Articles for Ordinary Time

  “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” All of us can agree that mental anguish is a great human suffering. Loneliness, fear, doubt, betrayal, infidelity, depression—these are hard to take. We who follow Jesus seek to square such experiences with the goodness of God.…

  There is a certain familiarity that comes across as we read the opening lines of the Gospel today. The apostles were returning from their first “mission trip” wanting to share stories, awesome experiences, fearful challenges, funny stories, and sad memories. And they simply needed to rest. It makes perfect sense that Jesus would want…

  This beautiful feast of the Presentation of the Lord is often an overlooked treasure in the course of the liturgical year. The core meaning goes far beyond a description of the holy family fulfilling a legal requirement. Something powerful and amazing is happening. Divinity is revealed through the humanity of a little child. But…

  Many years ago, one of the most popular TV suspense/action shows was “Mission Impossible.” Besides the awesome challenges of the mission itself, there were the equally awesome (then) gadgets and electronic gizmos used to help accomplish the weekly mission. Our liturgical readings for today make us think of those assigned missions. Some of those…

  We celebrate the feast of St. John Bosco today. Whenever we celebrate the life of a saint, we tend to wonder what they were like. Surely, they must have been people with great determination and clear focus. No matter what might have stood in their way, their mind was fixed on the goal before…

  Today’s liturgical readings present a feast for those who love multitasking and sorting out plots and subplots. Rather than getting lost in details, it’s far better to ask the Holy Spirit to touch us and show us the insight meant for us. We begin by hearing of an exhausted messenger coming to King David…

  If our liturgical readings for today could be color-coded to measure their emotional content, we would get a full spectrum of color. Since the Word of God uses the prism of human experience to teach us, it’s not surprising to see the full range of human feelings. The first reading from the Second Book…

  Amid a crisis, such as a car accident or a serious illness, someone needs to step forward and “take charge.” Without that self-appointed leader, chaos can reign. Or perhaps it is just the opposite—a paralysis of fear. I suggest a connecting thread found in the liturgical readings for this week might be the theme…

  Be Still After a long week, with lots of activity, maybe we need to take a break and be still. Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” (See Mark 4:39) Is he saying that to you? Set a timer. Five minutes. Just be still for five short minutes. What…

  Administration as Gift Today, we reflect on the early Christian saints, Timothy and Titus, who were disciples of St. Paul. Both are mentioned throughout the New Testament, and some of Paul’s letters addressed to them have come down to us: the First and Second Letters to Timothy and the Letter to Titus. Timothy was…

  I Thought I was Right Some people are blind. Including ourselves. “On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’” (Acts 22:6-7, NABRE)…

  Sowing Seeds Have you ever sown a seed? Being January here in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s been a while since sowing season. But in a few short months, those green thumbs up here will be at it again. But even if you’re not green-thumbed (myself included), Jesus’ Parable of the Sower is still relatable.…

  Move for the Lord The Lord has come. He is in our midst. Can you feel Him? King David danced before the ark of the Lord with abandon (2 Samuel 6:14). What a sight it must have been to see the ruler of the nation dance with abandon before the ark of the Lord,…

  Death and Life Recent events have been a legislative victory for the Pro-Life Movement in the United States. Namely, the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade from 1973, which made the right to have an abortion constitutionally protected, was overturned on June 24, 2022 (in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization). This…

  Repent. Repent. Repent. How many times do we have to hear it preached? How many times do I have to repent? What does it mean, anyway? Merriam-Webster, America’s oldest and foremost publisher of dictionaries, defines this intransitive verb to mean: “to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life.” Turn…

  We continue the saga of David and Saul with Saul gathering an army to search for and to kill David. But when David had the opportunity to strike first and kill Saul, he was remorseful and showed him mercy. In our lives, we might have moments in which we are persecuted, hated, or betrayed,…

  In today’s first reading, we see Saul and David returning after David had slain the Philistine. They were greeted with much joy and festivities as the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Saul became jealous that they attributed more to David, and the jealousy consumed him to the…

  Today’s first reading is known well by many people. The story of David and Goliath is not a story of David’s strength or bravery, but it is a story of his deep faith and trust in God’s strength and glory. He says to the Philistine giant, “You come against me with sword and spear…

  In today’s first reading, Samuel was sent to Jesse of Bethlehem to seek the LORD’s anointed among Jesse’s sons. Upon seeing Jesse’s son Eliab, he thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before me” but he was not the chosen one. For Samuel looked upon them and saw their stature, strength, and outward appearance…

