Readings: Malachi 3: 19-20a; 2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12; Luke 21: 5-19 Preacher: Susan K. Roll Several years ago, a group of concerned German Catholics sent a communication to Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich-Freising, at that time the Chair of the German Bishops’ Conference and the most prominent prelate in Germany. He was about to take part in a summit conference called… read more →
Readings: 2 Maccabees 7: 1-2, 9-14; 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-3:5; Luke 20: 27-38 Preacher: Brigit Hurley The disciples who were listening as Jesus answered the Sadducees’ trick questions in the Gospel story were no older than twenty-something, and possibly as young as 12. His mother was likely 12 or 13 when she gave birth to Jesus. The prominence given to these… read more →
Readings: Wisdom 11: 22–12: 2; Second Thessalonians 1: 11–2: 2; Luke 19: 1-10. Preacher: Jeanne Mooney Just before the Scripture readings at Sunday Mass, the presider invites children to a special Liturgy of the Word. There they hear, in age-appropriate language, the same verses and prayers as the adults are hearing that day. And they hear a homily applying biblical faith… read more →
Readings: Sirach 35:15-17,20-22; 2 Timothy 4:6-8.16-18; Luke 18:9-14 Preacher: Deirdre McKiernan Hetzler A famous theologian, commenting on St. Paul’s assertion that the gospel can be a stumbling block, once said that the danger is stumbling over the wrong thing! The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is a familiar one, isn’t it? So familiar that we often think of… read more →
Readings: Ezekiel 17: 8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke: 18: 1-8 Preacher: Gloria Ulterino The persistent widow! Bold, pesky, and persistent. Constantly contesting the unjust judge at every turn. She knows what’s right! And she insists upon it! As it turns out, I know her well. For she was my mother. Not the soft, gentle mother so often described in poetry and… read more →
Readings: Kings 5: 14-17; Timothy 2: 8-13; Luke 17-11-19 Preacher: Sr. Barbara Moore Our first reading and Luke’s Gospel have a great deal in common. Leprosy was a dreaded disease but, in ancient times its name was given to many skin diseases that were not specifically leprosy. Those with the disease were isolated and forced to live outside their communities and… read more →
Readings: Habakkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4; 2 Timothy 1:6-8; Luke 17:5-10 Preacher: Irene Goodwin “How long God? I cry for help but you do not listen.” Have you ever felt that? The prophet Habakkuk wrote this sometime in the late seventh to early fifth century BCE. As so many times in history there was turmoil both in Israeli and the world. Yet as bad… read more →
Readings: Amos 6: 1a, 4-7; 1Timothy 6: 11-16; Luke 16: 19-31 Preacher: Cathy Kamp This Sunday’s parable of the rich man and Lazarus takes me back to when Pope Francis declared the Year of Mercy in 2015-2016. At that time the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization and Our Sunday Visitor published The Parables of Mercy, a way… read more →
Readings: Amos 8:4-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-8; Luke 16:1-13 Preacher: Deirdre McKiernan-Hetzler The biblical concept of justice is central to our readings today. There, justice involves the external ordering of society. In ways that life is most able to thrive. Justice, reflected in the Law, requires special concern for the powerless: Widows. Orphans. The resident aliens. The needy. And especially, the poor.… read more →
Readings: Amos 8: 4-7; 1 Timothy 2: 1-8; Luke 16: 1-13 Preacher: Deni Mack As I prayed with these readings from Amos, Timothy and Luke, I succumbed to a distracting temptation—I read my texts. Little did I think the scriptures would come alive on my iPhone in a most horrific way! A family we love is being evicted! The wage earner,… read more →