Thursday of the Fourth Week of Advent, Year A: 1 Samuel 1:24-28, Luke 1:46-56. Today the Church reminds us how humanity has been working in concert with God, 1,000 years apart; specifically, how unlikely mothers bore a child who would be a special link for the people to their God …
Second Sunday in Advent: Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-9, Matthew 3:1-12. It is not in fashion to bring up damnation as a part of our religion. Heck, people look at you like you’re a superstitious nut if you mention Satan. The decades after Vatican II in America attempted to make Mass …
Saturday in the First Week of Advent: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26, Matthew 9:35–10:1, 5A, 6-8. I have reflected in the past on the use of agricultural metaphors in scripture (this list, particularly the first three), and today’s readings provide another opportunity to do so. The backyard gardener in me loves these …
Thursday of the First Week of Advent, Year A: Isaiah 26:1-6, Matthew 7:21, 24-27. The beginning of the first week of Advent has set our eyes upon the goal: Christ’s entrance into the world and – at the same time – the fullness of the Kingdom that will come. Today’s …
Wednesday in the First Week of Advent – the Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle: Romans 10:9-18, Matthew 4:18-22. Today we celebrate the Feast of an Apostle – St. Andrew, to be precise. The readings mark his calling and celebrate the evangelical work of all the apostles. Feasts stud the liturgical …
Tuesday in the First Week of Advent: Isaiah 11:1-10, Luke 10:21-24. When I read today’s readings, it’s hard to contain my sense of expectation for the Kingdom. Isaiah’s poetic language gives sparkling life to the visions God has revealed to him. Luke then shows us an intimate moment outside of …
Psalm 8 and Majesty I’m employed as a writer, but the writing I do is scientific and business writing. It’s nice to help explain the science done by the researchers in the School of Medicine department of radiology, or to help communicate broadly about our department activities, but this doesn’t …
Wednesday of the First Week of Lent: Jonah 3:1-10, Luke 11:29-32. We are steeped in the importance of Christology with today’s readings. In his 1998 Encyclical Letter Fides et Ratio, Pope Saint John Paul II writes, “The word of God reveals the final destiny of men and women and provides a …
Saturday in the 1st Week of Advent: Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26, Matthew 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8. As I read today’s readings, I search for a synthesis in the Old Testament and New Testament readings. In general, this has been my method over the past year. It seems that the architects of our …
Tuesday in the 1st Week of Advent: Isaiah 11:1-10, Luke 10:21-24. Imagine what it must have been to be a true prophet! Someone like Isaiah, Joel, or Jeremiah – given glimpses of God’s will and the heavenly kingdom. Today we hear an important prophecy of Advent: Isaiah sees Jesus, sprung …
