Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ Genesis 14:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Luke 9:11-17 This weekend the church celebrates the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, as it was known in the days of the Latin liturgy. On all its feast days, the church has a threefold purpose. The first […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Devotion to Christ is a collective act
Feast of Pentecost Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23 In the church’s liturgical year, only Easter and Christmas eclipse Pentecost. The importance, and grandeur, of these feasts of course derive from the events being commemorated. The church also sees them all as highly important because of the lessons to be learned from the […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Church shows us path to heaven
Sixth Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 15:1-2, 22-29; Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23; John 14:23-29 The Acts of the Apostles again provides the first reading for a weekend in the Easter season. As it grew, Christianity not only expanded beyond its original base in the Holy Land, but it also drew gentiles in foreign lands. […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Jesus is still with us, still speaks to us
Fourth Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52; Revelation 7:9, 14b-17; John 10:27-30 The Acts of the Apostles supplies the first reading. It gives a glimpse into the “modus vivendi” of St. Paul as he moved across Asia Minor in his proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus. Paul evidently first went to synagogues. It is […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Apostles help us know that Christ is still with us
Second Sunday of Easter Acts of the Apostles 5:12-16; Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19; John 20:19-31 The Acts of the Apostles supplies this weekend’s first reading. The first several chapters of Acts are fascinating since they so well depict the life of the early Christian community in Jerusalem. This depiction begins with the story of the […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Passion reveals God’s steadfast love and mercy
Palm Sunday Luke 19:28-40 (blessing of the palms); Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23:56 The church this weekend leads us to the climax of Lent, the observance of Holy Week, by offering the impressive liturgy of Palm Sunday. Recalling the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem — for Luke the utter apex of the entire […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: God is merciful, even when we stray
Fourth Sunday of Lent Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 This weekend the church observes Laetare Sunday, the name being derived from the first word, in Latin, of the entrance antiphon. This word is “laetare,” or “rejoice.” The church rejoices that salvation, finalized in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus, is near. Priests may […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Connect, commit to Jesus during Lent
Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Philippians 3:17-4:1; Luke 9:28b-36 The Book of Genesis is the source of the first reading. It is a story about Abraham, whom the Jews regarded, and regard, as the father of their people. Abraham is also seen as the spiritual father of all who know and honor the […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Union with God calls for plan, action
Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sirach 27:4-7; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6:39-45 The Book of Sirach is the source of the first reading. Sirach does not appear in the King James, or authorized, version of the Bible, the translation used by most Protestant denominations. Protestants at times ask Catholics why Sirach “was added” to Catholic […]
Msgr. Owen F. Campion: Earthly lures deny us life in the spirit
Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Jeremiah 17:5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20; Luke 6:17, 2-26 For its first reading, this weekend’s liturgy presents a selection from the Book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah must have been intense in his personality. First of all, he was strongly committed to his calling to be a prophet. He keenly felt that […]