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Showing posts from March, 2025

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle A)

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Word of God Sunday Lectionary:  67 Reading 1 -  Isaiah 8:23—9:3 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 Reading 2 -  1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 Alleluia - Matthew 4:23 Gospel -  Matthew 4:12-23 The Promise of Salvation Under a New Davidic King.   The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light … In the first act of creation, God created light and “saw that the light was good. God then separated the light from the darkness.” (Genesis 1:4) … However, light and darkness are more than just opposites; they are symbols, metaphors, and emotional currents that have shaped our understanding of the world around us for centuries. Within the stories we tell each other, we find a natural contrast between what is seen and what is hidden, between safety and the unknown, between clarity and mystery. This duality of light and dark exists because of one’s relationship to the other … and our experiences of the two. For those of us who have spent any time on the w...
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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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