32nd Sunday in Ordinary time 1 Kings 17:10-16, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44 Dear sisters and brothers, Jesus expects us to trust Him completely. Many of us are not quite so sure that we can trust Him, even though we want to trust Him. The widow in the first reading shows us how [...]
31st Sunday in Ordinary Time Deut 6: 2-6, Hebrews 7: 23-28, Mark 12: 28b-34 Dear sisters and brothers, The Old Testament contains a series of images and promises which are fulfilled in the mystery of Jesus. The old covenant given through Moses to the Jews is to be kept by observing the commandments. Their reward [...]
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time Jeremiah 31:7-9, Hebrews 5:1-6, Mark 10:46-52 Dear sisters and brothers, Shout with joy today because the Lord has delivered His people! Every day we can shout and sing with joy because we are delivered and made free. Many of us do not experience that freedom very deeply or [...]
Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 53:4, 10-11, Hebrews 4:14-16, Mark 10:35-45 Dear sisters and brothers, Jesus shows us the way to give glory to the Father: become the servant of all and give our lives for others. Are we willing to do that? The first reading today is from the [...]
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Wis 7:7-11, Heb: 4:12-13, Mark: 10:17-30 or 10:17-27 Dear sisters and brothers, When I studied with Catholic Theological Union’s young adult program, Catholics on Call, I was often struck by the many choices that young people face today. They are confronted with options involving education, profession, lifestyle, marriage, [...]
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time Genesis 2:18-24, Hebrews 2:9-11, Mark 10:2-16 Dear sisters and brothers, Marriage! The readings today speak to us about the creation of man and woman and their union with one another in marriage. Today it is so difficult to speak about marriage because our culture is against the [...]
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Num 11: 25-29, Jas 5: 1-6, Mk 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48 Dear sisters and brothers, One of the astonishing signs of the times today is the popularity of what has come to be known as the prosperity gospel. This is the gospel that you hear in most mega [...]
Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Wisdom 2:12, 17-20, James 3:16-4:3, Mark 9:30-37 Dear sisters and brothers, Today the Gospel repeats part of what we heard last week because it is so important: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his [...]
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 50: 4c-9a, James 2: 14-18, Mark 8: 27-35 Dear sisters and brothers, Today, the twenty-fourth Sunday of ordinary time, we honor and celebrate Christ, the son of God, who humbly accepted the weakness of our human condition. He demonstrated his solidarity with us by generously renouncing himself [...]
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 35:4-7a, James 2:1-5, Mark 7:31-37 Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, Samuel was one of the most remarkable gospel preachers in my village. You see, Samuel was blind and never went to school. Later in life he joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses and had to memorize large portions [...]