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Showing posts from August, 2025

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Cycle A)

The Raising of Lazarus Lectionary:  34 Reading 1 -  Ezekiel 37:12-14 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 130:1-8 Reading 2 -  Romans 8:8-11 Verse - John 11:25a, 26 Gospel -  John 11:1-45 Lazarus, come out! LESSON: The Power of God Through Those Who Believe We’re a week away from the start of Holy Week. Our Lord now has his sights set on Jerusalem, and the pace is quickening. In these next two weeks, we’re living just one part of the Gospel passage from today: an encounter with the reality of suffering and death. Jesus is asking us to have faith in him. In today’s First Reading the prophet Ezekiel reminds us of the Lord’s promise to not only to bring us back to life but to bring us home. The background of this passage is the famous "Valley of Dry Bones." The people of Israel were in exile in Babylon. They weren't just sad; they were spiritually and nationally "dead." Their common saying was: "Our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, and we are cut off." They d...

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle C)

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The Narrow Gate Lectionary: 123 Reading 1 -  Isaiah 66:18-21 Responsorial Psalm -  Psalm 117:1, 2 Reading 2 -  Hebrews 12:5-7, 11-13 Alleluia -  John 14:6 Gospel -  Luke 13:22-30 Our First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah speaks of a magnificent gathering. This vision is expansive, reaching out to distant coastlands and peoples who have not yet heard of God's glory. It speaks of a time when all people from all nations will be brought as an offering to the Lord, and some will even be taken as priests and Levites. This prophecy foreshadows the universal reach of God's salvation, a theme that resonates deeply with the Gospel. Our Gospel Reading from Saint Luke presents a challenging counterpoint to this expansive vision. As Jesus journeys towards Jerusalem, teaching in towns and villages. We can picture Jesus resting during his travels, seated on a stump or a rock outside a town, or maybe on a low wall inside a town square . He is surrounded by a crowd of followe...