The Word

Amos N Wilder one of the greats of 20th century biblical scholarship wrote that in the parables the reader meets Jesus the layman for whom human destiny is at stake in ordinary creaturely existence domestic economic social Early Christian Rhetoric The Language of the Gospel p 82 Here t

Six years ago I was privileged to be a delegate at the 34th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus which met in Rome The main work of the congregation was to revise the laws that direct Jesuit life as well as to respond to questions raised throughout the Jesuit provinces about our life and

The Gospel today continues last week rsquo s theme of the cost of discipleship with the added motif of hospitality to the prophet first reading Following Jesus is a commitment to companionship and mission that can surpass the most precious things in life relations with loved ones and can bring

The Lectionary returns to Ordinary Time under the guidance of Matthew From now until the 24th Sunday of the year Sept 15 the second reading consists of excerpts from major sections of Paul 8217 s Letter to the Romans This is rather ironic since Matthew 8217 s Gospel according to some scho

While last Sunday rsquo s readings stress the gifts of God that guide Christian life the readings today stress the need to reach out to others The passage from Exodus introduces the whole sojourn of the wandering people at Sinai where God announces that they are to remember God rsquo s saving dee

Though today rsquo s feast almost seems like an appendix to the liturgy of Holy Thursday and solemnizes what we believe in every liturgy it provides a wonderful overture to the resumption of Ordinary Time The feast originates in the visions of St Juliana of Mt Cornillon 1193-1258 and was celeb

Though it celebrates the most profound mystery of the Christian faith this feast presents a great challenge to all Christians especially on a Sunday morning in May The traditional formulation of the doctrine ldquo three persons in one God rdquo is puzzling to contemporary people for whom per

The annual celebration of the paschal mystery which began on Ash Wednesday culminates at Pentecost In a narrative evocative of major Old Testament themes Acts recounts the overwhelming gift of the Spirit Such a fresh outpouring of the Spirit was to accompany the messianic age Also the first-ce

Since most dioceses have transferred the observance of the Ascension to this Sunday preaching on these Sunday readings will be relatively rare Yet they contain rich resources for reflection as the church prepares for the liturgical re-enactment of the coming of the gift of the Spirit at Pentecost

A courtroom dramawhether it is a John Grisham novel a prime time TV series or one of a host of films from To Kill a Mockingbird to Philadelphiaprovides enduring fascination Especially common are plots pitting a little-known lawyer defending a victimized client against powerful adversaries This