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Today’s Gospel is a teaching, Gospel. Its also unusual. In most instances the person seeks out Jesus or recognizes him before asking for something. I suspect the woman in this story wanted to be anywhere else but there. She was not only embarrassed but terrified. Without Jesus’ intervention she faced a painful death. She has a brief but powerful conversation with Jesus. And that is it! We don’t know who this woman was. What’s her story or what happened to her after this experience.

What about the men who were prepared to stone her. Some of them may have known her, after all they did live in a small town. The Scribes and Pharisees were educated and well established in their community. How is it they missed being compassionate towards her and/or fail to recognize the injustices?

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Jesus describes a young man who wants adventure and asks for his share of his father’s estate. After he receives his inheritance, he leaves and lives a carefree life. I want to draw your attention to the fact that he did not earn the money he is spending, it is his father’s hard-earned money. This would be a good time to pause and reflect on the many opportunities that we enjoyed but did not earn.

Coming back to the story we learn that initially the son did okay, but his fun did not last, and calamity struck. He squandered his resources and was forced to get a job. Hearing that his job was tending the pigs surely raised the eyebrows of the first listeners of this story. Likely the Jewish listeners with their aversion to pigs would have seen this action in the young man as turning his back on his own culture and community.

Jesus continues the story but focusses on the father. The father notices his son from far away. He is so excited that he runs to meet his son. This would have been very surprising to the Jewish listeners. Jewish patriarchs do not run, especially toward a wayward son. The son gives his rehearsed apology. The father responds by hugging his son and putting a ring on his finger. The ring symbolizes the son being restored in the household. While the son is focusing on what he did and what he didn’t do the father is focusing on the fact that his son is back safe and sound. Not only is the son forgiven but a party is being planned.

The story does not end here. There is an older son...

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In this Gospel Jesus talks about two situations where innocent people were killed. Jesus articulates the thoughts of the people who believed that the people who were killed were not only responsible for their misfortunate but that their bad luck was likely a result of God punishing them. Jesus challenges this “blaming the victim’ stance. This theme, namely that misfortune is a sign of sin is very clear in (John 9:1-23) where Jesus heals a blind man. Before he does ,the disciples ask Jesus who sinned, was it the man or his parents that lead to this man’s blindness? Jesus corrects his disciples saying that this man’s blindness had nothing to do with sin.

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This Podcast focusses on one of the most unusual Gospel passages of all the Gospels; the Transfiguration. Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus in front of Peter, James and John. The event seems unexpected and following the event the disciples are silent about the experience. They don’t tell anyone. How could they possibly explain to someone what they saw and then expect to be believed?

Those that have experienced spiritual or even mystical experiences know the difficulty of trying to share and/or describe the experiences to someone. Words don’t seem to be adequate to describe what happened. Even today, 2000 years later we are unable to understand what happened and maybe we are not supposed to. Perhaps the Transfiguration is a reminder that God’s ways are different from ours.

Perhaps the Transfiguration is a reminder that God’s ways are different from ours.

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We don’t know for sure what Jesus actually did while he was in the desert. In biblical times, going to the desert held significant spiritual, symbolic, and practical meanings. Here are some key aspects of its significance. The desert was often a place where individuals were prepared for their destinies. The desert offered solitude, which was conducive to reflection and prayer. John the Baptist like so many others, used this solitude to prepare for his ministry. This period allowed for spiritual growth and purification. The desert environment was harsh and so fostered a sense of dependence on God, emphasizing humility as a prerequisite for spiritual understanding. The desert provided a setting for direct communication with God, free from distractions. We have many examples of Jesus going to a deserted place to pray. This is evident in the stories of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, who all had significant encounters with God in the desert. The Israelites faced numerous challenges during their 40-year journey. This symbolism highlights the desert as a proving ground for faith. Despite its harsh conditions, the desert was where God demonstrated His provision and faithfulness. The Israelites received manna and quail, illustrating God's care for His people especially in the time of hardship. In summary, the desert in biblical times was a place of spiritual transformation, symbolic testing, and practical demonstration of God's presence and provision.

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Jesus is calling his followers to be wise. He gives a few tools on how to be wise. The list is not complete. What is wisdom? Wisdom is correlated with intelligence but its not absolute. I suspect you may know someone who is highly educated but not wise, often making the same mistake over and over again. On the other hand, you may know someone else who may not have all the academic or educational credentials but nevertheless are considered to be wise. Wisdom is often associated with advanced age. It is true, people who have embraced life are often wise. Individuals of any age who have gone through a crisis whether it is health, or relationship or career often reflect a wisdom beyond their years. So, what then is wisdom? I can share a few insights. Wise people have learned from their life experiences, they perceive life events differently. They trust themselves and have little to prove. They are often not in a hurry to bring issues to closure.

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Christians are called to go beyond the bare minimum. Let’s unpack this Gospel, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Tough words. The basic message is Jesus telling the people that your actions should be based on your personal values not a reaction to someone else’s bad behavior. The teaching is a call to freedom. Sure, it hurts when someone mistreats you, this is especially true if that someone was someone you trusted. Yes, they may deserve retribution but its not about them. Yes, they and others may initially think you are weak for not retaliating. They may not see that you are making a choice, its not because you cannot defend yourself. The irony here is you are strong; you are resisting the impact of their injurious behavior.

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The Beatitudes are not merely statements of happiness; they encapsulate profound spiritual truths about God's kingdom and our spiritual development. They highlight qualities such as humility, mercy, and a thirst for righteousness, promising future rewards for those who embody these traits. Consequently, the Beatitudes are foundational teachings outlining the ethical and spiritual framework for Christian spirituality. They can be found in Matthew 5:3-12, with notable differences between Matthew's and Luke's versions—Matthew includes eight Beatitudes while Luke lists only four and includes criticisms of the wealthy.