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Showing posts from March, 2025

First Sunday of Lent (Cycle A)

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The Temptation of Jesus Lectionary:  22 Reading 1 -  Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 51:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 17 Reading 2 -  Romans 5:12-19 Verse - Matthew 4:4b Gospel -  Matthew 4:1-11 One does not live on bread alone. Every year, we begin our Lenten journey in the same place: the desert.   The Gospel for this Sunday places Jesus in the wilderness, fasting and praying, confronted by temptation. In that stark setting we find the pattern of our own Lenten journey: a movement away from distraction toward the heart of God, a testing that reveals what truly sustains us, and a call to conversion that reshapes our lives.  Throughout our lives, we are frequently confronted with tests … and these tests generally reveal something about ourselves: In school, we demonstrate that we have mastered an academic subject with a test  in sports, we demonstrate our level of a particular skill with a contest  In life, we demonstrate the integri...
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Fourth Sunday of Lent (Cycle C) - "Laetare Sunday"

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The Prodigal Son Lectionary: 33 Reading 1 -  Joshua 5:9a, 10-12 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Reading 2 -  2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Alleluia -  Luke 15:18 Gospel -  Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 Today is “Laetare Sunday” … getting its name from the beginning of the tradition Latin Mass of the day, where we hear "Laetare Jerusalem" ("Rejoice, O Jerusalem”) from Isaiah 66:10.  We have a similar Sunday during Advent where the priests, and deacons, wear rose … or pink colored vestments, but have slightly different meanings.  In Advent, the joy we celebrate is more about what is inside of us, while during Lent, the joy we celebrate is something that is reflected outside of us … it is something that we give away so that others may experience joy with us.  In other words, we throw a party. Today’s readings all talk about the reasons we have to celebrate.  In our first reading, God has brought is people out of the Wilderness to the Promised Land. ...
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Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

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The Sermon on the Plain Lectionary: 84 Reading 1 -  Sirach 27:4-7 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16 Reading 2 -  1 Corinthians 15:54-58 Alleluia -  Philippians 2:15d, 16a Gospel -  Luke 6:39-45 The Gospel of today is a continuation of the “Sermon on the Plain” that we first heard two (2) Sunday’s ago with the Beatitudes (Chapter 6 of Luke).  Last Sunday, Jesus exhorted us to show mercy and love, to pardon instead of judging and condemning.  Today’s gospel passage continues in the same vein, with practical guidance  on how to behave as disciples of Jesus and a warning against three (3) related dangers.  First, he warns us against looking to others to find faults while ignoring our own faults or lack of introspection.  Second, he warns us about the danger of hypocrisy.  Third, he warns us against harness in judgement.  In today’s scripture, these lessons are synergistic and mutually reinforcing. It is often easier ...
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