January 15,2023 (Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A) Today we gain some insight into the identity of the unknown servant found in the book of the prophet Isaiah who brought God’s liberation to the people of Israel and all other nations. The identity of the suffering Servant is somewhat elusive. The first part of the passage from Isaiah for today (Isa. 49:3, 5-6) seems to indicate that the servant is the nation of Israel as a whole: “He said…..
January 8, 2023 The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (Year A) As has so often happened during this Christmas season, we find a prophecy in the First Reading from Isaiah (Isa. 60:16) which is then fulfilled in the Gospel (Mt. 2:1-12). This is a common pattern in Year A where we hear from Matthew for the most part. He used a lot of fulfillment passages for the benefit of his community so that they would see that everything…..
January 1, 2023 (Year A) In the readings for today we find the blessedness that comes from God to all people regardless of social status or reputation, for all human life is precious in the eyes of God. In the reading from the book of Numbers (Num. 6:22-27) we hear the special blessing that God gave to Moses and Aaron to pronounce upon the Israelites at the time of the Exodus when they wandered in the desert. During the entire…..
December 25, 2022 Christmas (Year A) With the numerous masses celebrated on Christmas we get a nice variety of passages which touch upon the main points of the birth of Christ. So, we are not getting just one viewpoint, but a different scenario from three of the four evangelists, Matthew, Luke, and John. From Matthew (Mt. 1:18-25) we get to hear the basic story of the miraculous conception of Jesus by Mary and through the power of the Holy Spirit……
December 18, 2022, Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year A) There is a lot of history that happens in the readings for today as we hear about what it means to trust in the Lord. The First Reading (Is 7:10-14) takes place during the time that the nation of Assyria was conquering much of Palestine, when Isaiah was the major prophet. At this time (735 BC) Ahaz was the king of the Southern Kingdom of Israel, or Judah. Ahaz was being…..
December 11, 2022, Third Sunday of Advent (Year A) Today we see how the Lord fulfills the hopes of many as foretold in the scriptures and how He brings joy to the world. First we hear the words of the prophet Isaiah (Isa. 35:1-6a,10) who preached to the people at the time of the Babylonian exile. He promised that their homeland would be renewed with all of the splendor of its prewar blessings. The wilderness will once more bloom with…..
December 4, 2022, Second Sunday of Advent (Year A) Today, on this Second Sunday of Advent, we once again hear about preparedness for the coming kingdom of God and the peace that will come along with it. In the Gospel (Mt 3:1-12) we encounter John the Baptist, the precursor of Jesus. He is described as the one about whom Isaiah had written. In fact, John the Baptist identifies himself as this anonymous prophet of Isaiah. He claims, “I am the…..
November 20, 2022, The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (Year C) Today we celebrate the Feast of Jesus as Christ the King. This concept of royalty is something which seems a bit foreign to us as it is a form of government which is rarely found in the world today. Kings and queens are basically figureheads kept in some countries as a part of tradition. Their few obligations include things such as appointing prime ministers,…..
November 13, 2022, Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) The theme of today’s readings is probably one of the most troublesome and difficult to process. With the theme of judgment in the forefront it can even seem intimidating, fearful, and daunting. In the Old Testament this day of judgment which is implied is known as the Day of the Lord and is found mostly in the prophetic literature. Today it is from the book of Malachi (Mal 3:19-20a), the…..
November 6, 2022, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C) Today’s passages offer explicit verification about the existence of bodily resurrection for those who doubt its possibility. The first comes from the second book of Maccabees (2 Macc. 7:1-2, 9-14). This was the time period during Israel’s history when the Greek Empire was the dominating world power. As a part of their effort to control those they defeated, the Greeks insisted that all of their occupied territories adapt their Hellenistic…..