On the Margins from Mater Dei Radio, Portland, OR

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Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 8, 2017

Dear Believers in the Messiah,

When I was in the seminary, one of our retired priests used to say, “Ninety percent of life is just showing up.” I admit the truth of his words the longer I am in the Church and struggle to become a person of prayer. Showing up is a gift to God. God can work with us only when our hearts become ready and willing, when our lives are given freely.

Matthew 21:28-32 gives us a story about our own stubborn ways and our own willingness to show up. Two sons are asked to work. One says yes and then no. The other says no then yes. This very human response is revealed in each one of us. The two sons are examples of reactions we all have within our human attitudes and hearts.

It is always interesting to me how in so many human circumstances, we tend not to ask someone to do something whom we know will not show up to accomplish the task. We usually ask the person who is already incredibly busy and generous because we know the project will get done. The not so generous person can often get away with remaining distant and sometimes lazy and not involved.

God welcomes all people; sometimes it just takes time for us who are more selfish and stubborn to find our way toward God’s generous and inviting life. We have untold opportunities to accept the invitation toward God’s mercy and fidelity.

I remember when I first starting writing for publication. One of my writing mentors told me two things to remember when working with editors of magazines. He said, “Never say no to an invitation no matter how pressured you are with other work and always get the work accomplished before the deadline.” He told me that if I do those two things, editors would continue to ask me to write for that particular magazine. I have followed his advice and have published many articles in a number of magazines since 2002.

I may not be so successful in other areas of my life about showing up and allowing God to work within me, especially when I find the task tedious and not in my expertise. However, I know that God is not finished with me or with any of us quite yet. We are all invited into the Kingdom of God, no matter how stubborn or selfish, no matter how we are awakened to the gift, no matter how we are taken by the love that is being offered us.

Here are some things to consider this week: I say yes to God and then don’t follow through when… I say no to God when… What brings me to change my mind is… I remember when I felt so discouraged about showing up in prayer because… Then God changed my mind through…

Blessings to you,

Fr, Ron

Dear Followers of Jesus,

To our human experience, today’s gospel may seem unfair. The parable presented in Matthew 20:1-16 shows that God waits for us and offers us opportunity and entrance into the Kingdom even at the last minute. God’s generosity is overwhelming to our finite and selfish approach to life. Let’s explore this.

The landowner hired people early in the morning for his vineyard. He also saw people waiting to be hired throughout the day, even at the very last working hour of the day. All of them received the same daily wage. The workers who were hired first were jealous.

Our society is hardwired for a sense of entitlement. So often we raise our children with a sense that they can do no wrong and that they deserve the best. Sometimes our children do not understand that they have to work hard, put themselves out in the world, and take risks. Those risks often produce hardship and complications and no person ever gets only his or her way in life.

This gospel seems unfair, that the person hired last should get the same benefits as the person who worked all day. Yet, this is a parable about something greater than our earthly work. This parable is a story about our place in God, our place in the love, hope and forgiveness of the Kingdom of Heaven.

We all have a place in God. This statement often makes people crazy. We blame people for their sin, their poverty and their lack of education and we wonder how God could love them and accept them as well. We find it hard to believe that God loves the public sinner, the hardened criminal, the outcast and the marginalized.

God loves us far beyond the external of life. God treasures the human heart and wants to dwell within each of us. We are God’s creation and God has the right to enter into the mystery of every human heart. Our prayer always should be that of rejoicing, of gratitude that God is generous toward every human being. God’s love is extravagant.

Salvation is free. We do not earn our place in God’s Kingdom. We do not earn his tenderness here on earth. God’s mercy, forgiveness and presence is free, a real and treasured gift no matter how stubborn we are or how jealous we are toward other people.

I pray for us all that we could finally realize that salvation comes not on our earthly perfection or sense of entitlement, but on the true and inviting nature of God’s fidelity toward every human being. If we could internalize today’s parable, we could change the world.

Here are some statements to consider this week: The gifts that I offer for the growth of the Kingdom are… My response to God’s generosity toward me is…. My prayer for when God is generous toward other people is…

Blessings,

Fr. Ron

R. Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
The LORD is the strength of his people,
the saving refuge of his anointed.
Save your people, and bless your inheritance;
feed them, and carry them forever!

” The Shepherd” Painting: I used only a rag to paint this image. By: Ronald Raab, CSC

“Unexpected Forgiveness” Painting using a rag, by: Ronald Raab, CSC

Dear Believers in the Christ,

Harboring grudges creates sheer poison in our souls. No person can escape being hurt by others and everyone has their place in hurting other people. Grudges can even be passed down from generation to generation. Blaming, hurting, condemning and shunning people can be an entire way of life for many people. We are all in this game of fragile relationships and our need for reconciliation.

When we hold on to a grudge, we tend to keep score in forgiveness. In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus invites us to go beyond our stingy ways in which we forgive. He invites us to forgive even beyond seven times. He challenges us to go beyond seven times seven times. Forgiveness is one of the most difficult aspects of our human relationships. It seems that because it is so difficult, it becomes a graced-filled aspect of following Jesus.

To forgive someone becomes a nitty-gritty challenge of everyday life. Forgiveness calls us into a new respect for one another, especially when the conflict is with a spouse. Forgiveness challenges us to create a new image of another person, which is difficult, especially when it is our teenager. Forgiveness breaks down power structures and helps us view people on a level playing field, especially when it is among nations, within the Church or a neighbor next door. Forgiveness really is about a new world order, a place where love, respect and hope can flourish. Forgiveness is finally finding Jesus.

Jesus came among us to model forgiveness. Even at his birth, prophets spoke of the miracle that opposites would be together such as a lion resting with a lamb. In Jesus’ mission, he broke through barriers of illness, disease and political boundaries such as reaching out to the leper, healing him and calling him back to the community. Jesus brings the Kingdom of Heaven to our earthly realities at every Mass within the sharing of his Body and Blood. Forgiveness is the heart of who Jesus is because his mission in so many ways is to bridge the conflict of our earthly life with the hope, love, and peace of the Father’s Kingdom. So when we forgive others, even more than seven times, we light up our world with a heavenly reality of justice, peace and serenity.

Here are some statements to consider as we all reflect on forgiveness: I hold on to my grudges with anger and resentment because…. Finally, I see that my resentments become my food, my way of life and I cannot seem to… Forgiveness is really difficult for me because I know I have to… I ache to let go of the monster grudges I carry since I … Jesus, help me to enter into the mystery of your challenge to forgive so…

Blessings to you as we all learn to forgive,

Fr. Ron