tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post2227400896770384577..comments2024-03-25T17:14:03.066-07:00Comments on The New Theological Movement: The mystical interpretations of the "hours" of the Sunday GospelFather Ryan Erlenbushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-56178627279543226562011-09-18T10:20:59.755-07:002011-09-18T10:20:59.755-07:00Thank you so much, Fr. Ryan! I had wondered if our...Thank you so much, Fr. Ryan! I had wondered if our priest would touch on this question in his homily today, but he did not. I am really joyful over the answer you gave me, and it satisfied my curiosity over this particular passage. I must admit I had wondered over this for a long time now but did not have the courage to ask because it might sound so trivial. I did look up the book you mentioned, Preparation for Death: Prayers and Consolations for the Final Journey by Alfonso Maria de Liquori and edited by Norman J. Muckerman. This is available at Amazon and I have ordered it. Only one person reviewed it and he gave it a five-star rating. Again, thank you!!Angelanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-79544443645274269322011-09-18T06:35:50.509-07:002011-09-18T06:35:50.509-07:00Angela,
St. Alphonsus Liguori makes an interesting...Angela,<br />St. Alphonsus Liguori makes an interesting reference to that very line of the parable in his book "Preparations for Death" (in abridgment, "How to Face Death without Fear").<br />He is speaking about the value of time - how time is such a great gift from God, since it allows both the opportunity for repentance and for merit.<br /><br />However, far too often, we tend to "kill time" or just sit around waiting for the time to pass by. What ingratitude! What a waste of such a precious gift!<br />St. Alphonsus says that Satan is wasting no time in trying to get us to hell, we must waste no time in doing good and trying to get to heaven.<br /><br />All too often youth is wasted on vanities and people say "I'll convert later" ... this is the error of the men standing in the marketplace.<br />St. Alphonsus says: "And Jesus, in the story of the laborers in the vineyard, has the master of the vineyard rebuking those men who stood around the marketplace idle! All time not spent in some way for God is lost time!"<br /><br />I would add that these men could also symbolize the pagan philosophers who often stood around discussing issues, but had not yet been called and converted to the Faith until Christ sent the apostles out to the nations.<br /><br />Peace to you! +Father Ryan Erlenbushhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07557817305024750902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5578980753063154388.post-86882045689873576242011-09-17T20:16:18.766-07:002011-09-17T20:16:18.766-07:00Fr. Ryan,
The lessons that you have brought out fo...Fr. Ryan,<br />The lessons that you have brought out for this Sunday's Gospel are all novel to me, especially those of Fr. Cornelius' reflection and the Church Fathers. I truly appreciate them. This is something different and beautiful!<br />I hope I am not digressing too much, though, if I ask you to enlighten me about a certain part in this parable where the owner asked the last batch of people he hired as to why they were "standing there all day with nothing to do". Their response was, "Because no one has hired us" (Mt 20:6-7). For some reason, I feel that there might be some significance to this little dialogue, and if it really has, how does this fit into the spiritual life or moral of the story?<br />Thank you so much, Fr. Ryan.Angelanoreply@blogger.com