January 28, 2024 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) The beauty and depth of God’s word in scripture can be seen in the infinite number of ways various passages can be interpreted. They can be viewed with an historical critical method, unpacking them according to genre, historical circumstances of the specific time period, and the author’s intention for the original audience. A second way to interpret is a moral approach, from a standpoint of sin and grace, as well…..
January 21, 2024 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) This weekend we have Mark’s version of the call of the first apostles (Mk. 1:14-20) which we read last week from John. We hear about Andrew, with his brother Simon, and also John, the son of Zebedee, this time mentioned specifically by name, along with his brother James. We see again how readily they respond to the call of Jesus. They simply abandon their nets and follow him (Mk. 1:18)……
January 14, 2024 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B) This weekend we see a common theme among the readings consisting of the call of certain people to the service of God. This call or commissioning of a person for a particular task is a type of story which is commonly found in the Bible. For example, in the book of Exodus, Moses encounters God at the burning bush and is told he will lead the rescue of the Israelites…..
December 24, 2023 Fourth Sunday of Advent At first glance the link between the readings for this Fourth Sunday of Advent seems readily apparent. In the First Reading from 2Samuel (2 Sam. 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14a, 16) God promises King David that he will establish for him an everlasting dynasty which will give rise to a special heir who will become like a son to God. And in the Gospel from Luke (Lk. 1:26-38), we find the familiar scene where the…..
November 12, 2023 Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Today’s readings offer us a description of what it is like to have wisdom and how to use wisdom, or good judgment, when it comes to awaiting the arrival of the kingdom of heaven. The First Reading is taken from one of the less well-known books of the Old Testament, the book of Wisdom (Wis. 6:12-16). Although often written in the name of Solomon, this work is the composition of…..
October 29, 2023 Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) It would be safe to assume that most people, whether familiar with the Old Testament or not, have heard the story of the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. These are the passages where we find the “Law of Moses,” or divine precepts given by God to Moses and the people of Israel so that they might learn to…..
October 22, 2023 Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Last weekend we heard Jesus describing the conditions which must be met in order for a person to attend the heavenly banquet which awaits us in the kingdom of God (Mt. 22:1-14). When Jesus finishes the story, which is called “The Parable of the Wedding Feast,” he concludes by saying “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” (Mt. 22:14). The readings for today offer us a clue to the difference…..
October 15, 2023 Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) The readings for today give us a sample of the heavenly banquet of the Kingdom of God, an image which is frequently encountered throughout scripture. It is a sign of the splendid destiny which awaits those who have served the LORD. It was originally promised to Israel, God’s chosen nation, and eventually extended to all people through the Paschal Mystery – the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Isaiah describes…..
October 08, 2023 Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) Sometimes it can be difficult to find a common theme between the readings for a particular week. It may require several hours of research, examining the passages and reading commentaries. And still the themes may be vague and elusive. For this weekend, however, the opposite is actually true. The common theme is readily apparent and plainly stated in the Responsorial Psalm: “The vineyard of the Lord is the house of…..
October 1, 2023 Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A) The readings for today hold a common theme. They tell us about repentance and conversion and about the importance of doing things according to the will of God instead of our own selfish needs. In the First Reading (Ezek. 18:25-28), the prophet Ezekiel makes it quite clear. The people of Israel have rebelled against God and turned to idol worship. As punishment, they have been taken into exile by the…..