Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass readings
Our first reading for today is one of the most misused and least understood passages in the Old Testament. Perhaps you have heard someone question how God could ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Perhaps someone has explained that he dislikes the Old Testament precisely because of this awful story or that she disagrees with any God that could call for the sacrifice of a child. And, indeed, if what we take from this story is that God might at any time ask us to kill one of our kids in order to test our faith, then it is a scary story.
Today's Mass readings
Our first reading for today is one of the most misused and least understood passages in the Old Testament. Perhaps you have heard someone question how God could ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Perhaps someone has explained that he dislikes the Old Testament precisely because of this awful story or that she disagrees with any God that could call for the sacrifice of a child. And, indeed, if what we take from this story is that God might at any time ask us to kill one of our kids in order to test our faith, then it is a scary story.
Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
The readings today teach us that God answers our prayers but not always in ways we expect. In the reading from Genesis, Abraham has a great feast on the day of his Son Isaac’s weaning. At the celebration, Sarah noticed Hagar and her son Ishmael and became distressed. Sarah asked that Hagar and her son be sent away so as to protect Isaac’s inheritance. Abraham seems nervous to grant Sarah’s request, yet God admonishes him to do so. “Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you;” (Gen. 21: 12b.) Part of the admonishment is the reminder that God will raise up a great people through Isaac. The next verse of this story that Sarah or maybe even some today do not want to hear refers to Ishmael. Again God speaking, “As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation also, since he too is your offspring.” (Gen. 21: 13.) The nation, which we could now attribute Ishmael, is Islam. God keeps God’s promises and God made a promise to protect and raise Abraham’s children. God answered Sarah’s prayer, but not in the way she had envisioned.
Today's Mass Readings
The readings today teach us that God answers our prayers but not always in ways we expect. In the reading from Genesis, Abraham has a great feast on the day of his Son Isaac’s weaning. At the celebration, Sarah noticed Hagar and her son Ishmael and became distressed. Sarah asked that Hagar and her son be sent away so as to protect Isaac’s inheritance. Abraham seems nervous to grant Sarah’s request, yet God admonishes him to do so. “Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you;” (Gen. 21: 12b.) Part of the admonishment is the reminder that God will raise up a great people through Isaac. The next verse of this story that Sarah or maybe even some today do not want to hear refers to Ishmael. Again God speaking, “As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation also, since he too is your offspring.” (Gen. 21: 13.) The nation, which we could now attribute Ishmael, is Islam. God keeps God’s promises and God made a promise to protect and raise Abraham’s children. God answered Sarah’s prayer, but not in the way she had envisioned.
Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Todays readings from the Book of Genesis and from the Gospel of Matthew both pertain to intercession. In the Gospel reading, the disciples are afraid of being swept away by a storm, and so they ask Jesus to intercede and save them, which He does in His great mercy.
But the first reading from Genesis also deals with this topic. It assumes the previous readings, where we saw Abraham intercede on behalf of the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah, and especially his kinsfolk, Lot and his family.
Today's Mass Readings
Todays readings from the Book of Genesis and from the Gospel of Matthew both pertain to intercession. In the Gospel reading, the disciples are afraid of being swept away by a storm, and so they ask Jesus to intercede and save them, which He does in His great mercy.
But the first reading from Genesis also deals with this topic. It assumes the previous readings, where we saw Abraham intercede on behalf of the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah, and especially his kinsfolk, Lot and his family.
Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
Today's Mass Readingts
Today we celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. These two men are so important to our tradition that their feast is ranked a “solemnity,” the highest designation that the Church has. While both men were instrumental in passing on the Christian faith and were leaders of the early Church, they are an unlikely pair, different in many ways and known to have disagreed at one time. Peter is regarded as the first pope, the rock on whom the Church was founded. Paul is known as the Apostle to the Gentiles and the author of most of our New Testament. Where as Peter was a personal witness of Jesus, Paul had never seen Jesus and began as one of the persecutors of the Church. But for both Peter and Paul, belief was only a beginning. They grew in faith, changed with time through conversion became undaunting witnesses of Christ.
