Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. (Lk: 14:13-14) Jesus gives us a new beatitude in today’s gospel reading: Blessed are those who give and are not repaid. This appears a peculiar teaching since in the …
I will set a sign among them; from them I will send fugitives to the nations… to the distant coastlands that have never heard of my fame, or seen my glory; and they shall proclaim my glory among the nations. (Is: 66:51-53) In today’s first reading from the Book of Isaiah, God declares that he will …
“Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household will be divided… a father… against his son and a son against his father…“ (Lk: 12:51-53) Peace is the tranquility of order. A well-ordered state is peaceful and so is a …
The night of the Passover was known beforehand to our fathers… For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution. (Wis: 18:6;9) The Sacred Liturgy of the Church is not man-made. It is not as in some ancient pagan religions the coordinated …
“There was a rich man… [who] said… I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now … rest, eat, drink; be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you…’ (Lk: 12:16;18;19;20) Pride is the first of the seven deadly …
“I tell you, if he does not get up to give the visitor the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence…”; “…to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Lk: 11:8;10) When we speak of Christian spirituality we use terms like …
Martha, burdened with much serving… said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her … There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” (Lk …
“For this command… is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky… Nor is it across the sea, No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” (Dt 30:11-14) Last week our scriptural reflection emphasized …
For thus says the LORD: Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms… (Is 66:12) We all love idyllic and fruitful scenes of nature. We all love images of prosperous and restful places. Since …
As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” (Lk 9:57-58) Jesus was always on the go. Not long after He was …