. It will fall when the first storm and flood come.

27 The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house: In Palestine, large houses and public buildings were built on foundations; the ordinary dwelling was not. What Saint Paul envisions here is a river in flood which would erode the slopes of the hills and those buildings which were not anchored to the bedrock would be swept away as the soil was eroded from beneath it. The Palestinian winter rains often had this effect. It is action, not knowledge or profession of belief, that furnishes the secure foundation for the life of the disciple; and the love, without which Saint Paul says the charismatic gifts are in vain, is action, not mere profession of belief. If we are to stay strong in times of difficulty, we need, when things are calm and peaceful, to accept little contradictions with a good grace, to be very refined in our relationship with God and with others, and to perform the duties of our state in life in a spirit of loyalty and self-denial. By acting in this way we are laying down a good foundation, maintaining the building of our spiritual life and repairing any cracks which make their appearance.
**
And it collapsed and was completely ruined: **Or, *Great was the fall of it *(RSV). Great surely was the fall of the man who could be in heaven for all eternity but failed, because he found the keeping of the Christian laws for a few short years too onerous.

 

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Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs referencing Matthew 7:21:21-27

**1821 **We can therefore hope in the glory of heaven promised by God to those who love him and do his will.92 In every circumstance, each one of us should hope, with the grace of God, to persevere "to the end"93 and to obtain the joy of heaven, as God’s eternal reward for the good works accomplished with the grace of Christ. In hope, the Church prays for "all men to be saved."94 She longs to be united with Christ, her Bridegroom, in the glory of heaven:

*Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one. Dream that the more you struggle, the more you prove the love that you bear your God, and the more you will rejoice one day with your Beloved, in a happiness and rapture that can never end.*95

1. Cf. Rom 8:28-30; Mt 7:21.

1. Mt 10:22; cf. Council of Trent: DS 1541.

1. 1 Tim 2:4.

1. St. Teresa of Avila, Excl. 15:3.

1970 The Law of the Gospel requires us to make the decisive choice between “the two ways” and to put into practice the words of the Lord.26 It is summed up in the Golden Rule, "Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; this is the law and the prophets."27

The entire Law of the Gospel is contained in the “new commandment” of Jesus, to love one another as he has loved us.28

1. Cf. Mt 7:13-14,21-27.

1. Mt 7:12; cf. Lk 6:31.

1. Cf. Jn 15:12; 13:34.

**2611 **The prayer of faith consists not only in saying “Lord, Lord,” but in disposing the heart to do the will of the Father.70 Jesus calls his disciples to bring into their prayer this concern for cooperating with the divine plan.71

1. Cf. Mt 7:21.

1. Cf. Mt 9:38; Lk 10:2; Jn 4:34.

2826 By prayer we can discern “what is the will of God” and obtain the endurance to do it.108 Jesus teaches us that one enters the kingdom of heaven not by speaking words, but by doing "the will of my Father in heaven."109

108. Rom 12:2; cf. Eph 5:17; cf. Heb 10:36.

109. Mt 7:21.

 

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Some questions for personal study and reflection on this Sunday’s Readings:

* In the 1st Reading, Moses instructs the Israelites who are about to enter the Promised Land to bind the Law to their foreheads and wrists (which many observant Jews literally do to this day). In light of his opening words in this Reading, how can we do this spiritually today?

* According to St. Paul in the 2nd Reading, we are justified (brought into a right relationship with God) through faith in Jesus and by God’s grace, i.e., his unmerited gift to us. Thus we are not made right with God though any kind of “works” done under our own power. However, does that mean that our “works” have no bearing at all on our salvation? (see James 2:24, 26;  Rom 2:6-8; Matt 5:17-20; Matt 7:15-20; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12; Matt 25:31-46)

* In the Gospel Reading, what was the fault of the “evildoers” in verse 23? If the ability to prophesy, drive out demons and perform miracles is not what Jesus meant by doing the will of the Father, what is?

* How do the two house builders reflect the people who heard Jesus What kind of commitment is Jesus calling for here? What is the alternative?

* Would you say your foundation is on solid rock? Or on sand, but with a nice view? What would you have to tear down to solidify that foundation? How do you need others to help you in that process?

* At this point in your life, is your pressing need to learn more, or to practice what you have already learned?

