26th Week of Ordinary Time - Year A - 01 October 2023 - Roman Catholic Liturgical Readings

Julie South [00:00:00]:

Welcome to Your Catholic Corner. I'm your show host, Julie South. Your Catholic Corner helps Catholics spiritually prepare for each Sunday's Mass starting on Thursdays. Each week, you can listen to Your Catholic Corner at yourcatholiccorner.com. If you want to follow along with me, you can do this. Follow along with me with the Bible readings. You can do this at yourcatholiccorner.com. Today we're uncovering the biblical gems hidden in the book from the prophet Ezekiel, Paul's Letter to the Philippians, and Matthew's Gospel.

Julie South [00:00:38]:

But before that, a quick word about Your Catholic Corner, just in case. This is your first time here, regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, whether you've only just heard of that man called Jesus, you're new to Catholicism or you're a Cradle Catholic. My prayer is that Your Catholic Corner will help bring God's word to life in your heart through insights, reflections, and practical applications that help deepen your relationship with God. Every Thursday, we'll start preparing for Mass by uncovering the richness hidden in each Sunday's Bible readings from Old Testament prophecies to Gospel parables. I invite you to join me and the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, sponsors of your Catholic Corner so that together we can hear God's word and echo samuel. Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening. Now let's get back to today's show.

Julie South [00:01:39]:

Remember, when two or more are gathered in his name, like we are now with you and me, jesus is here with us. Peace be with you. This Sunday's Bible readings are from:

Ezekiel 18: 25-28,
Philippians 2: 1-11.   
Matthew 21: 28-32.

We're going to start with a top level overview of each reading so that you can have some context of what was going on in the world at that time, then the readings, and then we'll finish with my personal reflections. As I said before, if you want to read along with me, then visit yourcatholiccorner.com and click today's episode where you'll find the readings. There, as always, there's an overarching theme, usually a connecting thread from the first reading, maybe into the second reading, although not always, but usually always, mostly between the first reading and the Old Testament passage. With the New Testament gospel reading.

Julie South [00:03:05]:

What do we know about Ezekiel, the author of today's first reading? Well, he was a priest and a prophet who lived and was taken captive to Babylon during the Babylonian exile of the Israelites during the 6th century BC. He's the author of the Book of Ezekiel, which is one of the main prophetic books in the Old Testament. It's 48 chapters long and is known for its vivid and symbolic visions, prophecies, and messages from God. Ezekiel's call to be a prophet comes right at the beginning of his book. He describes the vision of a heavenly chariot and where he's called by God to be a watchman for the house of Israel. He delivers messages and warnings from God to the people. As well as being a prophet, Ezekiel was also believed to be a priest. His language is full of the importance of being holy and reminding of adherence to God's laws is considered to be and I use air quotes here priestly.

Julie South [00:04:14]:

If Ezekiel were alive today like the other men and women authors in the Bible, he'd be considered an influencer, especially in both Jewish and Christian theology. He cited in quite a few religious and theological discussions, not just by Catholics. He's also known and recognized in Judaism, Christianity and in Islam as well. So what about today's readings? Well, in a way, what Ezekiel wrote back in the 6th century BC. Could also be written about today as well. The Israelites were grumbling and bleeding about God being unfair, which is something we often hear tossed to us Christians in the secular world that we live in today. Right? If God is good, how come he allows bad things to happen? Of course, we don't know the answer to that, and we'll never know because we're not God. I'm not an apologetic.

Julie South [00:05:15]:

I don't have the knowledge to be an apologetic. An apologetic, if you're unsure of that word, is someone who gets into intellectual and reasoned debates and discussions to defend and explain the beliefs and teachings of Christianity. They are the people who are able to provide the rational answers and arguments to questions and challenges to the Christian faith. For me, I just know I believe it's a feeling thing for me, not an intellectual thing. Having said that, though, I remember back at the beginning, while I was still pondering my RCIA journey, when I kept asking myself the question, who created this? The universe, the only answer I could come up with that made sense to me is that God created everything like he created quantum physics for those who want to get into the Big Bang theory. Anyway, back to Ezekiel. In today's first Mass reading, we have the discussion on justice, on righteousness and individual responsibility. Whoa.

