Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, 28 and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, 29 so that no human being might boast before God. 30 It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.” The city of Corinth in Paul’s time had been rebuilt by the Romans to be an outpost of Roman influence and only Roman citizens could be citizens of Corinth.  There were Jews living in Corinth and Paul spent about 18 months there (AD 50 – AD 51) gaining converts from among both Jews and Greeks.  Most of the converts were not Roman citi...

The parable of the workers in the vineyard is a shock to our sensibilities – some laborers work longer than others but at the end of the day, all get the same pay from their generous employer.  Jesus is teaching us something about justice and generosity and why the last are usually first in the Kingdom of Heaven. But that’s not fair!” Most parents have heard this phrase umpteen times. The notion of fairness, also known as justice, is built into us. It makes us aware that each of us has certain rights that need to be respected. JUSTICE & GENEROSITY, RIGHTS & DUTIES But it also means that we each have duties. If others have the right to be paid for their work, those who benefit from that work have the duty to pay them. If others have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, we have the duty not to let our pursuit of happiness infringe on their rights. But we have to widen our perspective a bit. God, the creator of all, is responsible for all the blessings we ...

I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! 50 There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. 52 From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”   54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see [a] cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; 55 and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the ...

At that very moment he rejoiced [in] the holy Spirit and said, “I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.  22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”  23 Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.  24 For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”  25 There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test him and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  26 Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”  27 He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your...

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.  14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.  15 And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’  16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”  17 The seventy[-two] returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”  18 Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  19 Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.  20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”  J...