Category Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 35:4-7A Reflection: The words of the Prophet Isaiah were written in a challenging time for the People of Israel. The kingdom was divided and the people faced threats from other nations. In the midst of the tribulations, God… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading speaks of the time after the Exodus when the Israelites were in the wilderness. Moses was preparing them for their eventual entrance into the Promised Land. God had already revealed the… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Joshua 24:1-2A, 15-17, 18B Reflection: Joshua was the leader of the Israelites after Moses. He led them into the Promised Land and through the conquest of it. This Sunday’s first reading comes from the end of the book of… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6 Reflection: The book of Proverbs is one of multiple wisdom texts in the Old Testament, also including Sirach, Ecclesiastes, Wisdom of Solomon, and more. In each of these texts, readers are exhorted to live wisely. In… Continue Reading →

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:4-8 Reflection: The Prophet Elijah was one of the greatest prophets in the Old Testament. He lived during a tumultuous time in Israel’s history. The nation was divided and many of the people, including the leaders, were… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading takes place soon after the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt. They were quickly confronted with an obvious and serious problem when having an extremely large group of people wandering… Continue Reading →

First Reading: 2 Kings 4:42‐44 Reflection: This short account of a miracle performed in the days of the prophet Elisha foreshadows the even greater miracle that Jesus performs in this Sunday’s gospel reading. Elisha lived in the 800s B.C. He was the… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6 Reflection: Jeremiah was a prophet during the time of the Exile. These were dark days for the Israelites. Many had rebelled against God’s commandments. The most culpable of these were the leaders who not only disobeyed God… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Amos 7:12-15 Reflection: The Prophet Amos lived during the period of Old Testament history when the Kingdom of Israel was divided. The northern ten tribes had divided from the southern two tribes. The north kept the name Israel and… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Job 38:1, 8-11 Reflection: The book of Job is quite startling. Job was a righteous man, faithful to God. He was quite successful by the world’s standards, being blessed with good family, friends, and material possessions. But God allowed… Continue Reading →