Jesus said to his disciples, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” John 20.21 In this Easter appearance Jesus gives his friends a purpose that makes the passage a fitting Pentecost gospel. Jesus sends disciples as the Father sent him. He commissions them and us to continue his […]
Gospel Reflection for June 8, 2014, Pentecost Read More »
Each weekday morning at our house progresses remarkably the same. My bleary-eyed sons stumble their way downstairs to cuddle with me for a bit before watching a show of their choice on pbskids.org. The viewing of a television episode insures that I can have approximately twenty-three minutes to myself to shower and get ready for
Gifts of the Spirit Read More »
Jesus told his disciples, “And I will ask the Father, who will give you another Advocate to abide with you always: the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept, since it neither sees nor recognizes the Spirit; but you know the Spirit because the Spirit abides with you and will be in you.” John
Gospel Reflection for May 25, 2014, Sixth Sunday of Easter Read More »
Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered, “All this time I have been with you, Philip, and you do not know me? Whoever sees me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’” John 14.8-9 In responding to Philip, Jesus shifts the
Gospel Reflection for May 18, 2014, Fifth Sunday of Easter Read More »
Jesus said, “The one who enters through the gate is shepherd of the sheep; the keeper opens the gate for him. The sheep hear his voice as he calls his own by name and leads them out.” John 10.30-31 The shepherd allegory offers the intimacy between shepherd and sheep as an image of the relationship
Gospel Reflection for May 11, 2014, Fourth Sunday of Easter Read More »
Where do we find Jesus in the post-resurrection time in which we live? For those of us who did not get to know Jesus during his embodiment on earth, how do we now get to know him now? This Sunday’s Gospel, the road to Emmaus story from Luke 24, gives us some important clues to
Two disciples were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus and began talking to a stranger about Jesus’ death and all that had transpired since that time. They did not recognize that the stranger was the risen Jesus. While Jesus sat with the two disciples, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them.
Gospel Reflection for May 4, 2014, Third Sunday of Easter Read More »
Jesus’ followers were hiding from the Jews when Jesus appeared to them. Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven them; if you hold them bound, they are held bound.” John 20.22-23 Easter is about transformation and action. Jesus hands over to the community the
Gospel Reflection for April 27, 2014, Second Sunday of Easter Read More »
Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb and found that Jesus was missing. She could not find him and was crying. Jesus asked, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?Mary supposed the man to be the gardener and responded, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid
Gospel Reflection for April 20, 2014, Easter Sunday Read More »
There are three scenes in this Sunday’s Gospel that give me an odd sort of comfort. The first scene takes place in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus has gone to pray. We are not told this explicitly, but I get the sense that Jesus just needed to get away from it all at this
We Are Only Human: An Odd Comfort Read More »