EASTER SUNDAY Acts of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:1-9 A variety of biblical readings occurs in the course of liturgical celebrations for Easter. For instance, the Liturgy of the Word for the Easter Vigil is unsurpassed among all the feasts of the year. These reflections center upon the readings for the Eucharist […]

  FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:7-9; John 12:20-33 The Book of Jeremiah provides this weekend’s first reading. A common theme runs through all the written prophecies of ancient Israel, namely that despite human sinfulness and treachery, God always is merciful. He always forgives. He never forsakes the people. Jeremiah constantly wrote with […]

  Third Sunday of Lent Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25 The Book of Exodus is the source of the first biblical reading this weekend. In Hebrew history, the exodus virtually was unsurpassed as an event of great significance, unless perhaps this distinction goes to creation itself. In the exodus, the Hebrew people, enslaved […]

  FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15 The first reading, from the Book of Genesis, presents the familiar story of Noah. It is a story of a contrast and of the consequences of this contrast. Noah was faithful, whereas the world was almost universally unfaithful. God protected Noah from doom, […]

5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Job 7:1-4, 6-7; 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23; Mark 1:29-39 The Book of Job is the source of this weekend’s first reading. This book furnishes few details about the identity of Job. It nonetheless is one of the great literary works in the Old Testament, and one of the best remembered […]

  3RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20 The first reading for this weekend is from the Book of Jonah, an Old Testament writing seldom presented in the liturgy. While Jonah is the central figure in this book, he was not the author. The author is unknown. Scholars believe […]

  FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12 This weekend the church invites us to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, one of the most revered feasts in the Christian calendar. Clear and distinct in the first reading from the third section of the Book of Isaiah is […]

  FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38 The first reading for this weekend is from the Second Book of Samuel. Once the two Books of Samuel were a single volume. Translations over the centuries divided this one volume into two. David is the principal figure in these […]

  SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; 2 Peter 3:8-14; Mark 1:1-8 The second part of the Book of Isaiah provides the first reading for this Second Sunday of Advent. When this book was written, God’s people were very happy. Their long, dreary exile of four generations in Babylon was about to end. They […]

FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28; Matthew 25:31-46 This weekend the church concludes its liturgical year of 2023. Next week, a new year will begin with the First Sunday of Advent. The church closes the year with an excited and fervent proclamation of Christ as the king of all. […]