Proper 27 (Year A) / Mt 25: 1-13

It would be nice to hope that one could be accepted into the kingdom of God by simply staying out of trouble and not doing anything bad. The  five foolish bridesmaids in today's parable—the ones who didn't bring along extra oil for their lamps—really didn't do anything bad. But the parable does remind us that we can't just wait around and do nothing. We "know neither the day or the hour" of Jesus' return, so now is the time to live in the reign of God. Our lamps are ready when we use them to see the world as God does, as a kingdom where all people reflect the dignity of God and where we stand ready to ensure all people are provided with that shared dignity. 

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome / John 2:13-22

When Jesus drives the money-changers and animal-sellers from the Temple, we know for certain that he was not just a kind and gentle teller of parables. Tipping over the collection tables in the temple branded Jesus as a radical prophet and precipitated his arrest and execution. Not only was he a threat to the delicate balance of power between the Herodians, the Sadducees, and Rome, Jesus also threatened the economic well-being of a city whose main industry was the temple and religious tourism.  As Jesus performed a material exorcism to cleanse the temple of its powerful economic interests, there are those today who call for an end to the tax-exempt status of churches, noting that this system allows governments to exercise formidable economic leverage against those who would speak to power. That's an idea that would certainly tip over a few tables in our temples.