Trust divine wisdom:
Even if it doesn't make sense by earthly logic

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Marshall Cook

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.

Ain't that the truth?

Poor Peter certainly discovered this when, just minutes after Jesus had anointed him the "Rock" upon which he would build His church, He called Peter a Satan for suggesting that Jesus shouldn't have to suffer and die.

Judged by earthly logic, almost nothing about our Christian faith makes "sense." How can the first be last, the last first? How could we ever consider death to be gain? And how are we to understand the central tenet of Christ's teaching, that we must lose our lives in order to gain our lives?

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sept. 18, 2005) Is 55:6-9 Ps 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18 Rom 1:20c-24, 27a Mt 20:1-16a

Consider the parable of the landowner and the laborers in light of the adage that fairness resides in "a day's labor for a day's pay." Certainly those who work a full day in the hot sun should expect to be paid a full day's wage (just as the employer should expect that full day of hard work for the money). And those who work only an hour or two surely have a right to only an appropriate fraction of that wage.

That's only fair, right?

And we would all agree that the landowner would be acting unjustly if he refused to pay that full day's wage to the ones who worked a full day. But what about the notion of paying everyone the full wage, even if they worked only a little while?

Outrageous!

Now substitute "salvation" for "wages" and "righteous living" for "labor." Our sense of justice demands that the one who lives by God's commandments surely deserves to be welcomed into the Kingdom.

But what about the one who, like the prodigal son, squanders a lifetime reveling in sin, only to make a deathbed conversion? Should that person be allowed to "sneak" into heaven?

No way! It isn't fair! It doesn't make sense.

No, but it reveals the mercy of our loving Father.

	Reflection questions • In what ways are you seeking the Lord? What else might you do to seek Him? • How has your life experience given evidence of God's mercy?

Our ways are not the Father's ways, after all, and none of us every really "earns" salvation. How could we? We all sin, and we all rely on God's merciful forgiveness.

I used to think that God would answer all my questions about mercy and justice if and when I came into His presence in the next life. Now I suspect the questions won't matter any more. Being in His glorious presence would be all the answer I'd ever need.

Marshall J. Cook teaches writing for the UW-Madison Division of Continuing Studies. He's the author of 24 books, most recently the Monona Quinn mystery Murder at Midnight.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

Faith Alive!

In a Nutshell The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls us to support religious freedom for all out of respect for the dignity of the human person. Part of living in freedom with others is trying to come to understand them and their beliefs. Respect for religious freedom helps to create opportunities for people of different religious traditions to work together for the good of the community. Catholic News Service 3211 Fourth St NE Washington DC 20017 202.541.3250 cns@catholicnews.com	Food for Thought   Religious freedom is one of the great issues of our times -- what it means and who should have it. After all, the globe is shrinking; people of every religion and no religion live alongside each other. Religious freedom's importance is clear when my religious freedom is at stake. But what about religious freedom for others -- like the members of other world religions? The importance of religious freedom for others may seem to loom less large when my religious group is dominant in a culture. But religious freedom's importance gets rapidly clarified wherever my group represents just a small minority. Pope John Paul II spoke often of religious freedom. He believed that respecting it will promote world peace. Thus, it is urgently needed. full story   Should we respect the religious freedom of others? By Father John W. Crossin, OSFS Catholic News Service Religious freedom was promoted by Pope John Paul II in all parts of the world. As a result of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), he -- and the church itself -- embraced the idea of religious freedom. This embrace is a milestone in Catholic thinking. It has profound implications. full story  "Different" doesn't necessarily mean "bad" By Father David K. O'Rourke, OP Catholic News Service Often today I find myself in situations where many people I talk with seem so "other." I am amazed at the degree of diversity I come across daily. Watching television or just walking around town I sometimes feel like an outsider in my own world. What makes this so upending for me is that for years I have traveled widely in my country and always have felt at home and comfortable wherever I went. This is no longer so true. full story  Hearing each other is freeing By Scott Rutan Catholic News Service Religious freedom, like all freedoms, is nurtured and deepened through two-way communication. When people can express themselves in clear, articulate ways and are able to hear and understand what another is saying about faith, then growth for everyone is possible, and freedom flourishes. This might seem obvious, but think about it: How many people, in the name of "freedom," discount the voices and beliefs of others? full story
	Faith in the Marketplace   This Week's Discussion Point: Is interreligious understanding urgent (e.g. Christian-Muslim, Christian-Buddhist)? Why?     Selected Response From Readers:
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