Sunday Readings: Acts 13.14, 43-52; Revelation 7.9, 14-17; John 10.27-30 “The Father and I are one.” (John 10.30) In chapter 10, John gospel makes an extended comparison between Jesus and shepherds who pasture, protect, and water their flocks and by night sleep in the opening of the sheepfold and become its gate. Sunday’s short gospel […]
Gospel Reflection for April 17, 2016, 4th Sunday of Easter Read More »
Sunday Readings: Acts 5.27-32, 40-41; Revelation 5.11-14; John 21.1-19 “Peter felt hurt because Jesus said to him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’ Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” (John 21.19) Peter and several of Jesus’ disciples make a
Gospel Reflection for April 10, 2016, 3rd Sunday of Easter Read More »
Sunday Readings: Acts 5.12-16; Revelation 1.9-11, 12-13, 17-19; John 20.19-31 Jesus breathed on his disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20.22-23) Bible scholar Sandra Schneiders observes that the Greek word translated as retained above or sometimes bound
Gospel Reflection for April 3, 2016, 2nd Sunday of Easter Read More »
Sunday Readings: Acts 10.34, 37-43; Colossians 3.1-4 or 1 Corinthians 5.6-8; John 20.1-9 (10-18) Mary Magdelene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” (John 20.18) The act of raising Jesus from the dead reveals who God is — the one who gives life. By accepting death, Jesus reveals that God’s power
Gospel Reflection for March 27, 2016, Easter Sunday Read More »
Sunday Readings: Luke 19.28-40; Isaiah 50.4-7; Philippians 2.6-11; Luke 22.14-23.56 “Surely this was an innocent man.” (Luke 23.47) Luke’s passion account emphasizes Jesus’ innocence. When the crowd, the chief priests, and temple guard come to arrest Jesus, he says, “Am I a criminal that you come out after me armed with swords and clubs? When
Gospel Reflection for March 20, 2016, Passion/Palm Sunday Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 43.16-21; Philippians 3.8-14; John 8.1-11 “Woman, where are they all? Has no one condemned you?” (John 8.10) Only John’s gospel tells the story of the hypocrites who use a woman they catch in adultery to trap Jesus. He can reject the law of Moses that requires stoning or break the Roman law
Gospel Reflection for March 13, 2016, 5th Sunday of Lent Read More »
Sunday Readings: Joshua 5.9,10-12; 2 Corinthians 5.17-21; Luke 15.1-3,11-32 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger said to the father, ‘Father, give me the share of your property that will fall to me.’ So the father divided up the property. After a few days the younger son, having gathered
Gospel Reflection for March 6, 2016, 4th Sunday of Lent Read More »
Sunday Readings: Exodus 3.1-8, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10.1-6, 10-12; Luke 13.1-9 “For three years now I have come looking for figs on this tree and found none. Cut it down. Why should it take up space?” (Luke 13.7) Jesus’ parable of the fig tree reveals God’s hope and compassion for people. The gardener who cares
Gospel Reflection for February 28, 2016, 3rd Sunday of Lent Read More »
Sunday Readings: Deuteronomy 26.4-10; Romans 10.8-13; Luke 4.1-13 “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for scripture has it, ‘God will bid angels to watch over you,’ and ‘With their hands they will lift you up so that you do not stumble upon a stone.’” (Luke 4.9-11) The devil’s third and climatic
Gospel Reflection for February 14, 2016, 1st Sunday of Lent Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 6.1-8; 1 Corinthians 15.1-11; Luke 5.1-11 “Simon put out his nets and caught so many fish that the nets began to break.” (Luke 5.6) Peter fishes all night without success. A miraculous catch of fish follows the next day in response to Jesus’ charge to put out into the deep water. The
Gospel Reflection for February 7, 2016, 5th Sunday Ordinary Time Read More »