Scripture: Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8Luke 9:43b-45 Reflection: In every age, O God, you have been our refuge. Psalm 90 Refuge has many meanings. When used as a noun, its various meanings include asylum, harbor, haven, sanctuary and shelter. When used as a…
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 3:1-11Luke 9:18-22 Reflection: Jesus was praying in solitude Luke 9:18. Through thousands of years of human history no one ever prayed like Jesus. The word for prayer means desire for God. What human and divine yearning for His…
Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11Luke 9:7-9 Reflection: In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus first asks His disciples what the people think of Him; who were they saying he was. The disciples give their answers, and then Jesus asks them, “But who do you…
Scripture: Proverbs 30:5-9Luke 9:1-6 Reflection: “Take care, then, how you hear.” Pairing today’s two readings can be facile, and the “takeaway” is quite obvious. From the Book of Proverbs we read, “Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only…
Scripture: Proverbs 21:1-6, 10-13Luke 8:19-21 Reflection: The greatest and first commandment in the whole of the Bible is: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is the only One! “You shall love the Lord your God with…
Scripture: Proverbs 3:27-34Luke 8:16-18 Reflection: In our Gospel reading, Jesus uses the image of a lamp to talk about sharing the Good News. With common-sense logic, He says, “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or…
Scripture: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20James 3:16-4:3Mark 9:30-37 Reflection: I mentioned a couple of weeks ago at Mass of a penance I often give when I hear confessions. Another penance I often give is the Third Step Prayer from Alcoholics Anonymous. I…
The Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle Scripture: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13Matthew: 9:9-13 Reflection: And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with Jesus and his disciples. -Matthew 9:11 Have you ever…
Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Taegŏn, priest and martyr and Saint Paul Chŏng Hasang, martyr, and their companions, martyrs Scripture: I Corinthians 15:12-20Luke 8:1-3 Reflection: Most of us are quite familiar with the stories of the growth of faith in…
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11Luke 7:36-50 Reflection: Our gospel today is a story of vivid and illuminating contrasts. In this remarkable scene we see two very different people who respond to Jesus in very different ways. First, there is a Pharisee…