FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 Drawing from the first word, in Latin, in the Entrance Antiphon for the liturgy for this day, this Sunday long has been called “Laetare Sunday.” Laetare means “to rejoice.” The church rejoices that even amid the drabness and penance of Lent, and […]

2ND SUNDAY OF LENT Genesis 12:1-4a; 2 Timothy 1:8a-10; Matthew 17:1-9 The Book of Genesis is the source of this weekend’s first biblical reading. As its name implies, Genesis reveals the divine origin of life and Almighty God’s plan in the forming of the Hebrew race. First and foremost, Genesis is a splendidly vivid revelation […]

7TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; Matthew 5:38-48 The first reading is from the Book of Leviticus, one of the five books of the Pentateuch, the Torah, the basic revelation by God to the Chosen People. This reading recalls the day God spoke to Moses. “I the Lord, your God, […]

3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 8:23-9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17; Matthew 4:12-23 The Book of Isaiah supplies this weekend’s first reading. It offers us a powerful lesson. When this part of Isaiah was written, God’s people were skating on thin ice. They still had their independence, at least after a fashion. Hebrew kings still […]

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY Sirach 3:2-7, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21; Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 The Book of Sirach is part of the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. As are many other books in this body of writings, it is highly practical. When these books were written, albeit at different times and in different places, Jewish […]

33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Malachi 3:19-20a; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19 The Book of Malachi supplies this weekend’s Liturgy of the Word with its first reading. Actually, Malachi was not the name of the author of this book. Rather, it refers to a title, “Messenger of God,” that appears in the first verse. It […]

31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Wisdom 11:22-12:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-2:2; Luke 19:1-10 The Book of Wisdom provides this weekend’s first reading. An essential component in ancient Hebrew belief, and contemporary Jewish thought as well, is that God is the Creator of all, and the author of all life. The emphasis by Pope Francis upon the […]

29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8 The Book of Exodus is the source of this weekend’s first reading. One of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, its concepts are attributed to Moses himself. As such, it is part of the Torah, or fundamental document of Judaism. As […]