* How often do you make use of the normal means of growing in holiness, particularly prayer and the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist?

 

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A meditation on the Gospel Reading for practical application from Catholic Matters:

**APPLICATION: **To be a Christian, to be called to follow Christ and to become an adopted son of God, and an heir to heaven, is surely a divine gift. There are millions who have not got this call, but, as it is not their fault, God can and will find other ways of bringing them to heaven. They too are heirs to heaven, because of the Incarnation Having the express call, as we have, and having learned what is expected of us, is only the beginning of our climb to heaven. We must be active, living Christians every day of our lives. We know this, not on the authority of any saint or Apostle, but on the authority of Christ himself.

Nominal Christianity will get no one to heaven, he tells us. Only those who have led their daily lives, according to the rules he laid down, will hear the welcome words on his judgment day: “come you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you.” The rules he laid down were summarized by Christ in another place: “Love of God and love of neighbor, on these two commandments stand the whole law and the prophets too” (Mt. 22: 34-40).

True love of God and true Christian love of neighbor though they may sound easy, will make great and sometimes severe demands on the true Christian. The love of neighbor may be the harder of the two. We have so many reasons for loving God, for thanking and adoring him. But the neighbor, who often seems so unworthy of our charitable help, who is so often ungrateful, how difficult it is for weak nature to continue being kind and helpful to him! Yet it is by our true love of neighbor that we prove our love for God, as St. John tells us, when he says: “Anyone who says ‘I love God’ and hates his brother is a liar” (1 Jn. 4: 20). This is strong but true language.

Love of neighbor, and of all neighbors, does not come to us all of a sudden. There are those we naturally like, and those who somehow repel us. It is the latter we must learn to love. This education begins in the home; children will in ninety cases out of a hundred, imitate their parents when they grow up. If children see true respect and reverence for God and his laws put into practice daily in the home, they too will reverence God and his laws, when they leave the home. If they see that their parents are kind in word and deed to the neighbors who are less fortunate, they too will practice true charity when the time Comes.

There are millions of nominal Christians in our world today. The blame for this can, in very many, if not most cases, be laid at the door of their parents. What a judgment these parents will have to face! Not only will they have to admit their own personal sins but they will be held responsible for the sins of their children perhaps for several generations to come.

Parents, you have a grave obligation to provide food and clothing and an education for your children. It is your duty to see to it that they can earn a living for themselves in this life. You have a graver obligation still to prepare and educate them, by words and especially by example, so that they can earn their true living—the eternal life God intends for them, the life for which Christ lived and died, so that they might have the true life and have it more abundantly.

But doing this, you will not only be building your own spiritual house on a rock, you will also be laying a solid foundation for the spiritual lives and homes of the generations that will come after you.

 

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From “The Word Among Us” magazine:

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.” (Matthew 7:24)

This wonderful saying from Jesus is more than just a protection plan. He doesn’t want just to shield us in times of crisis. He wants to bless us every day—and he knows that his blessings will flow as we build our lives on his word.

So what kind of blessings can we expect? One is the knowledge of his unconditional love for us. Who are we that God would love us? We sin against him time and time again, but he never abandons us. His love doesn’t dry up when we fall into sin. In fact, it burns all the brighter as he waits eagerly for us to turn back to him.

Another blessing is forgiveness. As far as the east is from the west— that’s how far God throws our sins (Psalm 103:12). And that depth of forgiveness cleanses our consciences from all guilt and shame. It empowers us to love people, even our enemies, because we know how much God loves us. His forgiveness makes us into a source of strength to those in need and a beacon showing others the way back to him.

Another blessing is God’s mercy. Deeper than forgiveness for each individual sin, his mercy has to do with his compassion for us, his steadfastness and faithfulness toward us. It’s his entire disposition every time he looks at us—always wanting the best for us, always wanting to lift us up and draw us closer to his heart.

These are just a few of the blessings that we experience when we build our spiritual house on Christ and his word. Given the readings, today is a very good day to thank the Lord for laying such a strong foundation for you—and to tell him that you want to follow him with all your heart. So give him your life today, and watch as the blessings flow!

“Yes, Lord, I want to listen to you and obey your word. Come and be my rock and my foundation.”

