Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; Psalms 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5; Matthew 22:15-21 IN GOD ALONE Isaiah speaks to us today of Cyrus, King of Persia, anointed by the Lord. God calls Cyrus by name and leads him in service to the Israelites. In this passage we hear that it is the Lord…

Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 25:6-10; Psalms 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20; Matthew 22:1-14 GOD REVEALED TO THE NATIONSWhat wonderful images we have today of the reign of God! Isaiah speaks to us of a great feast—a heavenly feast—a feast of abundance with rich foods and choice wines. It is the Lord’s own affair, Isaiah explains,…

Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalms 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43 THE GIFT OF THE REIGN OF GODMatthew’s Gospel today expands on Isaiah’s ballad considerably. A comparison with the same story in Mark’s Gospel clearly shows us that here the author is busy teaching this community of Jewish Christians: “This is a story…

Sunday’s Readings: Ezekiel 18:25-28; Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 FAMILIAR INSIGHTSSpiritual teachers tend to repeat themselves, and to repeat other teachers. Maybe there really aren’t that many different truths to tell. Just a lot of slow, sleepy human beings—like us—who need to hear the basics over and over. Consider today’s readings. People complain…

Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 55:6-9, Psalms 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18; Philippians 1:20C-24, 27A; Matthew 20:1-16A DIRECTIONIsaiah tells us something that we already know, and yet seem to forget every now and then. He tells us, essentially, that God is God and we are not. When we’re confused and troubled and can’t figure everything out, it might be wise…

Sunday’s Readings: Sirach 27:30-28:7; Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12; Romans 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35 FORGIVENESSNearly ten years before, a son and father had parted ways when the business they shared went bankrupt. The son blamed the father. They did not speak to each other again.Then the father became seriously ill. The mother called the son and told…

Sunday’s Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20 A MESSAGE OF LOVE In the final verses of today’s Gospel reading Jesus says that when two or three are gathered in his name, “there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). So we understand that fraternal correction is always undertaken with…

Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 20:7-9; Psalms 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27 THE CROSS OF JESUS The perception of a cross changed dramatically after Jesus’ crucifixion. Before that event, death on a cross was not only horrible, it was degrading. It was a penalty reserved only for the most wretched of criminals. The word “glory”…