Third Sunday of Easter
A masterful composition is Luke’s story of Jesus’ encounter with two of his disciples returning from Passover in Jerusalem to their hometown Emmaus. En route they were discussing the events they had witnessed in Jerusalem – the death of Jesus and now a report from some women who h...Read full story »
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Second Sunday of Easter
There are three parts in this Sunday’s gospel reading. The first part takes place on the evening of the first day of the week (Sunday), on the same day as Jesus’ resurrection. It was a busy day. Jesus had appeared to Mary of Magdala. He commissioned her to announce his resurrection, ...Read full story »
Thursday, April 20, 2017
The Resurrection of the Lord
It was the first day of the week, the day we call Sunday. The body of Jesus had been entombed late Friday afternoon. On the Sabbath all Jews rested, including the disciples of Jesus. Mark, Matthew, and Luke tell us that the women who followed Jesus from Galilee had watched the burial of his body. L...Read full story »
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew is the longest in the four gospels. Matthew composed his gospel in the mid-80’s of the first Christian century. It is clear that he follows the outline of the Passion in the Gospel of Mark, composed about 15 years earlier than Matthew....Read full story »
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
Fifth Sunday of Lent
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT, YEAR A JOHN 11:1-45 (Ezekiel 37:12-14; Romans 8:8-11) The third of the great Lenten gospels for the instruction of catechumens before baptism is the resurrection of Lazarus. It is the last of the seven miracles of Jesus that John narrates. John does not use the ordinary terms...Read full story »
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Fourth Sunday of Lent
The second of the three great Lenten gospel readings for the preparation of catechumens is John’s story of the man born blind. The other gospels have stories of Jesus restoring sight to the blind. This story in John is different. Jesus creates sight where there never was sight. The story is f...Read full story »
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Third Sunday of Lent
The gospel reading of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in Samaria is the first of three readings the liturgy of Year A (Matthew) imports from the Gospel of John. These readings, narrating major episodes from Jesus’ life, are particularly suitable for instruction of catechumens prepar...Read full story »
Thursday, March 16, 2017
Second Sunday of Lent
MATTHEW 17:1-9 (Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22; 2 Timothy 1:8b-10) One of three versions of the transfiguration of Jesus, from Mark or Matthew or Luke, is always the gospel reading for the Second Sunday of Advent. This year is Matthew’s turn. Matthew begins, “Jesus took as...Read full story »
Thursday, March 09, 2017
First Sunday of Lent
The Liturgy of the First Sunday of Lent annually presents us with the story of the temptation of Jesus. This year – Matthew’s version. The original version is found in Mark 1:12-13, a very brief note that “The Spirit immediately (after Jesus’ baptism) expelled him out into t...Read full story »
Thursday, March 02, 2017
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
This gospel reading completes the series of six Sunday readings taken from the Sermon on the Mountain for this year. The gospel for the Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time is also taken from the Sermon on the Mountain, but the 9th, 10th, and 11th Sundays in Ordinary Time are omitted this year. Next Sunda...Read full story »
Thursday, February 23, 2017
