My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! Sirach’s respect for the law of God as the source of all wisdom is plainly evident in this reading. Sirach here draws a number of valuable lessons from the fourth of the Ten Commandments. By tradition, this [...]
My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! In our first reading, King David finds it disconcerting that he resides in a beautiful palace with aromatic cedar paneling while God’s Ark of the Covenant rests in a simple tent. David’s prophet encourages the king to take whatever [...]
3rd Sunday of Advent My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! This familiar oracle brims over with the enthusiasm of a prophet totally committed to God’s service. The passage comes from the book’s closing chapters celebrating the nation’s return to God. The prophet is [...]
2nd Sunday of Advent My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! This oracle sets the tone for the remainder of the book. The period of exile in Babylon has come to an end. The royal city of David has received “double for [...]
First Sunday of Advent My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! The people of Israel make an impassioned appeal to God in this reading. The prophet worked hard to get them to this point in their spiritual lives. For many years they resisted [...]
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! This reading belongs to the Old Testament’s most elaborate portrayal of God as shepherd. At this point in his book, Ezekiel has already denounced the leaders of [...]
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! An earlier chapter in Proverbs invited readers to enjoy a sumptuous banquet in Lady Wisdom’s elegant house (9:1–6). Fittingly, in this final chapter of the book, readers find themselves within [...]
Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! Tradition attributes this book to King Solomon. Early in his reign, he asked God’s help to rule wisely over God’s people (1 Kings 3:5–14). Appropriately, this book’s opening line addresses those [...]
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! This book presents the oracles of a prophet simply known as “my messenger” (the meaning of the name Malachi). This is a fitting title for a servant bringing the divine [...]
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time My dear parishioners, God is Good!!! All the time!!! And all the time!!! God is Good!!! At Sinai, the tribes of Israel become covenant partners with God. As with any such agreement, there are expectations demanded of both parties. Already the chosen people have seen for themselves [...]