Julie South [00:06:20]:

Now, aren't they perfect topics for living in a post pandemic 21st century world? We have the Israelites questioning God on his fairness. There's mention of individual actions and choices having consequences. In today's reading, Ezekiel reminds us of God's justice, the importance of personal responsibility and repentance in the context of our relationship with God. Now, let's look at Paul's letter to the Philippians. We're looking at chapter or we're reading Praying, chapter two, verses one to eleven, the long version. Last week I gave a bit of a background on the city of Philippi. So check out that episode for some background on how Philippi came about and when, if you're interested. Today, Paul's letter could be life, according to Julie, summarized almost to do as Jesus would do because Paul's asking the Philippians to be humble.

Julie South [00:07:32]:

Paul instructs them the Philippians to be the same as Christ Jesus, which he gives a lengthy list of how to do, of how Jesus did that, which is what he wanted the Philippians to emulate. Paul is describing Jesus as being the epitome of what being a servant leader looks like. According to the Ottawa University's website, there are five characteristics of servant leadership and they are listening. Servant leaders listen, receptively and non judgmentally. They're much more interested in hearing the viewpoints of others than having their voice be the loudest in the room seek first to understand and then to be understood. They also have appreciation. Servant leaders value people and appreciate them for who they are, not just for what they give. They're committed first and foremost to their people.

Julie South [00:08:33]:

When it comes to humility, servant leaders believe in putting other people first. The are humble. They know leadership is not about them, that things are accomplished through others. When it comes to trust, servant leaders give their trust to others. They willingly take the risks for the people they serve. They are trusted because they are authentic and dependable and finally caring. Servant leaders always have people and purpose in their hearts. They display kindness and concern for others.

Julie South [00:09:07]:

They're here to serve, not to be served. They truly care for the people that they serve. Now, I'm sure you can see how Jesus is the epitome of a servant leader from those five characteristics. In Paul's letter to the Philippians today. He's asking them us to be humble like Jesus, because as God the man, Jesus died for us in the most horrific way possible. Servant leadership and humility in Paul's usual, more punctuation, needed way. That's exactly how Paul wants the Philippians to be more like. In other words, for us to be more liked.

Julie South [00:10:01]:

What do we have in the gospel reading for the 20 South Sunday of Ordinary Time? We have the parable of the Father who asked his two sons to go to work in the field. The first said he wouldn't, but then later did, while the second said he would but actually didn't. Jesus is sharing this parable with the chief priests and elders. These are men of the day who saw themselves as righteous, as being good in air quotes, holy in air quotes, and maybe even somewhat perfect. But throughout the New Testament there are plenty of examples where Jesus calls these chief priests and elders out. He calls them out on their righteousness about how they make a lot of noise but are all talk, lots of doing things for show so that they look good. In Matthew's gospel, we have Jesus getting them, the chief priests and scribes, to look at themselves as only the way Jesus could do. He asks them which son did as his father asked? It's a simple question and Jesus asks before he socks it to them as only Jesus can.

Julie South [00:11:17]:

After they reply, Jesus tells the that the tax collectors and the prostitutes will go into heaven ahead of them, the righteous chief priests and the elders. In other words, Jesus is telling them the religious bigwigs of the day, that they think they're good, they're good with God. But yet here's Jesus telling them that the people who they look down on from their self appointed lofty heights are going to beat them into heaven. That's Jesus giving it to them. They're religious leaders who saw themselves as God's servants, as superior servants. But Jesus calls them out through this parable as being hypocrites. He likens them to the Son who said they'd go and work in his father's field, but never showed up. In other words, they're all fluff and no stuff, all talk but no walk.

