Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, Nov. 2 (Selected from the many options for this day) Wisdom 3:1-9; Psalm 23:1-3a,3b-4,5,6; Romans 5:5-11 or Romans 6:3-9; John 6:37-40 During my years as a Protestant pastor, I thought praying for departed Christians was a waste of time. I acknowledged that many Christians died without completing their journey […]
Continue readingBy: By Father Dominic Garramone, OSB Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct. 26 Exodus 22:20-26; Psalm 18:2-3,3-4,47,51; 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10; Matthew 22:34-40 At first glance, Jesus’ answer to the scribe in today’s Gospel is deceptively simple: “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your […]
Continue readingBy: By Father Dominic Garramone, OSB Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct. 19 Isaiah 45:1,4-6; Psalm 96:1,3,4-5,7-8,9-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5b; Matthew 22:15-21 Religion and politics is a hot topic these days, especially since in recent years politicians on every level of government have sought to build their political base at least in part upon religious […]
Continue readingBy: By Father Dominic Garramone, OSB Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, Oct. 5 Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:9,12,13-14,15-16,19-20; Philippians 4:6-9; Matthew 21:33-43 The image of a vineyard appears frequently in the Bible, for a variety of reasons. Local water was not always safe to drink, so wine was the preferred beverage. Grapes could be dried and […]
Continue readingBy: By Father Douglas Grandon Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sept. 28 Ezekiel 18:25-28; Psalm 25:4-5,8-9,10,14; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 “Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves; each looking out not for his own interests, but also for those of others.” Philippians 2:3-4 Never […]
Continue readingBy: By Father Douglas Grandon Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sept. 21 Isaiah 55:6-9; Psalm 145:2-3,8-9,17-18; Philippians 1:20c-24,27a; Matthew 20:1-16a If you have ever been tempted to grumble about your employer or your salary, consider the plight of the common laborer living in first-century Israel: The normal working day was 10 hours long, not counting […]
Continue readingBy: By Barbara Roedel Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Sept. 14 Numbers 21:4b-9; Psalm 78:1bc-2,34-35,36-37,38; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17 It’s painful to contemplate the cross. There is no denying the horrific suffering of the cross — the degradation, pain and humiliation are beyond imaging. It was a terrible way to die and […]
Continue readingBy: By Barbara Roedel Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Sept. 7 Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95:1-2,6-7,8-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20 Today’s readings challenge us to be active listeners. In the first reading, the Lord tells Ezekiel that he is to listen and act when he hears the Lord’s voice. The Lord advises the prophet that he […]
Continue readingBy: By Sister Michelle Rheinlander, OSB Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Aug. 31 Jeremiah 20:7-9; Psalm 63:2,3-4,5-6,8-9; Romans 12:1-2; Matthew 16:21-27 What profit would there be to gain the whole world with all its power, material wealth and prestige and forfeit one’s life? That age-old question is still critical in our 21st century just as […]
Continue readingBy: By Sister Michelle Rheinlander, OSB Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Aug. 24 Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 138:1-2,2-3,6,8; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20 It is difficult for us to imagine a world without Christ and all that his presence means. Today we see Christ naming Peter as the “rock” on which he will build his church and […]
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