Category Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10a Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading and the gospel reading speak of a great feast or banquet. The imagery of a banquet is often used in Scripture to refer to God’s kingdom, that is, heaven. Here, the Prophet… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7 Reflection: The story in this first reading foreshadows the parable Jesus shares in this Sunday’s Gospel reading. Here God is speaking and illustrating the situation of His people, the Israelites. God had prepared a promised land for… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Ezekiel 18:25-28 Reflection: You might imagine in this reading the Israelites’ complaint sounding like when a child complains to his or her parents, “That’s not fair!” In this case, the Israelites had the audacity to accuse God of being… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 55:6-9 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading from the Prophet Isaiah is a call to repentance while the opportunity still presents itself. God is “generous in forgiving.” He is merciful and will even grant forgiveness to someone who has… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Sirach 27:30-28:7 Reflection: The book of Sirach falls in the genre of Wisdom Literature in the Bible, along with other books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Wisdom. We would be wise to follow the instruction given in this Sunday’s first… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Ezekiel 33:7-9 Reflection: Here the Prophet Ezekiel is “appointed watchman for the house of Israel” by the Lord. He is called to speak the word of God to the people of God, including calling out their sins and beckoning… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9 Reflection: This first reading can sound very perplexing and discouraging at first glance. Why would the prophet Jeremiah believe the Lord has “duped” him? In order to understand this reading, we must take it in context. First,… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 22:19-23 Reflection: This account from the Prophet Isaiah may seem unimportant at first glance, but when taken in correlation with this Sunday’s Gospel reading, it becomes incredibly enlightening. During the reign of King Hezekiah, Shebna was removed by… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Reflection: The words of the Lord here reveal that God intends for all nations to come to Him and participate in His kingdom. In the time of the writing of Isaiah, the Gentiles (non-Jews) were often… Continue Reading →

First Reading: 1 Kings 19:9A, 11-13A Reflection: In this passage, the great prophet Elijah has a profound encounter with God on Mt. Horeb (better known as Mt. Sinai, where Moses also encountered God). If we read the context, we see that… Continue Reading →