2338AFC092223 – Who’s there?
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Isaiah 55:6 –
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, (↔ Music Link)
call upon him while he is near
Philippians 1:20-c – 21 – Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.
Psalm 145:18 –
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
Matthew 20:14-15 – 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous*?
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love. We are already at the 25th Sunday in Ordinary 
Time. There are only eight more weeks in Ordinary Time until we celebrate The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe on November 26th. At the outset today, I want to mention a previous post. In 1738AFC092217 – BHLJ! I urged all of us to “Be Humble Like Jesus” where I said – “The Apostle Paul tells us that Christ Jesus required, and submitted to, humility before all other things. It took humility to obey. It took humility to empty himself and become an earthling. It took humility to direct his life and our hearts to God. It takes Love to be humble. ‘Be Humble Like Jesus.’ B.H.L.J.” I guess if I really want to do that, I should have in me the same attitude as Christ. Maybe it would be wise to just listen to that little old guy in the back of my head, zip my lip, and light up my heart so I can clearly see all the things which I do that Jesus wouldn’t do. Please bear that challenging adage in mind as you continue to read.
We will begin with the Key Verse from the Gospel of Matthew. The landowner says Take what belongs to you and go. This comes as dusk is falling and the men are about to head home. What might this mean for us? What does Jesus, the ultimate landholder, give us to take before we go home? I think it is Jesus himself and the salvation that comes through him. The Apostle Paul advises we should “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” He is not saying we cannot depend on help from the Holy Spirit, but rather that we need to be attentive to how God is working within us to bring us closer to him. That attentiveness is something we should keep handy always.
Next the landowner says, “ I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?” When we belong to God, we allow him to be free to choose what is ours, to choose which Gifts he bestows through his Grace. His ways of choosing are incomprehensible to us, and the type and magnitude of his Gifts are beyond us. Recall that he says in Isaiah 55:9 –
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. God is indeed omnibenevolent and omniscient; his gifts are magnificent – but they are Gifts and we can reject or even undervalue them. That’s what the men who had worked all day did.
They “decided” they should be paid more because they endured more. The landowner accuses them of being envious – in Greek the idiom is that they gave him the “evil eye” – because he is generous. It is the same when we “decide” that God “owes us” for all the good things we do when the truth is that what God owes us is (at the very least) chastisement. Now, if I were a laborer in that man’s neighborhood, I would certainly look for more opportunities to work for him. Would I always make sure to arrive just before dusk? The landowner gave the workers who arrived early a fair wage. He gave those who started later a generous wage. Either way, he was generous because he gave freely of what was his. God will do the same for all who willing labor in his vineyards. The “payment” for our lives in his employment is eternal, everlasting life. That is certainly very generous! After all, our life comes from him and we hope it will return to him.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians about that. His life-goal was that in all things, Christ would be exalted. What is “exalted?” It means praised, extolled, acclaimed, honored. He adds to that “in my body.” Many interpret The Apostle Paul’s statement in Galatians 6:17 – 17 From now on, let no one make trouble for me; for I carry the marks of Jesus branded on my body as meaning that he bore the stigmata, the marks of Jesus crucifixion. At the very least, The Apostle Paul’s back was scarred by all the floggings and beatings he received. (See a list in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28). He suffered much before he was executed. All of that was minor, in his heart and mind, compared to what Jesus suffered for him and for us. It is no wonder, then, that he said, “For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.” For those among us who also suffer – either because of illnesses or persecutions – we can understand that dying would be gain, but it will be all the more so if our living is in, with, for, and through Christ. We can offer our lives of suffering to be united with the suffering of Jesus and we will be living in, with, for, and through Jesus. We know that The Apostle Paul asked to be relieved of at least some of his suffering – his thorn in his side – and we also know Jesus told him, “My Grace is sufficient for you.” (↔ Music Link) I often have trouble remembering that, despite my many weaknesses because one of my greatest weaknesses is that I FORGET. Belovéd, when we forget, we often call out to God “Help me Lord!” (↔ Music Link) It is then we are reminded that it is his pleasure and will for us to call out to him.
