Sunday’s Reading: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30 GOD’S REIGN By pointing to the end times, today’s readings speak to the coming reign of God, when God will make all things new. In Christ, this time has already begun. We, by our energized watchfulness, can further God’s reign.…

Sunday’s Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Psalms 46:7,8-9,9-10; Hebrew 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 or 12:41-44 THE POORAs Christians, we hear a lot about the witness and service that we are called to render to the poor among us. However, the poor also have a witness and a service to render to us. Like the actions of the widow…

Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalms 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52 RECOGNIZING JESUSThe star of today’s Gospel is a panhandler. Bartimaeus is blind, yes, but he is probably also homeless andfilthy, a real nuisance to respectable citizens. Even so, it is Bartimaeus who recognizes Jesus as the Messiah,places all his faith in him, throws…

Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45 THE HUMANITY OF JESUS CHRIST All three readings today support—each in its own way, of course—a reflection on the humanity of Jesus Christ and how that humanity played a key role in the drama of our salvation. Although not chosen specifically to coordinate…

Sunday’s Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalms 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30 GIFTSIn today’s readings, we discover that material wealth alone does not keep us from discipleship. We will seethat there are other gifts more important than material wealth, but even so, it is how we use our gifts that matters most. Today’s scriptures point to…

Sunday’s Readings: Genesis 2:18-24; Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16 THE BARRIERS THAT SEPARATE USWe live in a society that has many technological avenues for stimulation and entertainment, one in which the urban population exceeds the non-urban. It is curious that loneliness is a prevalent malady. It is easy to reach out and…

Sunday’s Readings: Numbers 11:25-29; Psalms 19:8, 10, 12-13, 14; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 PROCLAIM THE WONDER OF GODThe gift of the Spirit is given freely, not according to human expectations, but according to the generosity ofGod. Joshua wants Moses to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying in the camp, when they were not withthe…

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…