First Reading: Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29 Reflection: The book of Sirach was written in the second century B.C. by a wise sage in Jerusalem named Ben Sira (meaning son of Sirach). Sirach falls in the category of wisdom literature in… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 66:18-21 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading looks forward to the messianic age when the Lord would gather the nations to worship him. In the Old Testament, there was a clear distinction between Jews and Gentiles. The Jews… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10 Reflection: The Prophet Jeremiah lived during a tumultuous time in Jewish history. The southern kingdom of Judah was just about to be overtaken by the Babylonians, which would result in the destruction of Jerusalem and… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Wisdom 18:6-9 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading from the book of Wisdom speaks of the passover, which was first celebrated during the time of the Exodus when Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and to… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Genesis 18:20-32 Reflection: The people of Sodom and Gomorrah were a very immoral people. Their sins were so great that God intended to destroy them. While this may seem harsh, it was completely in line with justice. As… Continue Reading →

Reading 1: Genesis 18:1-10a Reflection: God made a covenant with Abraham and promised him as many descendants as there are stars in the sky. There was just one problem with that promise—Abraham had no children because his wife, Sarah, was… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Deuteronomy 30:10-14 Reflection: Moses was the leader of the Israelites at the time of the Exodus. He received the law from God on Mt. Sinai and communicated it to the Israelites. This Sunday’s first reading records a time… Continue Reading →

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:16B, 19-21 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading recounts the calling of Elisha to be the successor of the Prophet Elijah. Both prophets lived during a difficult time in Israel’s history. The kingdom was divided and the… Continue Reading →