Jesus is the Resurrection and the life Scripture Readings: Acts 10:34, 37-43. Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23. Colossians 3:1-4. John 20:1-9. On the first Easter Sunday morning Jesus is nowhere to be seen. The tomb is empty. The disciples, somewhat in disbelief, run to the tomb. Peter and John peer inside. Then, as today’s Gospel tells [...]
“Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8) Scripture Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7. Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24. Philippians 2:6-11. Matthew 26:14-27:66. Today is known as Palm Sunday, Passion Sunday, or Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. In today’s long Gospel reading we hear of Jesus celebrating the Last [...]
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1). Scripture Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1, 6-7, 10-13. Psalm 23:1-6. Ephesians 5:8-14. John 9:1-41. This Sunday’s readings present Jesus as a shepherd who illumines the way for us. In today’s first reading we hear of the election of David, son of Jesse, as Israel’s anointed King. [...]
“If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Ps 95:7-8). Scripture Readings: Exodus 17:3-7. Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9. Romans 5:1-2, 5-8. John 4:5-15, 19-26, 39-42. This Sunday’s first reading and Psalm remind us of what we heard in the readings from the first Sunday of Lent. There we heard of Adam’s temptation in the [...]
“Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). Scripture Readings: Genesis 12:1-4. Psalm 33:4-5, 18-20, 22. 2 Timothy 1:8-10. Matthew 17:1-9. In last Sunday’s readings, the Church placed before us the theme of sin and its remedy of God’s love and mercy. This Sunday’s readings speak of how God manifests this love and mercy. In Today’s first reading [...]
“Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness” (Ps 51:3). Scripture Readings: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7. Psalm 51:3-6; 12-14, 17. Romans 5:12-19. Matthew 4:1-11. Lent is a good time of year to pause and reflect to recognise the sources of temptation and sin in our life and to reflect on God’s love and mercy for the sinner. Lent is [...]
Lent is the forty-day season prior to Easter beginning with Ash Wednesday. It is called Lent in English because “Lenten” is an old English word for Spring, which is the season of year when this forty-day preparation occurs for those living in the Northern Hemisphere. The Lenten period was initially set aside for the spiritual [...]
Giotto, Marriage at Cana (14th cent.) Many today balk at the thought of a life-time commitment. Yet there is a fundamental desire within the human heart to be in a life-giving, life-long, loving relationship with another person. All the great love songs and epic tales depict the struggle for this lifetime “yes” to another. This [...]
Fra Angelico, Institution of the Eucharist (1442) Scripture tells us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) since prayer is one of the fundamental elements of the spiritual life. But St Paul says, “We do not know how to pray as we ought” (Rom 8:26). Prayer is difficult and does not come easily for most [...]
Sassetta, Institution of the Eucharist (1430-2) What is the relationship between the proclamation of the Word of God (Scripture) and the sacramental life of the Church? Some think that the power of the proclaimed Word of God, or their private study of Scripture, is sufficient for the Christian life. Others think that the fullness of [...]
Andrei Rublev (1360-1430), Angels at Mamre (Holy Trinity) Often called the “preacher’s nightmare,” Trinity Sunday might be considered the “preacher’s opportunity” to unpack the greatest mystery of the Christian faith. The Trinity is the most arcane and extraordinary of Christian doctrines, and simultaneously the most ordinary and obvious of doctrines. The very technical language used [...]
Michelangelo, Last Judgment (detail), 1536-41 Have Catholics forgotten about the next life and judgment? Seldom do we hear about the next life; and we reflect little about it. Many have come to believe that all will be sunshine and roses, for all will enter immediately into the glory of life everlasting. But is this the [...]
Since God speaks in the Scriptures through the human writers, in order to interpret the Scriptures correctly we should carefully seek the meaning that the human authors intend, and what God wants to say through their words. In finding the intention of the human authors we will also find the intention of the Holy Spirit, [...]
In the Scriptures God speaks to us in human words. The words of Scripture are the words of God, expressed in the weakness of human language. This union of the Word of God expressed in human words is analogous to the way the Word was made flesh (see John 1:14), when he took to himself human [...]
Hans Memling, The Resurrection (late 15th cent.) This Easter thousands of adults will be brought into the Church through reception of the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. In baptism we are incorporated into Christ; we throw off our “old nature” and “put on Christ.” St Paul indicates that entering the baptismal waters we die [...]