Scripture

September 7, 2017

Sept. 17: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Since my family is Irish, can I get away with a slightly risky Irish ethnic joke? You have probably heard it: “What is Irish Alzheimer’s? Answer: Forgetting everything but the grudges.” That is my segue into this Sunday’s Gospel selection, a very pointed parable about forgiveness.

September 7, 2017

Sept. 10: 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

For the next two Sundays, the Gospel selections are from Chapter 18 of Matthew, the so-called “community discourse” — one of the most remarkable passages in the New Testament.

August 23, 2017

Sept. 3: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

I happen to serve on a committee formed by the Catholic Biblical Association to review the New American Bible translation. The current translation is a very good one but the U.S. bishops asked the association to make some adjustments, especially to enhance the use of this translation in our liturgy.

August 23, 2017

Aug. 27: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

This Sunday’s Gospel reading is a portion of Matthew’s Gospel that has particular significance for Catholics. At a crucial moment in Jesus’ ministry — before he starts his fateful journey to Jerusalem and the cross — he gathers his disciples in the Galilean town of Caesarea Philippi, and asks them: “Who do you say that I am?”

August 9, 2017

Aug. 20: 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Perhaps the greatest challenge the early church faced was bringing the Gospel message across cultural boundaries.

August 9, 2017

Aug. 13: 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Some Christians today are very confident in speaking about God. They address the “Lord” at every turn. They affirm without hesitation that they know what God wants of them; and they speak unhesitatingly about God’s communication to them: “The Lord told me to do this …” or “God asked me to decide this way …”

July 30, 2017

Aug 6: Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Today we celebrate the Transfiguration — the extraordinary vision of Jesus exalted that dazzled his disciples on a mountain top in Galilee. This unique moment is found in all three of the Synoptic Gospels. This Sunday’s version is from Matthew.

July 30, 2017

July 30: 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

What if you had a dream like Solomon’s and God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” What would you ask for?

July 13, 2017

July 23: 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Many moons ago I was studying for my doctoral degree in Scripture at the University of Louvain in Belgium. Occasionally some of us would take the ferry to England to buy books.

July 13, 2017

July 16: 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Every once in a while, as in today’s readings, the Lectionary selections combine to take us deep into the heart of the biblical message. The readings cluster around Matthew’s Gospel and the “parable discourse” of Chapter 13 where the Evangelist gathers a number of Jesus’ parables.
1 2 3 4 5 >

Advertising