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

1. In the first reading, Moses offers the people a choice of a blessing or a curse – “a blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord … a curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 11:26-27). How would you describe the blessings and curses that come from obeying and disobeying God’s commandments?

1. The responsorial psalm is an uplifting psalm that uses many terms to describe the Lord, for example, he is our rock of safety, our refuge, our deliverer, our stronghold, our rock, our fortress, and our hope. What do these terms mean to you? Which ones has the Lord actually demonstrated in your life?

1. St. Paul tells us in the second reading that “a person is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Romans 3:28). However James tells us that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). How would you reconcile these two Scripture passages? What are the things in your life that tend to weaken your faith? What are the things in your life that strengthen your faith? How can you decrease the former, while increasing the latter?

1. In the Gospel, Jesus says that “everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand.” Why is this so?

1. The meditation lists the blessings we receive from the Lord when we listen to and obey his word including his unconditional love, his forgiveness, and his mercy. In what ways have you experienced these blessings? What are the obstacles in your life that keep you from experiencing them more deeply? What steps can you take to overcome them?

1. Take some time now to pray for the grace to listen better to the Lord’s words and to obey them more faithfully. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as a starting point.

 

[Fidelis]

Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Old Calendar: Quinquagesima Sunday
Excerpted from *The Sunday Readings *by Fr. Kevin O’Sullivan, O.F.M.
From the Catholic Culture website:

The first reading is taken from Deuteronomy 11:18, 26-28., 32. The book of Deuteronomy is a book which, according to Hebrew tradition, was written by Moses for the laity; the book of Leviticus having been written for the Levites; the priests. The central focus of Deuteronomy is an understanding of the Law in terms of the Covenant which the Israelites have with God as His chosen people. This book not only gives the covenant in listing the blessings and curses associated with it, it also details the successes and failures of Israel’s checkered history in terms of fidelity and disregard. On the 1st Sunday in Lent (Cycle A) we hear of Jesus’ temptation in the desert and how He answers these temptations from the sections of Deuteronomy which tell how Israel failed the same temptations and what the correct response was.

The second reading is from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans 3:21-25., 28. Romans 3:21 begins a new section of the Letter to the Romans, a section which is a discourse on salvation and extends all the way to 8:29. This new section is in contrast to Romans 1:28 which describes the history of Israel and her inability to live up to the covenant relationship she had with God: “And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God handed them over to their undiscerning mind to do what is improper.”

The Gospel is from St. Matthew 7:21-27. To be a Christian, to be called to follow Christ and to become an adopted son of God, and an heir to heaven, is surely a divine gift. There are millions who have not got this call, but, as it is not their fault, God can and will find other ways of bringing them to heaven. They too are heirs to heaven, because of the Incarnation Having the express call, as we have, and having learned what is expected of us, is only the beginning of our climb to heaven. We must be active, living Christians every day of our lives. We know this, not on the authority of any saint or Apostle, but on the authority of Christ himself.

Nominal Christianity will get no one to heaven, he tells us. Only those who have led their daily lives, according to the rules he laid down, will hear the welcome words on his judgment day: “come you blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you.” The rules he laid down were summarized by Christ in another place: “Love of God and love of neighbor, on these two commandments stand the whole law and the prophets too” (Mt. 22: 34-40).

True love of God and true Christian love of neighbor though they may sound easy, will make great and sometimes severe demands on the true Christian. The love of neighbor may be the harder of the two. We have so many reasons for loving God, for thanking and adoring him. But the neighbor, who often seems so unworthy of our charitable help, who is so often ungrateful, how difficult it is for weak nature to continue being kind and helpful to him! Yet it is by our true love of neighbor that we prove our love for God, as St. John tells us, when he says: “Anyone who says ‘I love God’ and hates his brother is a liar” (1 Jn. 4: 20). This is strong but true language.

Love of neighbor, and of all neighbors, does not come to us all of a sudden. There are those we naturally like, and those who somehow repel us. It is the latter we must learn to love. This education begins in the home; children will in ninety cases out of a hundred, imitate their parents when they grow up. If children see true respect and reverence for God and his laws put into practice daily in the home, they too will reverence God and his laws, when they leave the home. If they see that their parents are kind in word and deed to the neighbors who are less fortunate, they too will practice true charity when the time Comes.

