TUESDAY Second Week of Easter
Acts 4:32-37; Ps 93:1-2,5; Jn 3:7b-15: What appears to the world as just bloody violence—the lifting up of Jesus on the cross—is for the eyes of believers the splendor in which the Lord is exalted. What appears as only weakness and failure is the robe of strength in which the Lord is girt. Such a […]
Memorial of Saint Catherine of Siena, Virgin and Doctor of the Church
Acts 4:23-31; Ps 2:1-4-7a, 7b-9; Jn 3:1-8 One of the functions of humor is derision. People make jokes about others to “put them in their place,” or to keep them there. It’s not the kind of humor that most would consider “politically correct,” unless you are in the right group and talking about the correct […]
Easter Saturday
Acts 4:13-21; Ps 118:1,14-21; Mk 16: 9-15 Wouldn’t it make more sense to hear today’s Gospel first and then the reading from Acts? The future of the church doesn’t look too bright when after all the appearances of the Risen Christ he takes them to task for their disbelief and their stubbornness, since they had […]
Easter Friday
Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118:1,2,4,22-27; Jn 21:1-14 Sometimes people exercise power simply because they can. Sometimes people exercise power simply to serve others. Sometimes people exercise power simply to control others. The leaders, elders, scribes of Jerusalem exercise power in today’s first reading; Saint Peter is called by these powerful men to explain his exercise of […]
Easter Thursday
Acts 3:11-45;26; Ps 8:2,5-9; Lk 24:35-48 Saint Peter asked: “Why does this surprise you?” The Lord Jesus asked: “Why are you disturbed?” Today’s liturgy asks: “Do you really expect God to fulfill his promises, today? Is this the day the Lord has made? Will you rejoice and be glad today?” During his preaching after […]
Easter Wednesday
Acts 3:1-10; Ps 105:1-4,6-8; Lk 24:13-35 Who is the cripple beggar at the beautiful gate? You are. I am. We are all unable to walk, jump, or praise. We may have walked along the way of the Lord. We may have jumped for joy at his wondrous deeds. We may have joined the praise of […]
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Acts 2:36-41; Ps 33:4,5,18-20,22; Jn 20:11-18 All during this “Bright Week” the liturgy summons us to rejoice and be glad, yet the crowds who listen to Saint Peter are deeply shaken and even the Gospel of John has Mary Magdalene weeping beside the tomb. What happened to the Easter Joy? Why are the crowds shaking […]
Monday in the Octave of Easter
Acts 2:14,22-33; Ps 16:1,2,5,7-10; Mt 28:8-15: The Eastern Church calls these days after Easter “Bright Week,” and in the West, we call it the Octave of Easter. In both liturgical traditions the church seeks to move the hearts of believers from glory to GLORY. Indeed, the Paschal Mystery is so bright with the glory of […]
Holy Saturday
Rom 6:3-11; Ps 118:1,2,16,17,22,23; Mt 28:1-10: What is wonderful in our eyes? The Psalm used as a response to our reading from the Epistle to the Romans enables our response. “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes.” The Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia […]
Good Friday
Is 52:13-53:12; Ps 31:2,6,12,13,15-17 Heb 4:14-16,5:7-9; Jn 18:1-19:42: As we gaze upon Him whom we have pierced by our sin, what do we hear? Today’s psalm responds: “Take courage and be stouthearted!” Why would we gaze upon his suffering and death? Perhaps because we have never seen such love and sorrow mingled. Indeed we hear his […]
Holy Thursday
Ex 12:1-8,11-14; Ps 116:12-13,15-18; 1Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15: This responsorial psalm provides a question worth of both early morning meditation and end of the day reflection. Indeed, answering this question is what makes us Eucharistic people. “How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?” Or […]
Wednesday of Holy Week
Is 50:4-9; Ps 69:8-10,21,22,31,33,34; Mt 26:14-25: What a difference one day makes in this beautiful drama of Holy Week. The psalm now sings of the insult and shame that afflicts the faithful servant of the LORD. The Suffering Servant no longer prays to be shielded from shame. Now he prays that even his suffering would […]
Tuesday of Holy Week
Is 49:1-6; Ps 71:1-6,15,16; Jn 13:21-33,36-38: In a shame based social organization, it is death to have your dignity publicly denied. Today’s responsorial psalm reflects upon the profound relationship between the Lord Jesus and his Father. It is his confidence in the Father’s love and care that enables Jesus to sing of his salvation. As […]
Monday of Holy Week
Is 42:1-7; Ps 27:1-3,13-14; Jn 12:1-11: We spend this whole week gazing upon the cross of Christ. We look with love upon the Faithful Servant of the LORD about whom Isaiah the Prophet sings. We look with love upon Christ the Suffering Servant of the LORD and recall every detail of his last week before […]
Saturday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Ez 37:21-28 ; Ps Jer 31:10,11,12; Jn 11:45-56 : So how does a shepherd guard his flock? The Good Shepherd, a title the Lord Jesus gives himself in the gospel, lays down his life for his flock. He literally places his body in the opening of the fence to keep out anyone who is a danger to […]
Friday of the Fifth Week in Lent
Jer 20:10-13; Ps 18:2-7; Jn 10:31-42: It sounds so selfish. This psalm sounds self-centered. The opening line admits that my love for the LORD is because he is my strength, my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. Because the LORD has so loved me, I love him. Yet, isn’t this how love works. We love in response […]
Thursday of the Fifth Week in Lent
Gn 17:3-9; Ps 105:4-9; Jn 8:51-59: If we focus on our own victories this Lent, we have not been victorious. If we look to ourselves and to our faithfulness, we are not faithful. This Lent and every act of repentance is an act of remembering the mercy of God and the faithfulness of the LORD. His strength […]
Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Lent
Dn3:14-20,91,92,95; Dn3:52-56; Jn8:31-42: Today’s psalm echoes the universal praise of the Living God. The LORD is God, and there is no other. The gods of the nations are naught. This is the truth proclaimed by the psalm and the first reading today. Even today’s gospel message announces the universal claim of the Creator of heaven […]
Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Lent
Nm 21:4-9; Ps 2:2-3,16-21; Jn 8:21-30: If we prayed this way all through the day, “O LORD, hear my prayer, and let my cry come to you,” we would grow daily more aware of his presence. As his enemies became more and more bold in challenging him in public, the Lord Jesus prayed with the […]
Monday of the Fifth Week in Lent
Dn 13:1-9,15-17,19-30,33-62; Ps 23:1-6; Jn 8:1-11: In today’s readings there are many who walk through the valley of darkness. Some are very comfortable there in the darkness. Others are comforted by the presence of the Good Shepherd. Sooner or later everyone walks through this valley. Those who walk by faith know that the Lord is at […]