Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time • Year A
In his world, as in ours, society was divided. Some were strongly committed to violence in opposing Rome, while others chose to collaborate with them to avoid conflict – peace at any price. Neither option embraced John’s words of reform and repentance, an unmistakable call for change and for people to transform their way of thinking. Jesus saw the need to take up the same mission, calling for repentance and renewed faithfulness to the covenant, aware of what John suffered.
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time • Year A
Those who are enthused about or interested in something new, generally, are those dissatisfied with the current situation. In many cases, they are those who have been left out, excluded, not taken into account. These are the ones thought less of, treated differently, who are longing from the depths of their heart for something new, better, different. The newness spoken of in today’s readings is much more than a replacement of what has worn out. It is a spectacular newness, a newness beyond compare.
Twenty-Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time • Year A
At this time, the Word of God may focus our attention on what’s happening at the Vatican. The Word speaks to us of Jesus’ intimate relationship with us and our relationships with other people. “I know my sheep.” Jesus knows each of us very well. He knows our strengths and weaknesses, our successes and our failures, the choices we make whether they are healthy or sometimes sinful. That can be comforting and encouraging. It can also be scary for us when we may be ashamed of our actions. However, he takes us as we are. He sticks by us, he never abandons us because he loves us and wants to show us the way to a better life.
Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time • Year A
Everyone here today has a broken heart. All of us have known the pain of a broken relationship, we have been hurt and we have caused hurt. Still, Jesus welcomes us around this table to remind us that through his cross he has paid for our sins, faults and mistakes. He offers us his love, mercy and forgiveness without cost and calls us to share those gifts with others. May you know and feel the love with out limitation that Jesus offers you and no longer allow your past to hurt your present.
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time • Year A
Our Gospel today from Saint Matthew reminds us how tough it will be and what is at stake when he asks us, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” To gain our eternal lives, let us follow the Prophet Jeremiah and allow the Word of the Lord to overcome our itching ears and become “like fire burning” in our hearts.
Twenty-first Sunday of Ordinary Time • Year A
Peter was a weak and imperfect man, who never really distinguished himself as a leader – a simple fisherman! Yet in today’s gospel, we see the greatness of a person who deepens and grows in faith and discipleship as a hope for all of us. We see a bold Peter willing to stick his neck out on behalf of the disciples in response to Jesus’ question demanding to know, “Who do you say that I am?”
