Out of Egypt I Called My Son
Reflection for the Holy Family, or First Sunday of Christmas Readings: RM: Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14; Psalm 128; Colossians 3: 12-21 (or 12-17 in U.S.); Matthew 2: 13-15, 19-23. RCL:…
A Different Kind of King
Reflection for Christmas, the Nativity of the Lord Readings: Isaiah 62:11-12 (RM, “Mass at Dawn”) or 6-12 (RCL); Psalm 97; Titus 3:4-7; Luke 2:15-20 (RM) or [1-7] 8-20 (RCL.) It…
Advent, Womb, and Word
Reflection for the Fourth Sunday of Advent A Readings: Isaiah 7:10-14 (RM) or 10-16 (RCL); Psalm 24 (RM) or 80 (RCL); Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24 (RM) or 18-25 (RCL.) A…
Cousins and Contrast
Reflection for the Third Sunday of Advent A Readings: Isaiah 35:1-6a, 10 (RM) or 1-10 (RCL); Psalm 146; James 5:7-10; Matthew 11:2-11. Cousins. The depth of the relationship between cousins…
Prepare the Way: Finding Hope in the Wilderness
Reflection for the Second Sunday of Advent A Readings: Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 72; Romans 15:4-9 (RM) or 4-13 (RCL); Matthew 3:1-12. If I were standing in front of you preaching…
Advent Begins: From History to Hope
Reflection for the First Sunday of Advent A Readings:Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24: 35-44 (RM) or 36-44 (RCL.) It’s the purple season for Roman Catholics, blue season…
How Do I Understand Prayer?
Last week I was checking out the readings for Sunday, 19 October, prior to preparing my homily. All three readings pointed to the importance of prayer in our lives. The…
Christ Beyond Kingship: A Cosmic Vision
Reflection for the Thirty-Fourth Sunday of the year / Christ the King Sunday C / Sunday of the Reign of Christ Readings: 2 Samuel 5:1-3 (RM) or Jeremiah 23:1-6 (RCL); Psalm…
How Ancient Imagery Still Shapes Us
Reflection for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time / Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost Readings: Malachi 3:19-20a (RM) or Malachi 4:1-2a (RCL); Psalm 98; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 (RM) or 2 Thessalonians…
The Feast and the Fire: Lessons from November 9
Reflection for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Readings: Roman Missal: Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12; Psalm 46; 1 Corinthians 3:9b-11, 16-17; John 2:13-22. It’s a church.…