Sunday’s Readings: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30 SHARING OUR GIFTS Autumn is the season for harvesting and sharing the fruits of our labors. This week’s scriptures use images of the harvest, family life, pregnancy, and investment to describe the abundant harvest in the reign of God. We discover…

Sunday’s Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16; Psalms 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13 WISDOM We consider wisdom today. The first reading from the book of Wisdom presents this precious gift as a feminine spirit, a very desirable virtue sought by many and graciously present to all who seek her. In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a…

Sunday’s Readings: Malachai 1:14-2:2, 8-10; Psalms 131:1, 2, 3; 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 1; Matthew 23:1-12 THE GREATEST AMONG US Whom do you admire? Is it the President of the United States or a movie star or a billionaire? These are people whom the world exalts as great. Like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel, they have places…

Sunday’s Readings: Exodus 22:20-26; Psalms 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10; Matthew 22:34-40 BALANCE Today’s scriptures emphasize the fundamental link between love of God and love of our neighbors, especially those who are most in need. Love of God should compel us to love the people whom God cherishes. Conversely, work for justice and charity…

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 POWER STRUGGLE Power struggles occur on every level of society, from the world stage to relationships at work, to our own homes. We struggle for position in the hierarchy of power: Who has power over whom? How do they wield…

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 THE HEAVENLY BANQUET The mountain of the Lord described in today’s first reading is a place where there is no more hunger, no more weeping, and no more division of any kind. We need to pause and ponder these images every now…

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 BEARING THE RIGHT KIND OF FRUIT Today’s readings focus our attention on vineyards. Isaiah’s song concerning his friend’s vineyard begins with inspiring and poetic images of an idyllic vineyard where the choicest harvest is expected. Instead, the vineyard yields wild grapes, which…