Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; James 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.  That’s quite an inventory and so much more pessimistic than we’d expect from the […]

Readings: 1 Corinthians 1:1-9; Matthew 24:42-51 Stay Awake! A fitting Gospel for two Cistercian saints. And a reminder that our relentless practice of Vigils is symbolic, sacramental of the coming of Christ, especially at the final judgment. This reminds me that such watchfulness is not only about the end but how we travel to that […]

Readings: Ezekiel 43:1-71; Matthew 13:1-12 Jesus has a very challenging–and timely–teaching for us today. He tells us to discriminate, to recognize what we actually see in our legitimate religious leadership. Yes, do what they tell you but don’t follow their example. That isn’t a call to blind and passive acquiescence or relinquishing our responsibility. And […]

Readings: Isaiah 9:1-6; Luke 1:26-38 Although it may seem odd in this day and age to refer to Jesus and Mary in terms of royalty–the American fascination with royal weddings notwithstanding–today’s Gospel explains why we’d celebrate the Queenship of Mary. The Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that the Son to be born to her will […]

Readings Ezekiel 12:1-12; Matthew 18:21-19:1 I don’t think that the first debtor in today’s parable realizes that he’s been forgiven. My suspicion is that he only understands that his strategy was successful. Perhaps he’s the sort of individual who feels he shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of his choices. I say this because he […]

Readings: Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Mark 9:2-10 As the days become noticeably shorter, the sun rising and setting further to the south, we celebrate the feast of Christ’s Transfiguration, when the supra-essential light of his divinity transforms the limits of his humanity. This year we celebrate the feast with Saint Mark’s Gospel in […]

Readings: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15; Ephesians 4:17, 20-24; John 6:24-35 Had the Gospel passage ended last Sunday as we celebrated it in the liturgy, we would have had a very nice, if challenging, story about Jesus multiplying loaves and fishes for hungry people, eager to hear his word. Even if it ended as it continues today, it […]