Today’s readings tell us that our God is an approachable God – both Father and friend. Even as the outraged Lord of the Old Testament prepared to punish Sodom and Gomorrah for the wickedness of their inhabitants, Abraham was able to negotiate with Him. And in today’s Gospel, Jesus suggests a way of praying that [...]
That famous teaching of Jesus on the “one thing necessary” was given at Bethany, at the house of Martha and Mary, in the Gospel we hear today. The two sisters, Martha and Mary, are two very different characters, with two very different temperaments. One is active, the other passive. One is busy doing; the other, [...]
To be rejected for whatever reason always causes suffering to the one rejected. The Samaritan is Jesus’ parable would have known what it was like to be rejected. Samaria had been the ancient center of Israel. But the Samaritans were descended from immigrants who had settled in Samaria, and the Jewish people looked on them [...]
Although St. Luke doesn’t tell us any of the name of the seventy-two whom Jesus sent out ahead of Him, they must have been an impressive body of people. They had such faith in Jesus’ word that they were prepared to do exactly what He asked them. They were to be trailblazers, seventy-two pioneers, all [...]
At the beginning of the journey, three potential disciples appear. Their enthusiasm must have been tested, if not dented, as Jesus talks of the cost of discipleship. St. Luke frequently highlights the gentleness and compassion of Jesus, but when it comes to the commitment required of would-be disciples, He makes no attempt to soften the [...]
Jesus had begun His ministry by announcing the kingdom of God. He called disciples to follow Him and then revealed to them, by His miracles, His exorcisms and His teaching, what God’s rule meant. In today’s Gospel, Jesus questions His disciples about His true identity; and so, having heard what the crowds say about Him, [...]
“When we pray, our words should be calm, modest and disciplined. Let us reflect that we are standing before God. We should please Him both by our bodily posture and the manner of our speech.”
In the Gospel, Jesus does act as the anointed one of God., the Christ. He exercises the mercy and compassion of God in pronouncing the woman free from her sin. He recognizes the meaning behind the women’s symbolic actions – her weeping, her kisses, her anointing of His feet. He acknowledges her change of status [...]
Jesus gathered His friends, on the night before He died, and, sharing bread and wine with them, said, “This is My body…This is My blood.” The Gospel writers, recording this event, remembered also an earlier event, when Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to people to eat. It was on [...]
Today’s feast is one that calls on us to be full of gratitude for our faith and to celebrate with one another God’s closeness to us. As we continue with our Eucharist, the great prayer of thanksgiving, we will be reminded that once again we are caught up in the mystery of the Trinity. Soon [...]
