Please note that this will be my last commentary until September; have a great summer!

 John 14:23 – 29

Last Sunday, we heard the prologue to John’s Last Supper Discourses, in which the new commandment – to love one another – was introduced.  This Sunday, we hear a portion of the first Last Supper Discourse.  It appears to be a continuation of last week’s presentation on love.  As you will see in your footnote, most scholars consider the section of 13:31 – 17:26 to be Johannine compositions, modeled on farewell discourses found […]

John 10:27 – 30

This Sunday, we hear a portion of the beautiful, symbolic presentation of Jesus known as the Good Shepherd.  Of course, we do not hear Jesus refer to himself in these terms this Sunday; that happens earlier (cf. 10:14).   The verses we hear on Sunday are part of his discourse against the Pharisees. The good shepherd discourse continues the theme of attack on the Pharisees that ends John 9.  We will recall the account of the man born blind whom Jesus cured.  In this account, we see the […]

We have reached the Fourth Sunday of Lent, also known as Laetare Sunday.  Like Gaudete Sunday in Advent, we rejoice this Sunday because Lent is almost over.  The Entrance Antiphon, which we will not hear because we will sing an Entrance Chant, begins with “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her.  Be joyful, all who are mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breast.”  This short passage from the prophet Isaiah (cf. 66:10-11) sets the stage for today’s celebration.  In both the first reading from the Book of Joshua […]

Exodus 3:1 – 8a, 13 – 15

We are in the middle of Lent, our annual time of retreat.  We are called, once again, to take a look at how our life reflects what we believe in God.  And, as we will see in this Sunday’s readings, as we come to know God, we are called to action.  We also bow down in humility and gratitude before a God who is generous beyond our understanding, always ready to forgive as he continues to call us back to him.

Let’s look at […]

Deuteronomy 26:4 – 10

This past Wednesday, we embarked again on the journey of Lent, a journey toward Easter.  This Sunday, as we begin the season of Lent, we hear Moses recall the various stages of Israel’s journey: Jacob’s migration to Egypt, and the events surrounding the original Passover.  It then concludes with the ritual prescribed to thank God who has blessed the people Israel in their journey as it recalls both God’s care for his people in providing them with food for another year and the Passover.  It is from […]

1 Samuel 26:2, 7 – 9, 12 – 13, 22 – 23

We hear from the First Book of Samuel this Sunday.  It is one of the Historical Books.  We haven’t heard from it for a long time, so let’s review it a little.  It is the first of the Historical Books, which present the history of Israel from the time of Samuel to the Maccabees, from approximately 1000 to 100BC.  Of course, it is important to remember that histories in those days did not serve the same purpose as our […]

Isaiah 62: 1 – 5

As we return to ordinary time, that is, time ordered according to God’s plan for his Kingdom, we hear from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.  Since it is from chapter 62, we know that it is from Trito-Isaiah, and concerns the post-exilic time for Israel.  This part of Isaiah has, as its primary purpose, the encouragement of the anawim as they return to rebuild Jerusalem.  Our first reading contains just such a passage of hope for God’s people at one of the lowest moments of […]

(Opening prayer:  Jn 1:29 – 34)

Isaiah 40:1 – 5, 9 – 11

We hear again from the prophet Isaiah this Sunday, from the beginning of the portion of this book that most scripture scholars identify as part of Deutero-Isaiah (chapter 40 – 55).  As you will read in your footnotes, these chapters – 40 – 55 – are usually designated Second Isaiah (or Deutero-Isaiah) and are believed to have been written by an anonymous prophet toward the end of the Babylonian exile.  There are several significant difference between the first 39 […]