Tag Ordinary Time

First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23 Reflection: This Sunday is the only time in the lectionary that we hear from the book of Ecclesiastes. This Sunday’s reading pretty much sums up the message of this entire wisdom text: “All is vanity.” In… 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 Scripture… 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 barren… 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 later… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Sirach 27:4-7 Reflection: This Sunday’s readings have to do with bearing fruit. Are we people who bear good fruit or bad fruit? The first reading comes from the book of Sirach, which is in the category of wisdom literature…. Continue Reading →

First Reading: 1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Reflection: Saul was the first king of Israel, but he disobeyed God without repenting and, therefore, God chose to replace him with a new king, David. Through the Lord’s guidance, the prophet Samuel… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-8 Reflection: This Sunday’s readings focus on blessings and woes. There are similarities between this first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah and the words of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount in the gospel reading. Jeremiah contrasted… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-2A, 3-8 Reflection: Isaiah’s vision recorded in this Sunday’s first reading reveals much about God, Heaven, and us. Isaiah saw the throne room of God in Heaven. There God’s presence was all-consuming. Isaiah witnessed the seraphim, who are… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Malachi 3:1-4 Reflection: This prophesy from the book of Malachi speaks of a “messenger” who will “prepare the way” for the Lord. Later in Malachi this “messenger” is identified as the Prophet Elijah, who was taken up to heaven… Continue Reading →

First Reading: Nehemiah 8:2-4A, 5-6, 8-10 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading takes place after the period of the Exile in the history of Israel. In 586 B.C. the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Jewish Temple. Then, they took many Israelites… Continue Reading →