The Power of Small
A reflection on the readings of June 13, 2021 — the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when...
Category: Scripture Reflection
“The New Covenant in my blood”: Corpus Christi
Today’s readings connect many things: the blood of the sacrifice, the priest, the community, and the covenant. They show how these all come together in Jesus in the Eucharist. The first reading from Exodus depicts Moses acting as a priest...
God’s Community of Love
A reflection on the readings for Sunday, May 30, 2021 — The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Last Saturday, my infant son received the Sacrament of Baptism. When the celebrant poured holy water over my son’s head and used...
Proclaiming Christ at Pentecost
A reflection on the readings for Sunday, May 23, 2021 — the Feast of Pentecost. Preach always, use words when necessary.” These are perhaps the most famous words of St. Francis of Assisi—or so we are told. I have always...
The Ascension: Mission Accomplished
A reflection on the readings of May 16, 2021 — the Feast of the Ascension I would like to reflect on two aspects of the Feast of the Ascension. The first aspect is the reality of the Ascension of Jesus. As...
Jesus, Our Friend
A reflection on the readings of May 9, 2021 — the Sixth Sunday of Easter What is your image of God? Some people see God as a distant being who governs the universe from afar—an untouchable, unapproachable God. Others see...
The image of the vine in the Old and New Testaments
A reflection on the readings for May 2, 2021 — the Fifth Sunday of Easter Today’s passage from the Gospel of John is a small section of a larger monologue of Jesus at the Last Supper. It is made up...
The Good Shepherd lays down his life
A reflection on the readings for April 25, 2021 — the Fourth Sunday of Easter A few miles away from my former parish is a Catholic Worker Farm staffed by two theology professors, a former parishioner, and a Border Collie....
Mary Magdalene, the key witness
This is a reflection on the readings for Easter Sunday, The Resurrection of the Lord, The Mass of Easter Day. It’s hard to imagine the devastation Jesus’ disciples must have felt the day he was crucified. While we read the...
Palm Sunday is only the beginning of the story
A reflection on the Sunday readings for March 28, 2021 — Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion It is an interesting thing to be asked to offer my first reflection for this website on Palm Sunday, the one Sunday of...
What is robbing you of peace?
A reflection on the Sunday readings for March 7, 2021 — the Third Sunday in Lent You’re watching the evening news and there is a story about an elderly woman who was mugged on the street in broad daylight. The mugger...
Multiplication of Loaves and Fish: A Miracle Within the Miracle
A reflection on the Sunday readings for August 2, 2020 The multiplication of loaves and fish is the only miracle found in all four Gospels, and—surprisingly—twice in the gospels of Matthew and Mark. On the peripheral level, it can be...
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