Is 45:1, 41 Thes 1:1-5bMt 22:15-21 Faith, Hope and Love From the first reading for this Sunday, we are told about the presence of the God of Israel in the life of Cyrus who eventually makes it possible for the exiled Jews to return home to Israel. The second reading speaks of how we are chosen…

Is 25:6-10aPhil 4:12-14, 19-20Mt 22:1-14 The Wedding Banquet The readings for this Sunday provide images of the abundance of the Kingdom of God. In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, the Lord’s goodness is evident in the symbol of a feast of good food and rich wine. The second reading speaks of how God…

Isaiah 5:1-7Philippians 4:6-9Matthew 21:33-43 Rejction In the gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard and the wicked tenants who are to care for it. In this parable, the landowner leases his vineyard to tenants and sends his servants to collect the portion of the harvest that the tenants owe to him….

Ez 18:25-28Phil 2:1-11Mt 21:28-32 Actions Speak Louder than Words. Have you ever told someone you would do something for that person and then did not follow through and do it? Our hearts, intensions and words are important, but the actions that reflect them are more important. In Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus uses an example that…

Isaiah 55:6-9Philippians 1:20C-24, 27AMatthew 20:1-16A God’s Generosity If you were asked to choose your favorite parable and the one you liked least, the parable from this Sunday’s readings would probably be your least favorite. The first reading hints at the reason why because we are told that God does not think the way we think….

Sirach 27:30-28:7Romans 14:7-9Matthew 18:21-35 Forgiveness All three readings for this Sunday teach us that forgiveness is essential if we are to live whole and holy lives. The first reading tells us that we must forgive each other for “wrath and anger are hateful things”. Paul tells us in the second reading that we are to…

EZ 33:7-9ROM 13:8-10MT 18:15-20 Constructive Correction We are familiar with the gospel teaching that we are our brothers and sisters’ “keepers.” The gospel readings often remind and challenge us to be responsible for each other, to really care for each other. We should be attentive to the needs of others and assist them whenever possible….

Jer 20:7-9Rom 12:1-2Mt 16:21-27 Suffering I would venture to say that not one of us has escaped suffering. Whether that suffering was small such as pain in one’s tooth to immense suffering over the loss of a loved one. Suffering is part and parcel of being human. In the first reading for Sunday we find…

Is 22:19-23Mt 16:13-20Mt 16:13-20 Who Do You Say That I Am? In Sunday’s readings we are reminded that our wisdom is never the same as God’s wisdom. In the first reading, we hear that God has the power to remove the mighty from their positions of power. Paul tells us that we cannot know the…

Is 56:1, 6-7Rom 11:13-15, 29-32Mt 15:21-28 Inclusion The readings for this Sunday highlight that God wills that all the world to be saved. In the first reading from Isaiah, the Israelites learn that foreigners who follow the decrees of the Lord are also able to worship God. In the second reading from Romans, Paul speaks…

1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-13aRom 9:1-5Mt 14:22-33 Presence In the first reading the prophet Elijah is told that God will be present to him. He is to stand outside his cave and wait. While he waits, he experiences a strong, damaging wind, an earthquake, and fire. It is only when he hears a tiny, whispering sound…

Dn 7:9-10, 13-14Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 9Mt 17:1-9 In the gospel for the Feast of the Transfiguration we come to understand that transfiguration means to be transformed or changed. Peter, James and John experience Jesus in a transformed state because “He was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white…

1 Kings 3:5, 7-12.Romans 8:28-30.Matthew 13:44-52. Finding the Treasure The gospel readings for this Sunday add three more parables to the ones from the last two Sundays. Jesus gives us three more parables related to the Kingdom of God, including the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price. “The kingdom of heaven…

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19Romans 8:26-27Matthew 13:24-43 The Kingdom of Heaven This Sunday, we are reminded in the first reading that God desires justice and has shown us the way of kindness. The second reading tells us that the “Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we…

Is 55:10-11.Romans 8:18-23.Matthew 13:1-23. The Sower and the Seeds In this Sunday’s gospel Jesus tells the parable of the Sower and the Seeds. Jesus uses parables to teach because the meanings of parables are not always self-evident. The hearer must engage in some reflection in order to comprehend the message of the message. In the…