Sunday Reflections
If we hear a message from a prophet of the Lord, we look for a message of hope. However, the messages received from prophets don’t always seem hopeful. They foretell of defeat. I’ve spoken of this recently when our first…
Read MoreDaniel is giving a vision of the end times. Jesus speaks of what “those days after the tribulation” will be like (readings for 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B). Daniel writes of “a time unsurpassed in distress.” Jesus speaks…
Read MoreHow would you describe the Lord? Throughout this Sunday’s readings, various words are used to describe the Lord. In the psalm, the Lord is called “my strength.” Do we turn to the Lord for strength? Do we do so daily? …
Read MoreThe world hates suffering. Yet, in Isaiah we read, “The Lord was pleased to crush in infirmity.” Isaiah is speaking of the suffering servant who will save us from our sins. This is fulfilled in Jesus’ suffering as He undergoes…
Read MoreOnce again, the Pharisees come to Jesus with a question. This time they ask, “Is it lawful for husband to divorce his wife?” (today’s gospel reading). It’s not a bad question. Actually, given the amount of divorce we see today,…
Read MoreWhat makes the world the way it is? James writes (in today’s second reading), “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.” To me it is clear that there is disorder in the world. There…
Read MoreThe Lord speaks “to those whose hearts are frightened.” Are you one whose heart is frightened? I am. My heart is not frightened in the sense of being scared of the Lord. I know that the Lord loves me. My…
Read MoreJoshua said to the people, “If it does not please you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve” (today’s first reading) We each have a choice to make. Do we want to serve God or not? It…
Read MoreDo you hold bitterness or anger in your heart? How about fury, shouting, reviling, and malice? The Holy Spirit grieves when we hold such things in our heart (19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B). We need these things removed…
Read MoreEnslaved in Egypt the Israelites cried out to God for help. God heard their cry and sent Moses to lead them out from Egypt to the Promised Land. One would think they would be grateful but instead they “grumbled against…
Read MoreDo you believe in miracles? There are people today who reject even the possibility of miracles. If something happens that they can’t explain, to them it just means that science hasn’t figured it out yet. They say someday science will…
Read MoreThe work of sharing the gospel is not easy. That’s because it is not easy to live according to what Jesus says. So, people often don’t want to hear it. The resistance may come from religious leaders, as it does…
Read MoreWhat did God create us for? Wisdom tells us “God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.” God does not want us to die in our sin. He did not create us to…
Read MoreDo we always understand how things happen? No, and we don’t have to. In today’s gospel, “Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter…
Read MoreIn today’s gospel (second option), Jesus speaks of the Advocate whom He will send to us from the Father. This advocate is “the Spirit of Truth that proceeds from the Father.” The Advocate of whom Jesus speaks is the Holy…
Read MoreLove can change the world for the better. Hate can’t do that. Why? “Because love is of God.” Jesus does not want us to be his slaves. He says so himself, “I no longer call you slaves.” Instead He calls…
Read MoreWe celebrate the 4th Sunday of Easter today. The gospel reading on the 4th Sunday of Easter always come from Jesus’ Good Shepherd discourse in chapter 10 of the Gospel of John. We also celebrate it as the World Day…
Read MoreJesus’ death on the Cross was “a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Corinthians 1:23). It was a “stumbling block to Jews” because it was not what they expected or wanted. Our first reading from Isaiah today…
Read MoreToday we celebrate Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, more simply known to many as “Palm Sunday.” We hear two gospels today. We begin Mass with the blessing of palms and a gospel recalling Jesus’ final entry into…
Read MoreLast week we hear God giving the Ten Commandments to his people (Exodus 20:1-17). God made it clear to his people how He expected them to live. It’s not just what He wanted. God knows that the Ten Commandments are good…
Read More“God put Abraham to the test.” How would you fair with the same test? Last week I spoke about our struggles to resist temptation. Who you do any better with the test that Abraham faced when God told him, “Take…
Read MoreJesus had been healing many people. In today’s gospel, “A leper came to Jesus.” Given the number of people that were coming to Jesus one might think of the man with leprosy as one of many. He knelt before Jesus and…
Read MoreIn today’s second reading Paul writes, “I should like you to be free of anxieties.” I’m glad to hear that because I want to be free of anxiety. Who wants to be anxious? Yet, at times we are. Sometimes the concerns are…
Read MoreAs today’s first reading begins, “Samuel was sleeping in the temple.” Why? His mother prayed fervently for a child. When God gave her Samuel, she was so appreciative of the gift of a child that she gave Samuel back to the Lord…
Read MoreWe are about to start a very busy weekend in the Church. This Sunday (December 24th) is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Then Christmas arrives on Monday. That means there will be the normal Sunday Masses. Then, at 4 pm…
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