Julie South [00:12:12]:

Jesus uses the parable to show them it's not enough to simply say the right things. True righteousness, true faith and belief is proven when our actions to God are evident. He highlights that tax collectors and prostitutes, those very much considered sinners in society, were turning to God in repentance and thus entering the kingdom of God ahead of those who claimed to be righteous but yet didn't truly repent or believe in God's. Message through John the Baptist. Let's hear it in God's own words. Let's pray today's readings together, remember? If you'd like to read along, please go to yourcatholiccorner.com and click on today's episode. They're there for you to follow along with me. Today's first reading is from the prophet of Ezekiel.

Julie South [00:13:22]:

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows you object what the Lord does is unjust. Listen, you house of Israel, it's what I do unjust, is it not? What you do that is unjust. When the upright man renounces his integrity to commit sin and dies because of this, he dies because of the evil that he himself has committed. When the sinner renounces sin to become law abiding and honest, he deserves to live. He has chosen to renounce all his previous sins. He shall certainly live. He shall not die. The second reading is from the letter of St.

Julie South [00:14:14]:

Paul to the Philippians. If our life in Christ means anything to you, if love can persuade at all, or the spirit that we have in common, or any tenderness and sympathy, then be united in your convictions and united in your love with a common purpose and a common mind. That is the one thing which would make me completely happy. There must be no competition among you, no conceit. But where everybody is to be self effacing, always consider the other person to be better than yourself, so that nobody thinks of his own interests first, but everybody thinks of other people's interests instead. In your minds, you must be the same as Christ Jesus. His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave and became as men are. And being as all men are.

Julie South [00:15:20]:

He was humbler yet even to accepting death, death on a cross. But God raised him high and gave him the name which is above all other names, so that all beings in the heavens, on earth and in the underworld should bend the knee at the name of Jesus, and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father. And the gospel. Reading according to St. Matthew, jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, what is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today. He answered, I will not go, but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to his second, who answered, Certainly, sir, but did not go.

Julie South [00:16:21]:

Which of the two did the fathers will? The first, they said. Jesus said to them, I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him. What was God saying to you? In my other life, my professional life, I also have a podcast. It's designed to help veterinary professionals get their head screwed on straight so that my team and I can help them find jobs that they're excited about going to on Monday mornings. For the last two months, I've been talking about forgiveness. I had no idea, because I didn't look ahead with the Bible readings for this podcast, that the two might be intertwined and intersect.

Julie South [00:17:34]:

But then, that's God, right? No such thing as coincidences. The reason I bring that up is because what I hear in Ezekiel today is the need for moral decision making and personal responsibility, which is what I've been talking about in my other podcast. Coupled with that is the opportunity for forgiveness. Like God forgives us when someone screws up, maybe we screw up. For us to seek God's forgiveness when we try to do things by ourselves and end up falling flat on our faces. From Paul's letter to the Philippians is humility and servant leadership. Again, no such thing as coincidences with God. This week on LinkedIn, I've been talking about servant leadership specifically in relation to empathy, because empathy is one of the principles of forgiveness, of being able to walk a moon or two in someone else's moccasins.

Julie South [00:18:30]:

Coupled with that is humility to be able to ask for God's forgiveness and to get down on our knees to ask for God's help. And then with Matthew's Gospel, I hear God talk about more action, less fluff and more stuff, less talk and more walk. When I wrap all of these things together, for me, it's about being more of a servant to God asking for his help. Me asking for his help. Perhaps you asking for his help and not being too proud, which is the opposite of humble, to ask God for his help, his guidance intertwined with that is to make sure I'm walking the talk in my own life. If someone were to see what I say and do, would they be able to see Jesus in me? If not, why not? Where am I lacking? Thank you for spending the last 2025 minutes or so of your life with God and me today. Wherever you are, I pray that you, like me. Pray for God's guidance so that we can be as St.

Julie South [00:19:51]:

Paul asked the Philippians to be more like Jesus. And that even though you, like me, may struggle to go out there and work in Jesus' field, that we can be like the first son today, the one who did as his father asked and went out in that field. I also pray that you'll be able to echo Samuel's word and say, speak, Lord. Your servant is listening. And finally, with thanks to the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who helped me bring this podcast to you today, I pray also that you are able to rely on God's strength and guidance, even in difficult times. This is Julie South signing off. God bless.