Sunday’s Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalms 54:3-4, 5, 6, 8; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37 THE MEANING OF DISCIPLESHIPThe geography of today’s Gospel is significant. Jesus is completing his ministry in Galilee and beginning his journey to Jerusalem, where he will meet both death and resurrection. The prediction of his death placed here is the second of…
Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 50:5-9; Psalms 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35 IT’S ALL ABOUT CONTROLFrom toddlerhood to old age, we grow in mastery of our own lives, our bodies, and our destiny. This mastery is hard won, and we don’t let go of autonomy easily. Much of this self-mastery involves the avoidance of pain…
Sunday’s Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Psalms 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5; James 1:17-18, 21B-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 DOERS OF THE WORDThe second reading for today begins a five-week series of selections from James, a letter that is classified among the so called “catholic” (or universal) epistles because they are addressed to a general audience rather than…
Sunday’s Readings: 1 Chronicles 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2; Psalms 132:6-7, 9-10, 13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:54b-57; Luke 11:27-28 THE DESTINY OF ALL MORTAL FLESHThe celebration of today’s feast on a Sunday is unusual on our Roman Catholic calendar. Our observance of the Lord’s Day is held in such high esteem that few other feasts replace it. Occasionally…
Sunday’s Readings: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15; Psalm 78:3-4, 23-24, 25, 54; Ephesian 4:17, 20-24; John 6:24-35 THE BREAD OF LIFEToday’s Gospel has the crowd asking Jesus three questions. First, “When did you get here,” to which Jesus responds by rebuking them for their failure to grasp his miracle as a “sign,” an occasion to put faith in…
Sunday’s Readings: 2 Kings 4:42-44; Psalms 145:10-11, 15-16, 17-18; Ephesians 4:1-6; John 6:1-15 ONE LORD, ONE FAITHDo you suppose the authors of the four Gospels were aware of today’s first reading from the second bookof Kings? Of course they were. The prophet Elisha fed a hundred men with twenty barley loaves in orderto prove God’s power.…
Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 23:1-6; Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; Ephesians 2:13-18; Mark 6:30-34 THE DAYS ARE COMING Separation, isolation, and hostility are terrible things. We are, sadly, too familiar with all of them in our modern life, whether we look at world events or events in our own neighborhoods and families. All three readings today refer…
Sunday’s Readings: Amos 7:12-15; Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13 GOD CHOSE US Who chose first, God or you? That is the question explored in today’s three readings. The second reading, from Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, reads almost like a hymn. It praises God for choosing us, for calling us to serve, and…