Today's Mass Readingts
Today we celebrate the feast of Saints Peter and Paul. These two men are so important to our tradition that their feast is ranked a “solemnity,” the highest designation that the Church has. While both men were instrumental in passing on the Christian faith and were leaders of the early Church, they are an unlikely pair, different in many ways and known to have disagreed at one time. Peter is regarded as the first pope, the rock on whom the Church was founded. Paul is known as the Apostle to the Gentiles and the author of most of our New Testament. Where as Peter was a personal witness of Jesus, Paul had never seen Jesus and began as one of the persecutors of the Church. But for both Peter and Paul, belief was only a beginning. They grew in faith, changed with time through conversion became undaunting witnesses of Christ.
Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Miracles are an extraordinary form of God’s grace. In today’s Gospel reading, we are provided with two accounts of miracles performed by Jesus. In the first account, a woman who has been suffering from an affliction for twelve years touches Jesus’ cloak and is immediately healed. In the second account, a father asks Jesus to heal his daughter who is near death. When Jesus arrives at the house where the daughter is located, he finds a room full of people mourning because the child has already died. In response, Jesus takes the child by the hand and says “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” (Mk 5:41) In response, the little girl arose.
Today's Mass Readings
Miracles are an extraordinary form of God’s grace. In today’s Gospel reading, we are provided with two accounts of miracles performed by Jesus. In the first account, a woman who has been suffering from an affliction for twelve years touches Jesus’ cloak and is immediately healed. In the second account, a father asks Jesus to heal his daughter who is near death. When Jesus arrives at the house where the daughter is located, he finds a room full of people mourning because the child has already died. In response, Jesus takes the child by the hand and says “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” (Mk 5:41) In response, the little girl arose.
Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
It’s hard not to be sympathetic with Sarah in today’s reading. Abraham meets a few men by a tree and one of them tells the aged Sarah that she will bear a child by the next year. Now, we have to remember that Abraham already knows that the Lord made this promise as part of the covenant between them storied in Genesis 17. Obviously, he hasn’t talked this over with his wife! This is the moment, we can assume, that Abraham recognizes the Lord in the three men and, therefore, his hospitality, performed before he knew it was the Lord, is a remarkable example of his piety.
Today's Mass Readings
It’s hard not to be sympathetic with Sarah in today’s reading. Abraham meets a few men by a tree and one of them tells the aged Sarah that she will bear a child by the next year. Now, we have to remember that Abraham already knows that the Lord made this promise as part of the covenant between them storied in Genesis 17. Obviously, he hasn’t talked this over with his wife! This is the moment, we can assume, that Abraham recognizes the Lord in the three men and, therefore, his hospitality, performed before he knew it was the Lord, is a remarkable example of his piety.
Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
We live in an age of skepticism, a time where the very idea of God is humorous to some of the so-called new atheists. For them, God is just funny idea made up by people. My students are also skeptical and often tell me that God appears to have done all sorts of miracles back then, but it's different now. God isn't really at work in today's world, they say. If God were acting, we'd see something different than we do.
Today's Mass Readings
We live in an age of skepticism, a time where the very idea of God is humorous to some of the so-called new atheists. For them, God is just funny idea made up by people. My students are also skeptical and often tell me that God appears to have done all sorts of miracles back then, but it's different now. God isn't really at work in today's world, they say. If God were acting, we'd see something different than we do.
Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel reading from Matthew is one of those that makes us pause and reexamine our faith. Many people undoubtedly think that they are doing the will of God; many people believe themselves genuine in their prayer. But are we really doing God’s will? And are we really praying in earnest? Jesus calls us, as his disciples, both to listen to his words and to act on them. If we can do this then we are like a man who built his house on rock – a solid foundation.
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel reading from Matthew is one of those that makes us pause and reexamine our faith. Many people undoubtedly think that they are doing the will of God; many people believe themselves genuine in their prayer. But are we really doing God’s will? And are we really praying in earnest? Jesus calls us, as his disciples, both to listen to his words and to act on them. If we can do this then we are like a man who built his house on rock – a solid foundation.
Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Today's Mass Readings
The readings today speak of God’s messengers and how their lives pointed us in the direction of Jesus. For Isaiah and St. John their stories echo many similar themes. For both, the call to do the Lord’s work was established in the womb - a theme today’s psalm repeats. For both, their lives like arrows were aimed towards the salvation of the nations. For both, their toil, at least from the outside, seemed to have been in vain; yet, their acts helps in the task of salvation. Both of them got their strength from the Lord. Thus they stayed faithfull to the message and their voice was heard by many.