There are millions of nominal Christians in our world today. The blame for this can, in very many, if not most cases, be laid at the door of their parents. What a judgment these parents will have to face! Not only will they have to admit their own personal sins but they will be held responsible for the sins of their children perhaps for several generations to come.

Parents, you have a grave obligation to provide food and clothing and an education for your children. It is your duty to see to it that they can earn a living for themselves in this life. You have a graver obligation still to prepare and educate them, by words and especially by example, so that they can earn their true living—the eternal life God intends for them, the life for which Christ lived and died, so that they might have the true life and have it more abundantly.

But doing this, you will not only be building your own spiritual house on a rock, you will also be laying a solid foundation for the spiritual lives and homes of the generations that will come after you.

 

[qui_est_ce]

Ready for mass today. Thanks!

 

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You’re welcome-- Always happy to help! :tiphat:

 

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A meditation on today’s Gospel from the Daily Scripture Reading & Meditation website:

"Like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand"

**Scripture: ** Matthew 7:21-27

**Meditation: **What kind of foundation are you building your life on? When Jesus told the story of the builders he likely had the following proverb in mind: When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm for ever (Proverbs 10:25). What’s the significance of the story for us? The kind of foundation we build our lives upon will determine whether we can survive the storms that are sure to come. Builders usually lay their foundations when the weather and soil conditions are at their best. It takes foresight to know how a foundation will stand up against adverse conditions. Building a house on a flood plain, such as a dry river-bed, is a sure bet for disaster!

Jesus prefaced his story with a warning: We may fool others with our speech, but God cannot be deceived. He sees the heart as it truly is – with its motives, intentions, desires, and choices (Psalm 139:2). There is only one way in which a person’s sincerity can be proved, and that is by one’s practice. Fine words can never replace good deeds. Our character is revealed in the choices we make, especially when we must choose between what is true or false, and good or evil. Do you cheat on an exam or on your income taxes, especially when it will cost you? Do you lie, or cover-up, when disclosing the truth will cause you pain or embarrassment? A true person is honest and reliable before God, neighbor, and oneself. Such a person’s word can be taken as trustworthy. What can keep us from falsehood and disaster? If we make the Lord and his word the rock and foundation of our lives, then nothing can shake us or keep us from God’s saving presence and help. Is the Lord Jesus and his word the sure foundation of your life?

“Lord Jesus, you are the only foundation that can hold us up when trials and disaster threaten us. Give me the wisdom, foresight, and strength of character I need to do what is right and good and to reject whatever is false and contrary to your will May I be a doer of your word and not a hearer only.”

 

[Fidelis]

Sunday Bible Reflections from Dr. Scott Hahn:

Solid Rock

This Sunday’s Gospel takes us to the end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Like Moses in this week’s First Reading, Jesus climbed a mountain to deliver the Word of God’s covenant to His people (Ex 24:12–18). This covenant Word requires a great deal from us. Far more than our simple hearing and acceptance of Jesus’ “message.”

That’s because the Gospel is not a philosophy, a set of good ideas for living. It is God’s fatherly will for history. It is the good news of His kingdom, of the divine family He has come to create on earth in His Church.

The Word of God comes to us as a call to the obedience of faith (Rm 16:26). We must take this Word to heart, letting it dwell richly within our souls (Col 3:16). We must allow ourselves to be led, to be guided by the Word that comes to us in His name.

That’s what we mean in this week’s Psalm—when we sing of the Lord as our rock of refuge. Jesus also gives us this image of the solid rock. He promises that if we live by His Word we will have an eternal foundation to withstand the storms and trials of our lives.

Jesus is the new Solomon, bringing us the Wisdom of God (1Kings 3:10–12). And like Solomon, he builds a house of God, a Temple, on a rock of foundation (1Kings 5:17; 8:27). Jesus is the Wisdom of God made flesh. The Church is the new household and Temple of God, built on the cornerstone of Christ (Lk 7:35; Eph 2:19–22).

We will be judged by his Word. But this is not a matter of external works, as Jesus makes clear. That is Paul’s point too in this week’s Epistle. We must do the Father’s will, which is our sanctification—knowing we’ve been justified, made right before God, by Christ’s saving death (1Thes 4:3). It’s this redemption, our expiation by His blood, that we celebrate and participate in this Eucharist.

