Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 62:1-5; Psalms 96:1-2, 2-3, 7-8, 9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; John 2:1-11 A VISIBLE GOD We find it difficult to convey ideas to people unless we can actually show them something, demonstrate what we mean. God, who is invisible and truly beyond human understanding, apparently faces the same difficulty. People want to see, not…

Sunday’s Readings: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10; Acts 10:34-38; Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 CALLED TO SERVE For many weeks now, we have been celebrating the appearance of the divine presence in human form. As a child, he came to Mary and Joseph, was seen by the shepherds, and then by some wandering magi from…

Sunday’s Readings….Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13; Ephesians 3:2-3A, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12 FINDING GOD The splendid magi, all sparkle and dash and solemnity, march right up off the pages of Matthew’s Gospel and into our churches today. Matthew alone tells us this grand and seductive story so that we might see the light and…

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 AWAITING THE SALVATION OF GOD The world does not seem big enough to contain the jubilation of the first reading. In the Gospel reading, the Roman empire isn’t big enough, either. The great powers of Rome are named and made to stand…

Sunday’s Readings: Daniel 12:1-3; Psalms 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11; Hebrews 10:11-14, 18; Mark 13:24-32 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. We can…

Sunday’s Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Psalms 146:7, 8-9, 9-10; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 THE CALL TO DISCIPLESHIP The core vocation in the Gospel of Mark is the vocation, or call, to discipleship. Today’s Gospel passage provides us with one last example of what the vocation to discipleship means, and one example of what it doesn’t mean.…

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…