Audio Divina

The Kingdom of Heaven is different: Jesus' final moment teaching his disciples is dedicated to increasing their understanding of the strangeness of God. The payment of a denarius is agreed between the Master of the vineyard and the workers at the beginning of the day. No further agreement is made. We can understand, and even sympathise with these workers as they see those who arrived late receiving a denarius, only to find that is also their reward. God surprises us. The Master is not being unfair. He is being amazingly generous. Who are we to question God's generosity? We must allow God to be God, and administer his Kingdom in God's surprising way. Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for the 25th Sunday of the year, Year A. Gospel Reading: Matthew 20:1-16 Gospel read by Gerard and Rose Narrated by Michael Gartland For more information visit: www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

Be compassionate as I am compassionate: Peter thinks that we can put a number on the people whom we forgive. Jesus continues to insist on the radical nature of Christian forgiveness with his parable on the behaviour of the two servants. Forgiveness must be practised everywhere and always. Compassion leads the Master to forgive incredible debt; anger and violence is used to deny forgiveness to another. The Master returns, and the angry servant who has been forgiven is punished. God's forgiveness, rooted in his compassion, is endless. But it is conditional. We must be compassionate as our Father is compassionate. Otherwise, we cannot bank on his merciful forgiveness. Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for the 24th Sunday of the year, Year A. Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:21-35 Gospel read by Maria and Thomas Narrated by Michael Gartland For more information visit: www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

See how they love one another: Today's Gospel comes from Matthew's description of to Jesus' formation of disciples. He delivers a discourse on how the Christian community is to behave in a hostile world. Jesus' teaching that we do our best to resolve conflicts among ourselves is challenging. We are to reach out endlessly, so that the community will be unified. Alone, we cannot do this. Thus, as our Gospel reading comes to an end, Jesus insists that we remain close to God in prayer. That is where we receive our wisdom and strength ... and Jesus is there in our midst. Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for the 23rd Sunday of the year, Year A. Gospel Reading: Matthew 18:15-20 Gospel read by Christina and Christian Narrated by Michael Gartland For more information visit: www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

The challenge of being a disciple of the Son of Man: The faith-filled Peter, the rock upon whom the Church is built, today becomes another rock: a stone, a stumbling block. Jesus must overcome this as he journeys to death and resurrection in Jerusalem. Peter is happy that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of the living God. But he has not accepted all the implications of Jesus' being the Son of Man. The disciple must follow Jesus, not tell him what to do. Jesus turns to all disciples, instructing them that the way to glory is through following Jesus, our suffering servant, through the cross to the glory of resurrection and life. Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for the 22nd Sunday of the year, Year A. Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:21-27 Gospel read by Michael and Georgina Narrated by Michael Gartland For more information visit: www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina

The gift of true faith in Jesus: We have seen Peter's little faith in the storm. Today he responds well - on behalf of all believing disciples - to Jesus' question, "Who do you say that I am?" But his confession that Jesus is the Son of Man, the Christ, the Son of God - a faith that we all share - is not something he has arrived at through his own virtue and intelligence. It has been given to him by God. He is blessed because he is open to the reception of that gift. Openness to the truth about Jesus necessarily leads to blessing. Presented by world-renowned biblical scholar Rev. Professor Francis J. Moloney SDB AM, Audio Divina, is a Lectio-Divina styled reflection on the gospel for the 21st Sunday of the year, Year A. Gospel Reading: Matthew 16:13-20 Gospel read by Jennifer and Br David Narrated by Michael Gartland For more information visit: www.salesians.org.au/info/audiodivina