Scripture Readings: Revelation 7.2-4,9-14; 1 John 3.1-3; Matthew 5.1-12 “Blessed are the poor in spirit; the reign of God belongs to them.” – Matthew 5.3 The beatitudes turn our assumptions about whom God blesses upside down. The eight sayings challenge us to live in ways quite contrary to profit-motivated values. The beatitudes expand in detail what the […]
Gospel Reflection for November 1, 2020 – Feast of All Saints Read More »
Sunday Readings: Exodus 22.20-26; 1 Thessalonians 1.5-10; Matthew 22.34-40 “Teacher, which commandment of the law is the greatest?” – Matthew 22.36 In the gospels of the fall Sundays, Jesus inhabits the temple courts, teaching and disputing questions with other Jewish teachers and officials. The issues — tenants, taxes, and this Sunday, which commandment of the 613 is greatest? As
Gospel Reflection for October 25, 2020 – 30th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Scripture: Isaiah 45.1,4-6; 1 Thessalonians 1.1-5; Matthew 22.15-21 “Tell us, what is your opinion, is it lawful to pay the census tax to the emperor or not?” – Matthew 22.17 Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman emperor who claims to be divine. It’s a trick
Gospel Reflection for October 18, 2020 – 29th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 25.6-10; Philippians 4.12-14,19-20; Matthew 22.1-10 “The banquet is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out onto the main streets and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.” – Matthew 22.9 The meal Jesus describes in Sunday’s gospel parable is more than the lavish dinner Luke describes in his gospel. Matthew
Gospel Reflection for October 11, 2020 – 28th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Scripture Readings: Isaiah 5.1-7; Philippians 4.6-9; Matthew 21.33-43 “With that the tenants seized the son, dragged him outside the vineyard, and killed him. When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” – Matthew 21.40 The vineyard workers in Sunday’s gospel are tenants. Like them, my family lived on someone
Gospel Reflection for October 4, 2020 – 27th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 55.6-9; Philippians 1.20-24,27; Matthew 20.1-16 “Call the workers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first. When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the daily wager. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more, but each received the
Gospel Reflection for September 20, 2020 – 25th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Sirach 27.30-28.7; Romans 14.7-9; Matthew 18.21-35 Peter came and asked Jesus this question. “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” “Not seven time, but I tell you, seventy times seven,” Jesus replied. – Matthew 18.21-22 How can a servant who has his own
Gospel Reflection for September 13, 2020 – 24th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Ezekiel 33.7-8; Romans 13.8-10; Matthew 18.15-20 “For wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18.20 In Sunday’s gospel Matthew outlines what to do when one disciple harms another. Making a judgment or establishing what is true is both an individual and a collective search. Individually we look at consequences and
Gospel Reflection for September 6, 2020 – 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Jeremiah 20.7-9; Romans 12.1-2; Matthew 16.21-27 “From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter took him aside and began
Gospel Reflection for August 30, 2020 – 22nd Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 22.18-23; Romans 11.33-36, Matthew 16.13-20 When Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples this. “Who do people says the Son of Man is?” The disciples answered, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “And you, who do
August 23, 2020 – 21st Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »