General
Reflection on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time/Opening of Loretto’s Assembly 2021
“Seeing with the Heart” Let me share with you my own personal Good Samaritan story. Some of you are very aware that for the past 20 years or so, my…
Read MoreReflection on the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
1 Kings 17:10-16 Hebrews 9:24-28 Mark 12:41-44 Widows are the heroines of today’s readings. That’s an odd reversal of scriptural stereotypes. Widows are poor and rarely…
Read MoreReflection on the 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Jewish people had just completed their 40 years of wandering in the desert. Moses has brought them to the promised land. They had time and many opportunities to learn…
Read MoreReflection on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
It is helpful to understand today’s Gospel if we remember that Mark was writing his Gospel for the early Christians before their separation from Judaism, which happened after the destruction…
Read MoreReflection on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 53:10-11 Hebrews 4: 14-16 Mark 10-35-45 For the last couple of months of Sunday readings, we have heard Jesus teaching his…
Read MoreReflection on the 28 Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mark 10:17-30 or Mark 10:17-27 Hebrews 4:12-13 Wisdom 7:7-11 Today’s Gospel reminds me of one of my favorite stories from John Dominic Crossan, who many of you will remember from…
Read MoreReflection on the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time
When I first read the readings for today I wished that I had chosen a different Sunday. As I sat with these readings in these weeks leading up to the…
Read MoreReflection on the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Numbers 11:25-29 James 5:1-6 Mark 9:38 … 48 “Whoever is not against us is for us.” With these cryptic words, Jesus breaks through the partisan clannishness of his disciples and…
Read MoreReflection on the 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
When I was still in the classroom many years ago, the children would often ask me as to why Jesus would tell his disciples not to tell anyone after He…
Read MoreReflection on the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 50:4-9; Mark 8:27-35 We can imagine the scene we have just heard described. Jesus and a few others walking along the road, maybe on a day like this, heading…
Read MoreReflection on the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
“ Here comes your God . . . who comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared.” In…
Read MoreReflection on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Three phrases stand out in today’s readings: From the Old Testament: “For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord our God is…
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