A Love Letter from Jesus

Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Wis 6:12-16 Reading 2: 1 Thes 4:13-18 Gospel: Mt 25:1-13 The Book of Wisdom is one of those seven books rejected in the Hebrew Canon (and in the Protestant tradition) because it was written about 125 B.C., considered...

Solemnity of All Saints Reading 1: RV 7:2-4, 9-14 Reading 2: 1 JN 3:1-3 Gospel: MT 5:1-12A This week we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints, to celebrate those Saints whom we know by name because the church has declared them Saints, and those whom we do not know by...

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Is 45:1, 4-6 Reading 2: 1 Thes 1:1-5b Gospel: Mt 22:15-21 Our first reading this week is from chapter 45 of Isaiah which is part of “Second Isaiah” (chapters 40 – 55), composed during the Babylonian Captivity of 587 to...

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Is 25:6-10a Reading 2: Phil 4:12-14, 19-20 Gospel: Mt 22:1-14 It is probably important now and then to be reminded that when we read the books of the prophets, we are not reading documentaries. We are reading about the...

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Is 5:1-7 Reading 2: Phil 4:6-9 Gospel: Mt 21:33-43 Our reading from chapter 5 of Isaiah and our gospel from chapter 21 of Matthew are almost identical, using the image of a vineyard as the house of Israel. And in both...

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Ez 18:25-28 Reading 2: Phil 2:1-11 Gospel: Mt 21:28-32 Quite often, the readings we get at Mass are short excerpts from a larger story and so they don’t make a lot of sense to us unless we know the larger story. And...

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Is 55:6-9 Reading 2: Phil 1:20c-24, 27a Gospel: Mt 20:1-16a Our first reading is from that portion of the Book of Isaiah generally referred to as “Deutero-Isaiah” (chapters 40-55) and is believed to have been composed...

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1: Sir 27:30—28:7 Reading 2: Rom 14:7-9 Gospel: Mt 18:21-35 Our gospel passage this week directly follows last Sunday’s gospel and so the message of that gospel carries on to this week, but with a little twist. Last week...