Sunday’s Readings: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalms 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Mark 4:26-34 THE MASTER STORYTELLER In today’s Gospel, Jesus is presented to us as the master storyteller. He loved to use parables as a tool for comparing one thing to something else. In most of his parables, Jesus revealed who God is by comparing God’s…
Sunday’s Readings: Genesis 3:9-15; Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1; Mark 3:20-35 PROMISES Today’s liturgy is full of promises. The reading from Genesis promises a final triumph over the power of sin and a return to a new creation. The reading from Second Corinthians promises that all who follow Christ will have to struggle.…
Sunday’s Readings: Exodus 24:3-8; Psalms 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 PRECIOUS BLOOD On this solemnity we focus our attention on the Body and Blood of Christ. We listen to the story of the renewal of the old covenant, which Moses sealed by splashing the blood of animals on the altar of sacrifice, as…
Sundays Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Psalms 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Corinthians 12:3B-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23 ALL ARE SENT Fifty days after Easter Sunday we celebrate the fulfillment of all God’s promises in the feast of Pentecost, a feast that has sometimes been called the birthday of the church. One last time we are reminded that…
Sunday’s Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Psalms 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Ephesians 1:17-23; Mark 16:15-20 MISSION STATEMENT Today we celebrate Christ’s ascension into heaven and his commissioning of the disciples to carry on his mission in the world. First we hear Luke’s description of those events in the opening verses of the Acts of the Apostles. Next we hear…
Sunday’s Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4; 1 John 4:7-10; John 15:9-17 LOVE ONE ANOTHER In the Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter we are met with an extraordinary challenge: Jesus commands us to “love one another as I love you” (John 15:12). The letter from John echoes this command. Of course,…
Sunday’s Readings: Acts 4:8-12; Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 21-23, 26, 28, 29; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18 SAVED BY THE ONE WHO WAS REJECTEDSome city teenagers often scorn and reject farm kids. Yet it’s no exaggeration to say that humanity owes its life to farmers who care for the world’s crops and livestock. This week’s scriptures remind…
Sunday’s Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; Psalms 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9; John 2:1-5; Luke 24:35-48 BELIEVING IN JESUS CHRIST Throughout the Easter season, all three of the Sunday readings are taken from the New Testament—the Christian scriptures. Together they explore what it means to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the One who fulfilled the prophecies of…