 

[Crumpy]

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a complex man, a Lutheran it seems. ( In his introduction to one of his most popular books, The Cost of Discipleship, he credits Martin Luther as being the greatest person in history next to Jesus Christ.)

This book was listed several years ago in the anniversary issue of Christianity Today
magazine as one of the fifty most influential books, as rated by their evangelical readers.

It seems that Bonhoeffer was a follower or was influenced by Bultmann, who was a skeptic about the historical aspects of the New Testament. Nevertheless, he was zealous about the aspects of the gospel relating to discipleship, or following Jesus.

And, in the book, he dwells on the many piercing quotations of Jesus about discipleship. Jesus said something close to this, that no one who does not reject everything in this world can be His disciple.

Bonhoeffer takes us to task about living up to the “costly grace” of our salvation. He notes that that grace was purchased with a great price, the life of God’s Son, on the cross. Our discipleship comes at a great price also, to live up to the grace that is bestowed on us.

The grace was freely given to us, not as a result of our merit. But, as our scripture readings point out, we have God’s commandments to obey.

My mother is totally addicted to watching the Game Show channel on cable TV. And she sits right there through the new Newlywed Game and Baggage, which are pornographic and hedonistic and lacking in moral virtue, for the most part. It is startling how sexually immoral people are, with literally hundreds of sexual partners. Some of the people on these programs are virulently atheistic.

But, somehow I don’t think “times” are any worse than they were in Jesus’ time. Certainly the Jews had their temptations and failings, which were anticipated in the very rites of temple and ordained feasts, where the people could offer animal sacrifices in expiation for their sins, and they had the Day of Atonement with its prayers and rituals to repent for their wrongdoings.

This Sunday’s readings are very, very strong gospel messages, as we head towards Spring and the observance of Lent.

Our vocation is to join into Jesus’ suffering and death. I’m not a scripture scholar or teacher. My understanding is, if we’re not suffering, we’re not “there” yet. We will suffer for our beliefs. The world does not approve of our gospel, teachings, and beliefs. At the most, many want just the “easy grace” with few obligations.

 

[Fidelis]

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is a complex man, a Lutheran it seems. ( In his introduction to one of his most popular books, The Cost of Discipleship, he credits Martin Luther as being the greatest person in history next to Jesus Christ.)

This book was listed several years ago in the anniversary issue of Christianity Today
magazine as one of the fifty most influential books, as rated by their evangelical readers.

It seems that Bonhoeffer was a follower or was influenced by Bultmann, who was a skeptic about the historical aspects of the New Testament. Nevertheless, he was zealous about the aspects of the gospel relating to discipleship, or following Jesus.

And, in the book, he dwells on the many piercing quotations of Jesus about discipleship. Jesus said something close to this, that no one who does not reject everything in this world can be His disciple.

Bonhoeffer takes us to task about living up to the “costly grace” of our salvation. He notes that that grace was purchased with a great price, the life of God’s Son, on the cross. Our discipleship comes at a great price also, to live up to the grace that is bestowed on us.

The grace was freely given to us, not as a result of our merit. But, as our scripture readings point out, we have God’s commandments to obey.

My mother is totally addicted to watching the Game Show channel on cable TV. And she sits right there through the new Newlywed Game and Baggage, which are pornographic and hedonistic and lacking in moral virtue, for the most part. It is startling how sexually immoral people are, with literally hundreds of sexual partners. Some of the people on these programs are virulently atheistic.

But, somehow I don’t think “times” are any worse than they were in Jesus’ time. Certainly the Jews had their temptations and failings, which were anticipated in the very rites of temple and ordained feasts, where the people could offer animal sacrifices in expiation for their sins, and they had the Day of Atonement with its prayers and rituals to repent for their wrongdoings.

This Sunday’s readings are very, very strong gospel messages, as we head towards Spring and the observance of Lent.

Our vocation is to join into Jesus’ suffering and death. I’m not a scripture scholar or teacher. My understanding is, if we’re not suffering, we’re not “there” yet. We will suffer for our beliefs. The world does not approve of our gospel, teachings, and beliefs. At the most, many want just the “easy grace” with few obligations.

Thanks for those excellent reflections Crumpy. I wholeheartedly agree with your (and Bonhoeffer’s) conclusion-- grace may be free, but it ain’t cheap.