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 →
First Reading: Malachi 3:19-20a Reflection: In this Sunday’s first reading, we hear about the judgment of the wicked and the vindication of the righteous at the end of time. A theme of this Sunday’s readings is the “Day of the… Continue Reading →
First Reading: 2 Maccabees 7:1-2, 9-14 Reflection: The story presented in the first reading is part of a larger one which describes the torture and death of seven Jewish brothers and their mother under the persecutions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes,… Continue Reading →
First Reading: Wisdom 11:22-12:2 Reflection: This Sunday’s first reading begins by reflecting on God’s majestic grandeur, with which nothing can compare. Insignificant as the universe is in comparison to God’s awesomeness, God has created it and loves it. Everything God… Continue Reading →
First Reading: Sirach 35:12-14, 16-18 Reflection: In this passage from the wisdom text of Sirach, we hear the profound truth that God is just and “knows no favorites.” God loves all people and treats them according to the same standard… Continue Reading →
First Reading: Exodus 17:8-13 Reflection: To what or whom do you look for strength when you are confronted with one of life’s unexpected hardships? This Sunday’s first reading speaks to this experience in the lives of the Israelites. In this… Continue Reading →
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