Angela For Today

Acts 2:1-21 or Ezekiel 37:1-14Romans 8:22-27 or Acts 2:1-21John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15 Were Not Our Hearts Burning within Us? There are several choices for readings for the feast of Pentecost. You may find it helpful to reflect on all of them. During the month of May we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, the end of the…

Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:17-23 Mark 16:15-20 Seeing with the Eyes of Our Hearts This is the Seventh Sunday after Easter but most parishes are celebrating the Ascension of the Lord. The readings listed above are for the feast. The word “looking” is mentioned two times in the reading from Ephesians. We’re told there, “… the…

Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-481 John 4:7-10John 15:9-17 To be Chosen Most of us have experienced deep and abiding love from our parents, wives or husbands, children or from close friends. This is pure gift because we can’t force a person to love us. Love is freely given. In a sense we “choose” our loved ones…

Acts 9:26-31 1 Jn 3:18-24 Jn 15:1-8 Pruning For many years vine growers in Northeast Ohio have produced award winning wines. The soil and climate are ideal for the type of wine produced here, but that would not make a difference if the growers did not care for the vines. No good grapes would grow…

1 Jn 3:12 Jn 10:11-18 The Good Shepherd In the first reading from the Book of Acts we are told how Peter and John, who had been filled with fear just a few days ago, locked in a room in fear of the people, now stood before the same people unafraid. They were able to…

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 1 Jn 2:1-5a Lk 24:35-48 Witnessing At the end of the gospel for this Sunday Jesus summarizes for his disciples what the purpose of his death and resurrection should lead to on earth and what will now be the disciples’ responsibility: Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise…

Acts 4:32-35 1 Jn 5:1-6 Jn 20:19-31 “Seeing” the Risen Christ Two weeks ago we read the gospel story of Jesus entering Jerusalem amidst palms being waved as he was greeted with loud acclamations of “Hosanna.” During that week he was arrested, crucified and put to death. Last Sunday we heard the glorious news that…

Easter Sunday Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Isaiah 50:4-7Philippians 2:5-11Mark 14-15 Suffering Today we begin the celebration of Holy Week. For many of us, this is known as Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. The reading from the Gospel of Mark is about the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is a very long reading because it is…

Jeremiah 31:31-34Hebrews 5:7-9John 12:20-33 Obedience The first reading for this Sunday is a touching one because God is forming a new covenant with the Israelites. God says, “I will place my law within them, and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Many centuries later Jesus…

2 Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23Ephesians 2:4-10John 3:14-21 Love Have you ever been at or watched an event on TV when someone held up a sign with 3:16 on it? This refers to a famous verse from the Gospel of John that we hear proclaimed at our Sunday liturgy. “For God so loved the world that he…

Third Sunday in LentEx 20:1-171 Cor 1:22-25John 2:13-25 Bargaining The gospel for this third Sunday of Lent shows a side of Jesus we don’t see in any other reading. He is upset. He is angry. Jesus arrives at the temple in Jerusalem and sees a marketplace instead of a sacred place. Jesus takes a whip…

Second Sunday in LentGen 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18Rom 8:31-34Mk 9:2-10 Choices The first reading from Genesis is a difficult one because we find Abraham believing that God wants him to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. Child sacrifice was a reality at the time of Abraham and one practiced by his neighbors the Canaanites. Abraham is a…

First Sunday in Lent First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 Second Reading: First Peter 3:18-22 Gospel: Mark 1:12-15 Lent Ash Wednesday was the beginning of Lent. Every liturgical year the Church sets aside forty days of preparation for the most important feast of the year – Easter. Reading the Scripture, the…

Compassion Lev 13:1-2, 45-461Cor 10:31-11:1Mark 1:40-451 Of all the readings from Scripture, the three from this coming Sunday most relate to the situation we have been and still are facing, Covid-19. How often are we warned about the importance of social distancing, not touching others, washing hands often, wearing a mask? This is similar to…