Were not 10 cured? 2 Kings 5:14-17 2 Timothy 2:8-13 Luke 17:11-19 The Second Book of Kings furnishes this weekend’s Masses with their first scriptural reading. Once the two books of Kings were a single volume, but time passed and editors divided the volume into two parts. They are among the Old Testament’s historical writings. […]

The rich man and Lazarus Amos 6:1a, 4-7 1 Timothy 6:11-16 Luke 16:19-31 The Book of Amos provides this weekend’s first reading this weekend. The book itself states that it was written during the reign of King Uzziah of Judah, or between 783 and 742 BC. This was a time of tranquility and prosperity. No […]

Associating with tax collectors 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 Moses, since Moses could not have […]

Humility is key to holiness Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24a Luke 14:1, 7-14 The Book of Sirach furnishes this weekend’s first Scripture reading. Sirach is among those biblical volumes collectively called the Wisdom Literature. This designation means that these books attempt to show that the Jews’ ancient faith in the one God of […]

Discipleship is difficult 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. Three prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah are called major prophets because of the extent of their writings and the brilliance of what they wrote. Jeremiah was active as a prophet during […]

Put first things first Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23 Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11 Luke 12:13-21 The first reading this weekend is from the Book of Ecclesiastes. The first verse states that the book is the work of Qoheleth, a son of King David, although no proper name actually is used. The book’s origins, despite this tradition, are puzzling. […]

Abraham, Martha and Mary Genesis 18:1-10a Colossians 1:24-28 Luke 10:38-42 The Book of Genesis, unfortunately, bears the burden of being remembered, and usually discussed, only in terms of its creation narratives. While the creation of all things and beings in existence by Almighty God is a major revelation, Genesis has much more to say than […]

God has not abandoned us Isaiah 66:10-4 Galatians 6:14-18 Luke 10:1-2, 17-20 The first reading is from the third section of Isaiah. The three sections of this book, so favored over the years by pious Jews as well as devout Christians, saw a great sweep of Hebrew history, from before the Babylonian conquest, through the […]

All good came from God Zechariah 12:10-11, 13:1 Galatians 3:26-29 Luke 9:18-24 The first biblical reading for this weekend is from the Book of Zechariah. It is possible to know some details about this prophet. He was of the priestly caste and was born in Babylon during the Jewish captivity. He began to prophesy as […]

God sustaining, restoring life 1 Kings 17:17-24 Galatians 1:11-19 Luke 7:11-17 The first reading comes from the First Book of Kings. As would be assumed, this book, and its companion, 2 Kings, are Old Testament writings about the kings of Israel. The kings certainly are mentioned, but these books are not political histories. In a […]