Father, Son and Holy Spirit Proverbs 8:22-31 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15 The church celebrates Trinity Sunday this weekend and uses the celebration to teach us about the Holy Trinity, the mystery of three Persons in the one God. For its first reading, the church offers us a passage from the Book of Proverbs. Proverbs is […]

Jesus lives still — in the church Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:17-23 Luke 24:46-53 The date for celebrating the feast of the Ascension of the Lord is optional in this country. The decision is made by bishops of each province, for their province. These reflections are upon readings when the feast is celebrated on […]

With the Resurrection, divine love triumphed Acts of the Apostles 15:21-27 Revelation 21:1-5a John 13:31-33a, 34-35 Again in this Easter season, the Acts of the Apostles supplies the first reading for Mass, reporting some of the missionary activities of Paul and Barnabas. Although eventually they parted, Paul and his disciple Barnabas visited several prominent cities […]

Renounce sin and to turn to Christ Isaiah 43:16-21 Philippians 3:8-14 John 8:1-11 The Book of Isaiah supplies the first reading for this weekend in Lent. The reading is from the second part of Isaiah, written at a time that was not the best period in the history of God’s people. The people had been […]

God alone is your sure support Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Luke 13:1-9 In the first reading, from the Book of Exodus, Moses encounters God. Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock when suddenly an angel appeared and led Moses to a bush. The bush, although on fire, did not burn. Then God — […]

The temptation of Christ Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Romans 10:8-13 Luke 4:1-13 The Book of Deuteronomy provides the first reading for this first Sunday of Lent. Deuteronomy looks to the days when the Hebrews were fleeing from Egyptian slavery and making an uncertain way across the treacherous Sinai Peninsula. Even so, Deuteronomy is not a story of […]

The prophesy fulfilled in Jesus Jeremiah 1:4-5, 17-19 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 Luke 4:21-30 The Book of Jeremiah provides the first reading for this weekend. This book is regarded as one of the major Hebrew prophetic works because of its extent and the brilliance of its language. Jeremiah descended from priests. He was from a small […]