Psalm 145:18 –
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth. This is a point where I wish to remind you again of 
1738AFC092217 – BHLJ! That post featured this image. Use the link to the previous post for a larger view. I reiterate that this image has always been part of my life. It was seen in our home and in our church, in the houses of many of our family’s friends, and in our hearts and minds. How close must Jesus be if Jesus is knocking at the door of my soul? Do you recall who else is at that door, waiting for a chance to burst in? The Lord God told Cain in Genesis 4:7 – 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Cain did not master the temptation of sin. The Apostle Paul alludes to this in Ephesians 4:25-27 – 25 So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not make room for the devil. Who’s that knocking at my door? Well, if Jesus is in our hearts and fellowshipping with us, then that must be the Devil come a-knocking, and in that case we better ask Jesus, “Could you get that for me?”(↔ Learning Link) Adelphos, if Jesus is close enough to knock, (↔ Music Link) OPEN THE DOOR! Is there something in that space set aside for him that doesn’t belong there? THROW IT OUT! Ask the Holy Spirit to clean house for Jesus’ entry. Repent and Believe the Gospel isn’t just an idle slogan. And, if we have some reason to suspect that Jesus is not knocking at the door, CALL HIM UP AND ASK HIM OVER! (Psalm 145:18 again). Why?
Because of Isaiah 55:6 –
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, (↔ Music Link)
call upon him while he is near. Now years ago I thought that verse said to see the Lord where he may be found because it said, “call upon him while he is near.” Well, DUH! It’s both! This requires some additional thought, so let’s expand the context by going to Isaiah 55:3-7 –
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
We are invited to come to God through Christ Jesus’ Way – the Cross. Here again, God is calling upon Israel (and of course, us) to repent. When is it too late to repent? AFTER WE’RE DEAD! Therefore, “while he may be found” is while we are alive on Earth. If we die unrepentant, that’s it, finito, all gone. It says, “let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” When is he near? ALL of us know the answer to that one. HE’S EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.
If anyone is reading this, that person is still an earthling on the Earth and therefore concomitantly alive with God. That would be a good time to call, but an even better time to “return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” And here’s the clincher found in Matthew 22:14 – 14 For many are called, but few are chosen. We call on HIM because HE calls us, chosen before the dawn of creation. We must not “forget to answer.” By doing so, we reject his gift of Mercy, and reject our choosing by him.
Mercy, also called loyal or steadfast love, is one of the most notable aspects of God’s character. By His very nature, He shows unstoppable, limitless, everlasting mercy, even to those who don’t deserve it: “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy” (Micah 7:18). Who’s there all the time, everywhere? Who ceaselessly calls us? Who knocks waiting to be invited in for fellowship? Do we hear that call? I Can Hear My Savior Calling, and he’s calling all of us. Sirach 51:12 –
12 for you saved me from destruction
and rescued me in time of trouble.
For this reason I thank you and praise you,
and I bless the name of the Lord.
What destruction might we avoid if we answer that call, respond to that knock? What will happen if we do, and why? How about this? Romans 3:23-25 – 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed. (my emphases) In “this day and age,” we know that Satan and sin have waltzed right into our societies and drawn many away from God. 1 Timothy 4:1-2 – 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron. But we have the promise of salvation through Christ Jesus. Jeremiah 50:20 – 20 In those days and at that time, says the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and none shall be found; for I will pardon the remnant that I have spared. Too many people are locked inside with the Devil and too few are banging on the door to get out. YOLO-F is a reality, but if we “forget” that it starts as an earthling and continues after we leave the Earth, our seemingly good intentions quite can quite literally pave the road to Hell. Therefore, Belovéd, BHLJ. THAT IS THE Absolutely Perfect Plan.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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