Fifteenth Sunday of the Year

When Jesus is with people something always important is happening. He uses their language to communicate something about God and about ourselves. Jesus refers to the openness of heart to the message of God’s reign with various descriptions of soil. Jesus’ hearers expected God’s kingdom to be the restoration of Israel to great political and economic power; the Messiah would be a great warrior-king who would lead Israel to this triumph.  Jesus’ parables subtly and delicately led people, without crushing or disillusioning them, to rethink their concept of the Reign of God. The parable of the Sower teaches that the fruitfulness of the seed (God's word) depends on the soil being open (the human heart’s willingness to embrace it).

Fourteenth Sunday of the Year

Today’s readings capture the spirit and thoughts of Pope Francis in Laudato si’ and Fratelli tutti that point out the unity of all creation and humankind. All celebrate unequivocal peace as opposed to war and disregard for and destruction of Mother Earth.  In the first reading, God is described as completely opposed to war where the chariots from Ephraim and warhorses from Jerusalem need to be banished and the warrior’s bow (weapons) will be banished from all nations, not just Jerusalem. The responsorial psalm speaks of God’s mercy and compassion for all creatures and not to just one race or nation.

Thirteenth Sunday of the Year

The Word of God today challenges us to broaden our minds, widen our horizons, enlarge our hearts, and stretch our capacity to love. We need to be alert and open to God’s presence even in the most unlikely places and people. Jesus today wants to shake the disciples into asking themselves if they are ready for what he is asking. Jesus clearly stated, "You must take up your cross and follow me" and watching him would have indicated what he meant.  His approach was to see with the eyes of a prophet, to see from God’s perspective. He saw the gaps between the reality of the present moment and what could be despite the cost.  

Twelfth Sunday of the Year

Though the readings today leave us a bit uncomfortable, the main focus is Jesus revealing God’s love and care for us and every “strand” of creation as we are called beyond our fears, insecurities, and dark moments. He calls the disciples to embrace a vision of hope as opposed to fear.

Eleventh Sunday of the Year

The proclamation of ‘Emmanuel — God-with-us’ and the words, ‘I am with you always to the end of the age’ (Mt 28:30) bookend Matthew’s Gospel of mercy and compassion. In June, we celebrate the feast of the Sacred Heart – the love and compassion in the heart of God, and Pride in some places. We see in the Sacred Heart that God in Jesus loves and in events such as Pride we see who God loves.