Catechetical Corner

Summary: In this Gospel passage from Saint Luke we see the Sadducees, who do not believe in the resurrection, asking Jesus a question about something they don’t believe in. Jesus is always willing to answer a valid question, but he sees this group for who they are and answers the Sadducees in manner that defies their disbelief. He recalls for them that God is an enduring God, by stating that in God’s encounter with Moses, God refers to Himself as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, a God of the living and not of the dead. God endures.

Zacchaeus, very short in stature, becomes a towering symbol of faith in his encounter with Jesus. Here we have a short guy who scrambles up a tree to see this Jesus that he has heard so much about. Jesus takes the opportunity to help him get out of the situation of “being up a tree,” because of his past. In the conversation between Zacchaeus and Jesus, we see the two sides of the compassion in Jesus’ invitation to Zacchaeus and in Zacchaeus’ response. The Lord extends forgiveness to us, but there must be a response on our part. It is God’s intention that all the lost be found but the lost have to want to be found!

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Summary: In this Gospel selection from Saint Luke we see Jesus illustrate the differing approaches of two individuals in prayer. Both approach the temple area to pray and one, a Pharisee, boldly moves forward and seemingly prays to himself, lauding his many virtues and putting down others while doing so. The other, a tax collector, who would be seen as on the lowest rung of the social ladder, approaches the temple area in a very contrite manner with his head bowed and striking his breast as a sign of true contrition. The one who boasts his goodness but does not recognize his errors is not a person of justice, whereas the one who seeks forgiveness walks away justified.

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Summary: Jesus speaks of a woman who is persistent in seeking a judgment from a judge who has kept putting off making a judgment on the woman’s behalf. The woman remains constant in her pursuit and eventually the judge relents and provides a judgment. The judge renders a judgment, not because he is just, but because he has been worn down by the woman and fears that if he doesn’t respond the woman might do him harm. Jesus takes this opportunity to speak to the importance of remaining persistent in our prayer. Most especially, Jesus encourages us to remain faithful to our pursuit of justice. Fidelity to living a life rooted in justice is essential to living as a follower of Jesus Christ.

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Summary: This Gospel about the cleansing of the 10 lepers will also be heard on Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Here we have the story of the miraculous healing of ten lepers. They cry out to Jesus, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And indeed, Jesus does have pity on them and sends them away cleansed. There is only one, a Samaritan, of the ten that recognizes that he is healed and that it was by the word of Jesus that it occurred. He returns in gratitude for what has happened to him. At the conclusion we hear Jesus respond to the fact that only one of the ten returned to give thanks. Jesus asks the question, “Where are the other nine?”

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Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?" Luke 17:17

Blessing of the Animals

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"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."

Summary: Jesus tells the Pharisees the story of a rich man and a poor man, Lazarus, who is covered with sores. The rich man did nothing to help Lazarus nor did he actively do anything to harm him, even though he was on the rich man’s doorstep. In fact, the rich man was indifferent to Lazarus, seeing him just as part of the landscape or an inanimate object. When they both died, Lazarus was with Abraham in heaven while the rich man was in torment. The rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus down to him to give him some water, which was now impossible, as Lazarus could not cross the gulf between them. Abraham reminded him that in life he had good things while Lazarus had only difficulties that could have been alleviated by the rich man. The rich man pleads that Lazarus be sent to his family and warn them of the dangers of being indifferent to the plight of others. Abraham reminds him that they have the law and the prophets to direct them if only they would heed them.

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Parish news and updates for the week

Summary: Saint Luke’s Gospel shares three beautiful stories about the joy that God experiences when there is the return of someone lost. The first story is of the one lost sheep of the 99 that the Good Shepherd goes in search of. The second story portrays God as the woman who searched for the lost coin and once it is found wants everyone to rejoice with her. And the final story in this excerpt of Saint Luke’s gospel is of the Prodigal Son. In each instance the individual representing God is filled with compassion and is overjoyed at the return of that which was lost. Making the Connection (Grades 1, 2, and 3): Younger children are comforted by consistency. Teach them that, no matter what we do, God never stops loving us, and he rejoices when we return to him by asking for forgiveness. Making the Connection (Grades 4, 5, and 6): Children know that when they do something wrong, they face consequences. They are especially sensitive about letting down their parents or other authority figures that they respect and love. When children do something wrong, they wonder if these people will still love them. In the same way, we wonder whether God will still love us when we do something wrong. In these parables, Jesus teaches us that God not only forgives us, but also is actively seeking us out when we stray. Making the Connection (Grades 7 and 8): Young people are exploring many new experiences in life in search of finding their place. As a result, they can often end up feeling lost. Jesus' parables in this Sunday's Gospel speak to the experience of being lost and then found.

Parish news and updates for the week

Parish news and updates for the week