Gospel

The unexpected coming of the Son of Man, 12:40: This imagery, drawn from Daniel 7:13 (although without “the clouds of heaven”), is usually understood to describe Christ’s coming to earth in the last day, although from Daniel’s perspective, the coming is from earth to heaven, a coming into the throne-roomRead More →

It is good to remember that Jesus’ contemporaries lived lives of immense hardship, under very harsh social and political conditions. Famine or land appropriation were a constant threat for subsistence farmers, suffering under excruciating taxation practices. In this situation, the landowner who stored his surplus crop, instead of helping toRead More →

“Father” is the most starkly simple introduction of a prayer in the entire tradition of Israel. It may be a child’s word, Abba, Daddy. It is a word of family intimacy. All of this prayer is thoroughly Jewish. I recommend that you look up Joseph Fitzmyer’s commentary 900-901, where heRead More →

I’d like to offer a fresh take on this famous little story. One of the principal marks of Jesus’ teaching and ministry is the overturning of social conventions. And one of the most striking and surprising of Jesus’ moves was a radical inclusion of women. While this typically women’s work wasRead More →

The Samaritan also does something else that seems unthinkable today: he takes responsibility for his actions. In a world where charity has come within reach by “clicks,” the Samaritan does not delegate the care of the other, but dismounts his horse and takes charge of the afflicted man. Here weRead More →

Today Jesus sends us forth to preach the Good News.  We may preach the Good News by our word, our example, and our love.  We may preach the Good News by noticing and attending to an individual we encounter.  Often it is the little acts of kindness that have theRead More →

Joseph Ratzinger, commenting on this passage, observes that our canonical Greek text must derive from an Aramaic original. There is a direct citation of Aramaic in the name “Simon Bar-Jonah”. There are also typical Aramaic phrases: “gates of the underworld”, “keys of the Kingdom”, “bind and loose”, “on earth andRead More →

The Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord, which we know also as Corpus Christi, gives us an opportunity to revisit the events of Holy Thursday. That day was full of material to ponder, and, now that Lent and Easter are complete, this feast provides an opportunity forRead More →

Think of the last time you witnessed an act of selfless love in your family. Parents and caregivers of all kinds are called upon to act selflessly every day. Family life calls us to share selfless love with one another. God is the model for us of selfless love. ThereRead More →

It is not accidental that the word “inspiration” has to do with drawing air into the lungs. Each breath can be inspiring, taking in the Holy Breath of God and then breathing it forth into the universe. Inspiration embodies omnipresence. Resurrection breath is everywhere—in locked rooms and closed hearts—waiting toRead More →