Sunday’s Readings: Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Psalms 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28-34 GOD’S LAWS God’s laws are not intended to burden or torment us. Instead they are guideposts that point us in the direction of good living. Accordingly, good living requires loving God and loving one another. We should not follow God’s laws out of…

Sunday’s Readings: Jeremiah 31:7-9; Psalms 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6; Hebrews 5:1-6; Mark 10:46-52 THE HOPE AND PROMISE OF REDEMPTION The prophet Jeremiah prophesies the end of the Babylonian exile. He describes how the weak and sorrowful people now return with joy. These are the scattered people of God: the blind and the lame, the mothers and…

Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Psalms 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45 TOO MUCH INFORMATION! There is a common expression: “Too much information!” We usually use it when people tell us details about their lives that we don’t want or need to know. Today, when James and John ask Jesus a simple question, making their…

Sunday’s Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11; Psalms 90:12-13, 14-15, 16-17; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30 WORDS OF WISDOM The spirit of wisdom, as we discover in today’s first reading, comes to those who pray for her. Wisdom, like the word of God, carries a message of consolation as well as of great challenge. The Letter to the Hebrews tells…

Sunday’s Readings: Genesis 2:18-24; Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16 HE EMBRACED THEM AND BLESSED THEM Today Jesus stresses how children embody the reign of God. They are trusting and loving and have hearts that are open to love. They are joyful when they are made aware of God’s love for them, 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 NOT AGAINST US Like Moses before him, Jesus corrects his disciples’ misunderstanding of the gift of the Spirit. They saw people who were not of their company casting out demons and doing other works such as Jesus had done. Jesus points…

Sunday’s Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; Psalms 54:3-4, 5, 6, 8; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37 HOW DO WE TREAT THE MESSENGER? Let’s not be too hasty in defining who is “the wicked one” and who (namely us) is just! We are very quick to label others as evil, because we tend to label ourselves as good guys.…

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 LISTENING AND RESPONDING There are three interwoven themes in today’s readings: listening to God, faith vs. good works, and losing our life in order to find it. How are they related? The Suffering Servant of Isaiah undergoes much distress and ridicule, but is…