Today's Mass Readings
The readings today speak of God’s messengers and how their lives pointed us in the direction of Jesus. For Isaiah and St. John their stories echo many similar themes. For both, the call to do the Lord’s work was established in the womb - a theme today’s psalm repeats. For both, their lives like arrows were aimed towards the salvation of the nations. For both, their toil, at least from the outside, seemed to have been in vain; yet, their acts helps in the task of salvation. Both of them got their strength from the Lord. Thus they stayed faithfull to the message and their voice was heard by many.
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
The entire Bible paints the picture of human strife as one large extended family feud. All of salvation history can be summed up in the idea of God reuniting His wayward family. This theme of a family feud is not simply the case regarding Israel and the nations (Egypt, Babylon, etc.), but also
within Israel itself.
Today's Mass Readings
The entire Bible paints the picture of human strife as one large extended family feud. All of salvation history can be summed up in the idea of God reuniting His wayward family. This theme of a family feud is not simply the case regarding Israel and the nations (Egypt, Babylon, etc.), but also
within Israel itself.
Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
As we continue our daily walk with Jesus, our Mass readings for the 12th Week of Ordinary Time come from the book of Genesis. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, contains many of our most beloved stories of the Old Testament. This week our focus is upon Abram, later to be called Abraham.
Today's Mass Readings
As we continue our daily walk with Jesus, our Mass readings for the 12th Week of Ordinary Time come from the book of Genesis. Genesis, the first book of the Bible, contains many of our most beloved stories of the Old Testament. This week our focus is upon Abram, later to be called Abraham.
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s readings cause us to consider God’s place in our lives during both difficult and ordinary times. In our first reading from Job, God addresses Job out of a storm and reminds him of God’s authority over the world. In our Gospel reading, we find Jesus asleep during a storm at sea. His disciples, fearing that the storm will overcome them, wake up Jesus with a plea for help. Upon awaking, Jesus, showing that his authority is that of the Father, quiets the storm and brings about calm.
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s readings cause us to consider God’s place in our lives during both difficult and ordinary times. In our first reading from Job, God addresses Job out of a storm and reminds him of God’s authority over the world. In our Gospel reading, we find Jesus asleep during a storm at sea. His disciples, fearing that the storm will overcome them, wake up Jesus with a plea for help. Upon awaking, Jesus, showing that his authority is that of the Father, quiets the storm and brings about calm.
Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We commonly associate the physical heart of a person with love, as in “I love you with all of my heart.” We also associate the heart with the very essence of a person, the deeper place where the most real aspect of a person resides as in, “in my heart of hearts I know…” Both of these aspects come together in this memorial, which directs our attention to Mary’s joys and sorrows, her virtues, and, above all, her love—for God, for her Son, Jesus, and for all people.
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We commonly associate the physical heart of a person with love, as in “I love you with all of my heart.” We also associate the heart with the very essence of a person, the deeper place where the most real aspect of a person resides as in, “in my heart of hearts I know…” Both of these aspects come together in this memorial, which directs our attention to Mary’s joys and sorrows, her virtues, and, above all, her love—for God, for her Son, Jesus, and for all people.
Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Today's Mass Readings
I grew up a Protestant, and was always a little bit freaked about by the pictures I saw in some Catholic material that showed Jesus holding his large heart, with what seemed like bolts of lightning emanating from the heart. And, when I first became Catholic, this was not a feast day toward which I immediately gravitated. Like the rosary, the Sacred Heart was one of those Catholic oddities that overwhelmed my Protestant sensibilities, because it didn’t seem quite scriptural – and well, maybe a little bit because the idea of Jesus holding his heart seemed a bit too Indiana Jones (the second movie).
Today's Mass Readings
I grew up a Protestant, and was always a little bit freaked about by the pictures I saw in some Catholic material that showed Jesus holding his large heart, with what seemed like bolts of lightning emanating from the heart. And, when I first became Catholic, this was not a feast day toward which I immediately gravitated. Like the rosary, the Sacred Heart was one of those Catholic oddities that overwhelmed my Protestant sensibilities, because it didn’t seem quite scriptural – and well, maybe a little bit because the idea of Jesus holding his heart seemed a bit too Indiana Jones (the second movie).
