Sunday’s Readings: Baruch 5:1-9; Psalms 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6 A DEEP CHANGE OF HEART When John proclaimed a baptism of repentance, as today’s Gospel relates, he called people to a deep change of heart. For John the Baptist, repentance was not simply regret for past failings, but a commitment to orient…
Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 33:14-16; Psalms 25:4-5, 8-9, 10, 14; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 WATCHFUL CONFIDENCEWe the Church enter into Advent and the new liturgical year with a call for a watchful confidence. Our readings were originally addressed to communities undergoing great loss and confusion. Jeremiah speaks confidently of God fulfilling the ancient promises…
Sunday’s Readings: Daniel 7:13-14; Psalms 93:1, 1-2, 5; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33-37 CHRIST, THE KINGThe selection from the book of Daniel presented in today’s first reading was part of an attempt to weave a vision of ultimate success for the Jews under persecution. Exactly whom the author had in mind when he refers to “one like…
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…