  In today’s readings, we see that it is not by action alone that we please God, but by the desire behind the action. The Psalm says, “Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offerings are before me always.” And further, “Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant…

  In today’s readings, we hear God calling out to us. In the first reading, the LORD called out to Samuel but he did not realize that is was God speaking because “at that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD.” Thinking it was Eli, he went to him saying, “Here I am. You…

  In yesterday’s reading from First Samuel, we heard how God told the prophet Samuel to choose a king for Israel. Today’s reading describes how Samuel carried out this divine directive. We are introduced to the figure of Saul. While he is searching for some lost sheep of his father, he runs into the prophet…

  The readings from First Samuel jump from chapter 4 to chapter 8. The situation has changed. The prophet Samuel is now an old man. Many of the Chosen People had treasured him. He was a good leader, following in the tradition of Moses and Joshua and the several “judges.” The people were worried about…

  Today’s reading from the First Book of Samuel presents a bit of history. The Chosen People are trying to establish themselves in the Holy Land. But the land was already occupied by a people called the Philistines. War between the two peoples was the unfortunate result. In the first battle between the opposing armies,…

  The first reading continues yesterday’s story. But Samuel is now approaching adulthood. He lives in the Shiloh temple and is being trained by the elderly priest Eli. The text states that “a revelation of the Lord was uncommon and vision infrequent.” We can expect that this is going to change. One night, Samuel hears…

  Today, we move into the first week of Ordinary Time. The first reading throughout January will be taken from the two Books of Samuel, except for the few feast days. Three figures are prominent: the prophet Samuel, the first king by the name of Saul, and the great King David. Before Samuel, however, today…

  Today’s Gospel describing the baptism of Jesus starts out by talking about John the Baptist. What an interesting figure! He had spent years in the desert, preparing himself for his mission. He will point out Jesus. “One mightier than I is coming after me.” He is a man of the desert. What does the…

  Today, Saturday of the 34th week of Ordinary Time is the last day of the liturgical year. Tomorrow, with the First Sunday of Advent, we begin a new liturgical year. Now if we look at the gospel passages for today and tomorrow we will notice something interesting. Today’s Gospel (Lk 21:34-36) we are told…

  The Gospel passage today ends with a very interesting thought from Jesus, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” In the prologue of the gospel of John, John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” A few…

  Today we celebrate the Feast of the Apostle Andrew. In the Gospel passage for this feast (Mt 4:18-22), we see Andrew, along with his brother Simon Peter, being called by Jesus as they fish in their boat. Shortly after we see the brothers James and John also called by Jesus as they mend their…

  In today’s gospel, Jesus presents us with a very interesting contrast. He begins by speaking about coming persecutions that members of the Church will face (and we certainly have throughout history). He speaks of us being hauled before courts, and he concludes by saying that some of us will be put to death. That…

  In today’s gospel, Jesus speaks of the coming destruction of the temple (this actually occurred in 70 AD). People’s curiosity is aroused, and they ask him for the signs that will show that this is about to happen. The signs that Jesus lists are interesting: nations rising against nations, wars; plagues, earthquakes, famines, and…

  In today’s Gospel, Jesus greatly admires the poor widow who puts all of her money into the collection box at the temple. He says of her that she put in more than all of the rest, who were giving out of their surplus. We should all strive to be like her in our own…

  Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King (next Sunday we begin Advent with the First Sunday of Advent). For me, the definitive statement of Christ’s Kingship is actually found in Mt 28:18, when Jesus approaches the Eleven on the mountaintop in Galilee after the Resurrection and says to them: “All power in…

  The Psalms may often be considered too poetic, too repetitive, and perhaps lacking an obvious storyline that the Gospels or other books of the Bible present. Still, the Psalms can be a powerful means of prayer and reflection about one’s relationship with God and how we are to live as Christians. Today’s responsorial psalm…

  In all three of today’s readings, there is a message of reassurance of God’s love for us and His promise never to leave us. There is also a message of thanksgiving for the countless blessings and graces the Lord has bestowed upon us. This message is very fitting for the day after Thanksgiving. To…

  “Jesus, Master have pity on us,” the ten cried out. “And as they were going they were cleansed.” This familiar passage reminds us to give thanks to God. Ten lepers were healed, yet only one returned to Jesus to give thanks. How often do we fail to give thanks to God? How many times…

  In the first reading today, we hear of a family who had great courage in the face of tremendous pain. The second book of Maccabees tells us that seven brothers died for the sake of God and to keep His commands. Their mother witnessed the death of her sons, but she had great courage…