The Epiphany of the Lord, 2 January, 2022: Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12      The Magi from the east are genuine seekers of the truth who brave the risks of travel through an inhospitable terrain to reach their goal in an unknown land and an unknown religion. They have read the cryptic signs […]

Christmas: Mass During the Day, 25 December, 2021, Year C: Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18      We don’t know the actual date or even the season of Christ’s birth because he was born into a world that wasted little memory on such matters. The early church chose a symbolic date to celebrate the Lord’s […]

Third Sunday of Advent: Zephaniah 3:14-18a; Philippians 4:4-7; Luke 3:10-18      Does today’s talk of rejoicing seem deflated by John the Baptist’s demanding preaching?      John disqualifies no one from his baptism of repentance. He doesn’t reject the tax collectors for their injustices—nor does he ask them for donations.  He doesn’t repulse the soldiers as […]

Immaculate Conception, Genesis 3:9-15, 20; Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12; Luke 1:26-38      Today’s Gospel gives us an important perspective on today’s Solemnity.      First and foremost, the mystery of Mary’s Immaculate Conception hinges on the Incarnation of the Word of God. When the eternal Word is circumscribed by human contingency, eternity is encapsulated by time and […]

Thanksgiving Day, 25 November, 2021: Sirach 50:22-24; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Luke 17:11-19      Why didn’t the other nine lepers thank Jesus?        They all obey Jesus when he tells them to go show themselves to the priests. Were these nine so intent on following Jesus’ instructions, that they didn’t yet notice their healing when […]

Thirty-Second Sunday, Year B, 7 November, 2021: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44     According to The Acts of the Apostles, Mark’s mother was a follower of Jesus (Acts 12:12). Ancient Church tradition understands Mark and his kinsman Barnabas to be members of the priestly clan; perhaps they were disenchanted with the priestly establishment […]

31 October, 2021, Thirty-First Sunday, Year B: Deuteronomy 6:2-6; Hebrews 7:23-28; Mark 12:28b-34      Jesus’ response to the Scribe in today’s Gospel is as challenging as it is timely. It is timely, because in an increasingly contentious world, most people do not do what Jesus and scribe do, speaking to one another, person-to-person.      What […]

Twenty-sixth Sunday, Year B, 26 September, 2021: Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-48      On the surface, there may seem to be no relationship between the two halves of today’s Gospel, but I believe Jesus is making a point and then unpacking its implications.      First he corrects John for attempting to prevent someone who […]

12 September, 2021: Twenty-Fourth Sunday, Year B: Isaiah 50:4c-9a; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35        Until this episode in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has been discouraging anyone to identify him as the Christ. Granted, up to this point it has only been demonic spirits who know who he is.      Those demonic spirits trembled at Jesus’ authority […]

At our last community-sharing on Experientia, our dear Fr. Maurice spoke of what he termed the risk of pledging obedience to one’s abbot, but then suggested that it was worth the risk for, as he said, it all works out in the end. I’m not sure whether at that time he was aware of just […]