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Many of us have probably had the experience of wanting the best for someone and trying to guide him or her appropriately. For those of us who are parents, we can honestly say that we DO often know what’s best for our kids, even when they seem not to believe us. Sometimes we feel like we are making progress in training or guiding others; they seem to take our words seriously and change their habits and lives accordingly.
Today's Mass Readings
Many of us have probably had the experience of wanting the best for someone and trying to guide him or her appropriately. For those of us who are parents, we can honestly say that we DO often know what’s best for our kids, even when they seem not to believe us. Sometimes we feel like we are making progress in training or guiding others; they seem to take our words seriously and change their habits and lives accordingly.
Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Many years ago when I met my wife I realized she had something that I didn’t. The je ne sais quoi (I do not know what) about her intrigued me. After a long while and many discussions, I realized the quality which attracted me to her was her joyful spirit. My wife would explain over and over again that this joy was rooted in her faith. As a cynic, I attributed this joy to the fact that much of her formation in high school and college was Protestant. As time has gone on, I have realized that her joy was and is rooted in her regularly reading the scriptures. The fact is that, the deeper I dig, the more I see (and become) it as well.
Today's Mass Readings
Many years ago when I met my wife I realized she had something that I didn’t. The je ne sais quoi (I do not know what) about her intrigued me. After a long while and many discussions, I realized the quality which attracted me to her was her joyful spirit. My wife would explain over and over again that this joy was rooted in her faith. As a cynic, I attributed this joy to the fact that much of her formation in high school and college was Protestant. As time has gone on, I have realized that her joy was and is rooted in her regularly reading the scriptures. The fact is that, the deeper I dig, the more I see (and become) it as well.
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
In today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we find one of the most difficult of Jesus' teachings, if not the most difficult one. He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
This is not simply a command to love those we do not already love, or topray for others even if we do not consider them friends or family embers. Rather, this is a command to love and pray for those we would normally hate, those we would normally curse.
Today's Mass Readings
In today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we find one of the most difficult of Jesus' teachings, if not the most difficult one. He tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us.
This is not simply a command to love those we do not already love, or topray for others even if we do not consider them friends or family embers. Rather, this is a command to love and pray for those we would normally hate, those we would normally curse.
Monday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s readings draw out the theme of salvation: “The Lord has made known his salvation,” proclaims the responsorial psalm response (Ps. 98:1). The first reading, from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians also appeals to this: “now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). We have a positive view of salvation, as indeed we should. SALVATION! It is what we dream of, what we long for, what we seek. The word itself indicates being saved, and we might think of peace, security, help in times of trouble.
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s readings draw out the theme of salvation: “The Lord has made known his salvation,” proclaims the responsorial psalm response (Ps. 98:1). The first reading, from St. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians also appeals to this: “now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). We have a positive view of salvation, as indeed we should. SALVATION! It is what we dream of, what we long for, what we seek. The word itself indicates being saved, and we might think of peace, security, help in times of trouble.
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus. And really the focus is on presence – Divine presence among us. But just as human presence, the readings take us to the different levels of divine presence. I want to reflect on these levels of presence and invite you to deeper levels of Christ’s presence.
Today's Mass Readings
Today we celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Jesus. And really the focus is on presence – Divine presence among us. But just as human presence, the readings take us to the different levels of divine presence. I want to reflect on these levels of presence and invite you to deeper levels of Christ’s presence.
Saturday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel reading continues the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew that we have been hearing over the past couple of days.
At first blush the injunction from Jesus, like many others throughout the sermon, seems to raise the stakes; to escalate the rule of Jewish law to an unattainable level – don’t simply make good on all of your oaths, rather don’t take any at all.
But there’s more here…
Today's Mass Readings
Today’s gospel reading continues the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew that we have been hearing over the past couple of days.
At first blush the injunction from Jesus, like many others throughout the sermon, seems to raise the stakes; to escalate the rule of Jewish law to an unattainable level – don’t simply make good on all of your oaths, rather don’t take any at all.
But there’s more here…