FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
TAKE HEED! WATCH! Isaiah 63:16-17, 19; 64:2-7, Psalm 80, 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, Mark 13:33-37 In many areas of our country, neighborhood watch groups have been formed to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. They are on the alert for the coming...
SOLEMNITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
SHEPHERD-KING Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-17, Psalm 23, 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28, Matthew 25:31-46 David was a shepherd before he was anointed king of Israel. Today, on this Solemnity of Christ the King, the readings emphasize that Jesus, too, is a...
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
BE PRODUCTIVE Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31, Psalm 128, I Thess. 5:1-6, Matthew 25:14-30 God desires and blesses productivity for the kingdom of God. Owners want their companies to be productive and make a profit. Managers want to increase...
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
SMART OR STUPID Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalm 63, I Thess. 4:13-18, Matthew 25:1-13 Actually, the title should probably be “Wise or Foolish” but somehow “Smart or Stupid” seems to grab our attention more! The main idea of today’s readings, as we edge...
ALL SAINTS DAY
TRIUMPH OR TRAGEDY Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14, Psalm 24, 1 John 3:1-3, Matthew 5:1-12 “The only great tragedy in life is not to become a saint.” I remember hearing this quote of Leon Bloy from my religion teacher, Fr. Andrew Becnel, OSB, when I was in...
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
GOD AND NEIGHBOR Exodus 22:20-26, Psalm 18, 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10, Matthew 22:34-40 This Sunday we hear all about the basics: love of God and love of neighbor. It is also interesting to see how the Mass prayers emphasize and support the core...
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
GOD OR CAESAR Isaiah 45:1, 4-6, Psalm 96, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, Matthew 22:15-21 Church and state…religious freedom vs. government interference…God or Caesar. Today’s readings, dealing with the relationship of God’s people with civil authority,...
Prophetic Word: This is the Time
THIS IS THE TIME Like olives in the oil press you are being squeezed. Like olives in the oil press you are being pressured. Like olives in the oil press you are being emptied. For now is the time and now is the hour. Not a time of your desiring nor...
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
YOU’RE INVITED! Isaiah 25:6-10, Psalm 23, Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20, Matthew 22:1-14 Have you ever been snubbed? Expected an invite that just never arrived? Well, good news from today’s readings – we’re all invited to the biggest and best wedding...
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
PRODUCING GOOD GRAPES Isaiah 5:4-7, Psalm 80, Philippians 4:6-9, Matthew 21:33-43 Do you have a vineyard or an orchard or a vegetable patch or any kind of garden? If you do, then you certainly want to see some good growth. So does God. This Sunday...