6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45 The first reading for this weekend comes from the Book of Leviticus, the fourth book in modern translations of the Bible. As such, it is part of the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch includes the five books of the Bible attributed to Moses. These […]

4TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Deuteronomy 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28 The Book of Deuteronomy furnishes the first reading for this weekend. Deuteronomy appears in Bibles as the fifth book in sequence in the Old Testament. It is one of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, all of them attributed […]

2ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19; 1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20; John 1:35-42 The First Book of Samuel is the source of the first reading for this weekend. Originally, First and Second Samuel were one volume. At some point in history, an editor divided them into the two volumes, so two volumes appear […]

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY (A selection of readings is possible for this feast. These comments refer to one set of readings.) Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3; Hebrews 11:8, 11-12, 17-19; Luke 2:22-40 The church always celebrates the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day as the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. […]

THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT Isaiah 61:1-2a, 10-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28 This weekend the church celebrates Gaudete Sunday, the name coming from the opening word of the Entrance Antiphon. In Latin, “gaudete” means “to rejoice.” Rejoicing is not indicated because Advent, and its stress on prayer and penance, is half completed, but rather […]

31ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Malachi 1:14b-2:2b, 8-10; 1 Thessalonians 2:7b-9, 13; Matthew 23:1-12 The Book of Malachi provides this weekend’s first reading. The prophet’s name, Malachi, reveals his role. In Hebrew it means “messenger of God.” As a prophet, he brought God’s message to the people. Often in prophetic writings, as in this weekend’s […]

29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 45:1, 4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b; Matthew 22:15-21 The second part of the Book of Isaiah provides this weekend’s first reading. The context is a very bad time for God’s people. The two Hebrew kingdoms no longer existed, both having been victims of a military onslaught from neighboring, and very […]

27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43 The first section of the Book of Isaiah is the source of this weekend’s first reading. In this reading, the prophet speaks directly to the people. He speaks as God, in the first person. The prophet employs an image with which his contemporaries would […]