Nov 15, 2025 Written by 

Today with Me: the Wine that gets us out of the nest

(Lk 23:35-43)

 

The Son is crucified among criminals. For political and religious power, he was a much worse danger.

According to Lk, only one outraged him; the other called Jesus by name and relied on him (v.42).

At the beginning of the Gospel the coming of the Lord is placed among the least of the earth.

He manifests himself to the world among impure and despised people [even certain that they must be incinerated of the Judge Messiah, and who therefore were afraid of him] not among the righteous and saints of the Temple.

Then his whole life takes place in the midst of tax collectors and sinners, because he came for them.

In fact: who brings back to the Father’s house? A guy any, representing all of us - a criminal who had committed murders - because all sins consist in taking away someone’s life and joy of living.

So that killer represents us. And Christ begins to build Family precisely with the criminal next door, who are we: sinners recovered from his unconditional Love.

 

In Lk the crowd is in disarray.

People do not insult the Faithful Son accused by religious authorities, but remain perplexed, they do not understand.

The people did not have healthy spiritual guides, capable of making the authentic features of God’s world be recognized - and vice versa, what made it caricature.

That of “universal King” is a title that today carries with it many misunderstandings - when attributed to the authentic Christ, reduced to zero.

This is because it’s confused with artificial magnitudes, magnificences of exteriority.

The regality of believers in Him is inapparent, all substance. Power that opens up new possibilities, even in dark dimension.

Nothing to do with the temptations to realize oneself by thinking in a trivial, hasty, outwardly, comfortable way, and promoting only oneself  (vv.37.39).

In the Gospels - in fact - evil is presented not as a bad opponent and antagonist, but affable and complacent counselor, who seems to convey security from the unexpected, and make us win positions.

Friend who loves and protects us, so he gives the tips to stand up, impose, succeed.

But focussing on appearances ends up making us ignore and not understand the deep paths of the soul.

 

At the word «kingdom», Pilate immediately thought that of Tiberius (vv.2-4)

Here the size of the Kingdom is upside down: it doesn’t show the muscles.

His King stands us by, he is a Person able to create harmony of beauty within; a quieter road.

Salvation comes from what in our life is considered as bland and nothingness, yet it opens wide the infinite that dwells inside - the boundless of the primordial, present and final Friend.

He reverberates in the heart, and directs - Eternal who intimately resonates, even in tragic situations.

This comes even from those who - Jesus, benevolent oppressed - was valued a cursed by God and considered scum of society à la page.

Conversely, friendly Presence; wich makes us "see" and unlocks.

The radical difference between religiosity and Faith? The sense of an intimate and surprising Mystery that awakens us.

Wine, not «vinegar» [sour wine (v.36)]: corruption of love and of the celebration.

 

The God of religions drives out the contradictory and inadequate woman and man from Paradise. The Father welcomes them.

 

 

[34th Sunday in O.T.  (year C), November 23, 2025, Christ the King]

22 Last modified on Saturday, 15 November 2025 00:40
don Giuseppe Nespeca

Giuseppe Nespeca è architetto e sacerdote. Cultore della Sacra scrittura è autore della raccolta "Due Fuochi due Vie - Religione e Fede, Vangeli e Tao"; coautore del libro "Dialogo e Solstizio".

The Sadducees, addressing Jesus for a purely theoretical "case", at the same time attack the Pharisees' primitive conception of life after the resurrection of the bodies; they in fact insinuate that faith in the resurrection of the bodies leads to admitting polyandry, contrary to the law of God (Pope John Paul II)
I Sadducei, rivolgendosi a Gesù per un "caso" puramente teorico, attaccano al tempo stesso la primitiva concezione dei Farisei sulla vita dopo la risurrezione dei corpi; insinuano infatti che la fede nella risurrezione dei corpi conduce ad ammettere la poliandria, contrastante con la legge di Dio (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
Are we disposed to let ourselves be ceaselessly purified by the Lord, letting Him expel from us and the Church all that is contrary to Him? (Pope Benedict)
Siamo disposti a lasciarci sempre di nuovo purificare dal Signore, permettendoGli di cacciare da noi e dalla Chiesa tutto ciò che Gli è contrario? (Papa Benedetto)
Jesus makes memory and remembers the whole history of the people, of his people. And he recalls the rejection of his people to the love of the Father (Pope Francis)
Gesù fa memoria e ricorda tutta la storia del popolo, del suo popolo. E ricorda il rifiuto del suo popolo all’amore del Padre (Papa Francesco)
Ecclesial life is made up of exclusive inclinations, and of tasks that may seem exceptional - or less relevant. What matters is not to be embittered by the titles of others, therefore not to play to the downside, nor to fear the more of the Love that risks (for afraid of making mistakes)
La vita ecclesiale è fatta di inclinazioni esclusive, e di incarichi che possono sembrare eccezionali - o meno rilevanti. Ciò che conta è non amareggiarsi dei titoli altrui, quindi non giocare al ribasso, né temere il di più dell’Amore che rischia (per paura di sbagliare).
Zacchaeus wishes to see Jesus, that is, understand if God is sensitive to his anxieties - but because of shame he hides (in the dense foliage). He wants to see, without being seen by those who judge him. Instead the Lord looks at him from below upwards; Not vice versa
Zaccheo desidera vedere Gesù, ossia capire se Dio è sensibile alle sue ansie - ma per vergogna si nasconde nel fitto fogliame. Vuole vedere, senza essere visto da chi lo giudica. Invece il Signore lo guarda dal basso in alto; non viceversa
The story of the healed blind man wants to help us look up, first planted on the ground due to a life of habit. Prodigy of the priesthood of Jesus
La vicenda del cieco risanato vuole aiutarci a sollevare lo sguardo, prima piantato a terra a causa di una vita abitudinaria. Prodigio del sacerdozio di Gesù.
Firstly, not to let oneself be fooled by false prophets nor to be paralyzed by fear. Secondly, to live this time of expectation as a time of witness and perseverance (Pope Francis)
Primo: non lasciarsi ingannare dai falsi messia e non lasciarsi paralizzare dalla paura. Secondo: vivere il tempo dell’attesa come tempo della testimonianza e della perseveranza (Papa Francesco)
O Signore, fa’ che la mia fede sia piena, senza riserve, e che essa penetri nel mio pensiero, nel mio modo di giudicare le cose divine e le cose umane (Papa Paolo VI)
O Lord, let my faith be full, without reservations, and let penetrate into my thought, in my way of judging divine things and human things (Pope Paul VI)
«Whoever tries to preserve his life will lose it; but he who loses will keep it alive» (Lk 17:33)
«Chi cercherà di conservare la sua vita, la perderà; ma chi perderà, la manterrà vivente» (Lc 17,33)

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