The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph
THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY, AND JOSEPH, CYCLE C LUKE 2:41-52 (1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28; Ps. 84:-2-3, 5-6, 9-10; 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24) The first two chapters of Luke’s gospel are known as The Infancy Narrative. The narrative consists of a carefully constructed series of parallel stori...Read full story »
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Fourth Sunday of Advent
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, CYCLE C LUKE 1:39-45 (Micah 5:1-4a; Psalm 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19; Hebrews 10:5-10) The term “advent” in its pre-Christian meaning referred to the official visitation of the Roman emperor or his delegate to a city or state in the empire. It is appropriate that Chri...Read full story »
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Third Sunday of Advent
THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, CYCLE C LUKE 3:10-18 (Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Psalm from Isaiah 12:2-6; Philippians 4:4-7) More than the other three gospels, Luke’s gospel is a “social” gospel, a gospel of mercy, a Pope Francis gospel. Luke’s “social” theme is emphasi...Read full story »
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Sunday Scriptures
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT, CYCLE C LUKE 3:1-6 (Baruch 5:1-9; Psalm 126:1-6; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11) In the Preamble to his gospel Luke expresses his dissatisfaction with the previous attempts of other Christian writers “to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished a...Read full story »
Thursday, December 03, 2015
Sunday Scriptures
LUKE 21:25-28, 34-36 (Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thess. 3:12-4/2; Psalm 25:4-5, 8-9, 10-14) On the first Sunday of Advent in any year, whether from Cycle A readings (Matthew), or Cycle B (Mark), or Cycle C (Luke), the Sunday gospel is taken from Jesus’ last discourse in one of these three go...Read full story »
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Feast of Christ the King
JOHN 18:33b-37 (Daniel 7:13-14; Psalm 93:1, 1-2, 5; Revelation 1:5-8) The institution of the Feast of Christ the King dates from 1925. Pope Pius XI’s intention in estab-lishing this feast was to counteract secularism and atheism. The feast was originally celebrated on the last S...Read full story »
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
There are three versions of Jesus’ last sermon or discourse – Mark, Matthew, and Luke. It is generally accepted that Mark’s version is the oldest of the three, and that Luke and Matthew used Mark’s version, changed it and expanded it for their own gospels. The discour...Read full story »
Monday, November 09, 2015
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
MARK 12:38-44 (1 Kings 17:10-16; Psalm 146:, 8-9, 9-10; Hebrews 9:24-28) Jesus and his disciples had walked the main road from Jericho up to Jerusalem accompanied by crowds of pilgrims from Galilee. The grand entry into Jerusalem had taken place. It was late on that day. After a brief...Read full story »
Monday, November 02, 2015
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew is a catechetical genius. Even though Mark’s gospel is older by a decade or two, Matthew deserves to be first in the New Testament. He arranges his material in such a way that the structure of his gospel becomes clear and the material lends itself to easy memorization. On...Read full story »
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jesus and his disciples are en route from Galilee in the north to Jerusalem in the south for Passover. Their journey began after the transfiguration of Jesus. Mark arranged the material in his gospel so that the transfiguration takes place before the journey to Jerusalem begins. Thus the jou...Read full story »
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
