Just before today’s passage in St. Luke’s Gospel, Jesus has been telling His disciples about His return in glory and the final establishment of His kingdom. When will it happen? There are no instant answers. It may take time; they will have to be patient and wait. They are called to have faith, faith that […]
“At the III Synod of the PNCC held in Chicago, IL 95 years ago the synod body voted to have a special feast day to commemorate the Christian Family. It was decided to set aside the second Sunday of October for this special celebration of the Christian Family, which was to stress the importance of
Solemnity of the Christian Family – October 10, 2010 Read More »
The Gospel reading today talks of duty in the sense that is shared by parents who make sacrifices for their children, or by members of the armed services who risk their lives for their country. We are morally obliged to God for everything, from our lives to the world around us. Everything has been given
Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle “Câ€, October 3, 2010 Read More »
Jesus tells this dramatic parable to put across several points. The first and most obvious is the need of another. Linked with this is the necessity for justice. Secondly, the torment of the rich man is not just about the punishment he is receiving, but also about the rewards he is missing out on: he
Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle “Câ€, September 26, 2010 Read More »
It is amazing how often Jesus spoke about finances, and today’s Gospel is just one instance. Here Jesus does not applaud the stewards practices, but rather his insights into the connection between resources and relationships. The steward is in a crunch, since he’ll soon be jobless with a shady reputation. The amount he forgives the
Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle “Câ€, September 12, 2010 Read More »
Jesus once said, “do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). We call it the Golden Rule, and like everything that is golden, we seldom use it in life. Yes. We would love to act like the Good Samaritan, but it is too demanding and time consuming. We have to
Solemnity – Brotherly Love – Cycle “Câ€, September 12, 2010 Read More »
In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives a stark warning to those who wish to follow Him. Today’s Gospel reading comes from the section of St. Luke’s Gospel just before Jesus and His followers set off for Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Jesus known that this journey will end in His death. Following Jesus will soon mean risking
Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle “Câ€, September 5, 2010 Read More »
The washing of feet, the kiss of greeting and the anointing of the head were customary signs of welcome shown to a guest at a meal in Jesus’ time. Such courtesies seem to have flown out of the window at the meal recorded in today’s Gospel. There the guests pushed forward for the places of
Twenty Second Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle “Câ€, August 29, 2010 Read More »
Jesus is asked, “Will there be only a few saved?†The reply that He gives is unnerving: many will truly not all be successful. Jesus also goes on to say that people from all over the world, from many nations, will come and there will be places for them. In other words there are places
Twenty First Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle “C†– August 22, 2010 Read More »
The feast of Mary’s assumption into heaven is the fulfillment of this story of God emptying Himself to take on human form, to be we are, to see things through our eyes. Mary stands at the closure of the Old Testament and the threshold of the New, spelled out most clearly in the words of
Assumption/Dormition of the BVM – Cycle “C†– August 15, 2010 Read More »