Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 01/31/2021 Dt 18: 15-20, 1 Cor 7:32-35, Mk 1: 21-28 Dear brothers and sisters, The Authority of Jesus Today’s gospel reading makes a clear distinction between the teaching of Jesus and that of the Scribes, the official interpreters of the Torah or Law of the Jews. Scribes never [...]
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time January 24, 2021 Jonah 3: 1-5, 10; 1 Cor 7: 29-31, Mk 1L14-20 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Whenever we think of Jonah, we think of Jonah being swallowed whole by a whale. Actually, the bible does not speak of a whale but of a great fish. [...]
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Sam 3:3b-10, 19, 1 Cor 6:13c-15a, 17-20, Jn 1:35-42 Dear sisters and brothers, We are all called to follow the Lord Jesus. Just as all peoples of the Old Covenant, the Old Testament, were called to be faithful to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, so [...]
Baptism of the Lord Jan 10, 2021 Is 55:1-11, I Jn 5: 1-9, Mk 1: 7-11 Dear Sisters and Brothers, We celebrate birthdays with a lot of excitement. But never our baptism. Yet this is our birthday as Christians. In today’s liturgy we celebrate the baptism of Jesus. In celebrating his baptism, we [...]
Solemnity of the Epiphany Is 60:1-6, Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6, Mt 2:1-12 My sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, Years before Christ, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians. Fifty years later, the Persian (people living in modern day Iran) conquered the Babylonians, and they allowed the Jews to return home. It was difficult time for [...]
Feast of the Holy Family Gen 15:1-6; 21:1-3, Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19, Luke 2:22-40 Dear sisters and brothers, God calls us as family. We begin our life in family. We form families, either biological or in other ways. This basic relationship of the biological family with mother, father and children is given to us [...]
Fourth Sunday of Advent 2 Sam 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a, 16, Rm 16:25-27, Luke 1:26-38 It is God who reaches out to us! It is God who wants to save us and offers us salvation. So often we think about what we can do for God without reflecting on his infinite and tender love for [...]
3rd Sunday of Advent Is 61:1-2a, 10-11, 1 Th 5:16-24, Jn 1:6-8, 19-28 Dear Sisters and Brothers, God breaks into our world, seeking to love us and to draw us to Himself. The Prophet Isaiah begins the readings today, telling us that he rejoices because this is the time of salvation. Isaiah proclaims joy [...]
Second Sunday of Advent Is 40:1-5, 9-11, 2 Peter 3:8-14, Mark 1:1-8 Dear Sisters and Brothers, Believing Jews knew that one day the Messiah would come among them. The teachings of the prophets made it clear. Isaiah had spoken of a voice crying, “Prepare the way of the LORD—Every valley shall be lifted [...]
First Sunday of Advent Is 63:16b-17, 19b; 64:2-7,1 Cor 1:3-9, Mark 13:33-37 Sisters and Brothers in Christ, The Prophet Isaiah tells us in the first reading today: “No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but you doing such deeds for those who wait for him. Would that you might meet [...]