Category Ordinary Time

First Reading: Isaiah 55:10-11 Reflection: In this passage and this Sunday’s Gospel reading we hear agricultural illustrations about the life of faith. In the First Reading from Isaiah, the Lord compares His word to the “rain and snow” that water the… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Zechariah 9:9-10 Reflection: This prophecy from the book of Zechariah speaks of the coming Messiah, who we know to be Jesus. The LORD speaks here to the people of Israel (referred to as “daughter Zion”), commanding them to “rejoice”… Continue Reading →

First Reading: 2 Kings 4:8-11, 14-16 Reflection: The Books of Kings depict the ancient history of Israel, primarily from about 960-580 B.C. Two of the major players in the Books of Kings are Elijah and Elisha. Both are prophets of God…. Continue Reading →

First Reading: Jeremiah 20:10-13 Reflection: Jeremiah was a prophet living during the late 7th century and early 6th century B.C. in the southern kingdom of the Israelites. This was a tumultuous time for the people of God, as they had multiple… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18 Reflection: The teachings in this first reading apply just as much to us today as Christians as they did in the time of Moses to the Israelites. The call to “be holy” is a call to… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Sirach 15:15-20 Reflection: Sirach was composed in the early second century B.C. by the sage Ben Sira of Jerusalem. In this passage, he gives advice regarding the importance of God’s commandments. According to Ben Sira, and Jesus in this… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 58:7-10 Reflection: In this reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we hear the Lord commanding Israel (and us today) to minister to those who are afflicted. The acts of feeding the hungry, giving shelter to the homeless, clothing the… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 Reflection:Zephaniah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah shortly before the Babylonians conquered them, destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem, and exiled many of the people to Babylon in 586 B.C. He warned the… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 8:23-9:3 Reflection: In about 930 B.C. the kingdom of Israel divided into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom due to a dispute. In about 722 B.C., the Assyrians destroyed the Northern Kingdom and deported its people. Isaiah,… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 Reflection: This passage is the second of four “Servant Songs” from the Prophet Isaiah, speaking of the servant of the Lord. Here the “servant” is identified as Israel. At the same time, the passage also indicates… Continue Reading →