13TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18; Luke 18:9-14 The Book of Sirach, one of those books classified by scholars collectively as the Wisdom Literature, provides this weekend’s first Scriptural reading. The Wisdom Literature began when devout Jews and conscientious Jewish parents realized that, in the midst of the pagan […]

28TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19 The first reading for this weekend is from the Second Book of Kings. Originally these two books were one volume, but as the centuries passed, and as editors dealt with the Scriptures, the one volume was divided into two books. This is […]

26TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Amos 6:1a, 4-7; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Luke 16:19-31 The Book of Amos is the source of this weekend’s first reading. The book itself states that it was written during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, or between 783 and 742 BC. The realities existed, as described by Amos. The […]

24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Exodus 32:7-11, 13-14; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-32 This weekend’s first reading is from the Book of Exodus. This book roughly chronicles the passage of the Hebrew people from Egypt, where they had been slaves. Moses guided them, but essentially, in Hebrew eyes, God guided them, since Moses could not […]

22ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29; Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a; Luke 14:1, 7-14 The Book of Sirach furnishes the first Scripture reading for this weekend. The name of this book is derived from the name of the author mentioned in the book, Yeshua (or Jesus in English), the son of Sira. This book […]

20TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53 The Book of Jeremiah is the source of the first reading for this weekend. Jeremiah is regarded as one of the more important prophets. In fact, three prophets — Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah — are called Major Prophets. Jeremiah was active as a […]

18th Sunday In Ordinary Time Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23; Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11; Luke 12:13-21 The first reading is from the Book of Ecclesiastes, sometimes referred to as the Book of Qoheleth, a book rarely appearing in the readings at Mass. It is among the works in the Bible collectively called the Wisdom Literature. As such, it […]

  16TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Genesis 18:1-10a; Colossians 1:24-28; Luke 10:38-42 The Book of Genesis provides us with this weekend’s first reading. For a century or more, Genesis has carried the heavy burden of being considered almost totally in terms of its creation narratives, of which actually there are several, but Genesis offers other […]

12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1; Galatians 3:26-29; Luke 9:18-24 This is Father’s Day in the United States, first envisioned by a woman attending services at an Episcopalian church in 1909 in Spokane, Washington, on Mother’s Day. She thought similar recognition was due fathers, so eventually this day came to be. Rare would […]