Did Jesus Fulfill the Law?
Sixth Sunday Ordinary Time Sirach 15:15–20 1 Corinthians 2:6–10 Matthew 5:17–37 Today’s gospel reading presents so many questions! Let’s start with the first three verses: "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law and the Prophets. I came not to destroy but to...
How Are You Like Salt and Light?
5th Sunday Ordinary Time Is 58:7-10 I Cor 2:1-5 Mt 5:13-16 Matthew places today’s passage right after the beatitudes we read last week. How does going down those blessed pathways make us like salt and light? What's So Great About Light and Salt? “Nothing is more...
Why Did the Magi Come to Worship Jesus?
Feast of the Epiphany Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 Let's start out by stating we have no way of knowing whether the three Magi saw a star, spoke with King Herod, or visited Jesus and Mary. We don't "need" to believe this happened either, because...
Why Does Matthew’s Jesus Go to Egypt?
Feast of the Holy Family Sirach 3:2–6, 12–14 Colossians 3:12–21 or 12–17 Matthew 2:13–15, 19–23 We see in today’s readings St. Matthew, and the Church, emphasizing the continuity between Jesus and the Jewish prophetic religious tradition. By choosing the reading, the...
The Feast of the Nativity
Christmas Mass at Midnight The Feast of the Incarnation Isaiah 9:1–6 2 Timothy 2:11–14 Luke 2:1–14 Image by Hans Rohmann from Pixabay The readings for this Mass are quite familiar to anyone with even a little exposure to Christianity. Luke is a masterful...
Would You Change Your Life Because of a Dream, as St. Joseph Did?
Fourth Sunday of Advent “Stay true to the dreams of your youth.” —Herman Melville Isaiah 7:10–14 Romans 1:1–7 Matthew 1:18–24 Today’s gospel reading, unique to Matthew, raises many questions. What shines out, however, like the Star of Bethlehem, is the faith of St....
Why Does the Baptist Question if Jesus is the Messiah?
Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 35:1–6a, 10 James 5:7–10 Matthew 11:2–11 Today’s gospel reading asks us to compare John the Baptist with Jesus, as we began to do last week. Doing so will help us prepare for Christmas, the Feast of the Incarnation, because it will deepen...
What Is Repentance?
Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1–10 Romans 15:4–9 Matthew 3:1–12 What is repentance? Our gospel reading this week tells us to repent, but what does that mean? And why should we do it? Repentance doesn’t sound like “good news” but rather some unpleasant duty....
What Does Jesus Mean by, “Stay Awake?”
First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1–5 Romans 13:11–14 Matthew 24:37–44 Author's Note: Happy New Year! This is the first Sunday of Advent for Year A, the start of the new Church year and this is when my book begins. Today I am simply going to post verbatim the first...
How Does Jesus Being King of the Universe Change Your Life?
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Colossians 1:12-20 Luke 23:35-43 Imagine how puzzled you would be if you had never heard of Jesus your entire life and read today’s gospel as explaining why Christians believe Jesus is “King of the Universe!”...
