The Word

The first reading captures the meaning of today rsquo s liturgical celebration Matthias not one of the original followers of Jesus is chosen to be a witness to the resurrection From Easter to Pentecost all the readings in effect present different aspects of what it means to be such a witness The

Frequent question these days is Just what does it mean to be a Christian The readings this Sunday and next provide a powerful answer The Gospels taken from John 15 use the symbol of the vine and the branches to describe the intimate union between Christ and the believer This begins with God rs

One of the most frequent subjects of early Christian art is Jesus the Good Shepherd an image that often combines elements from the parable of the Lost Sheep Lk 15 1-7 with Jesus rsquo self-description in John 10 The beautiful fresco in Rome rsquo s catacomb of St Domitilla is representative

In his important work The Sunday Lectionary 1998 Normand Bonneau sketches the architecture of the readings for the Easter season the 50 days from Easter to Pentecost which focus on mystagogy by which the newly baptized are led into a deeper understanding of their baptismal incorporation into

WHILE LABORING through graduate studies I lived at an extraordinary parish in Chicago St Thomas the Apostle whose self-designation was quot God 39 s People in Wonderful Variety quot The parish had exuberant and prayerful liturgies especially during Holy Week and Easter One Easter the child

The cumbersome title given to this day in the latest revision of the Lectionary Palm Sunday of the Lord rsquo s Passion captures the dual aspect of the liturgical celebration The processional rite of blessing and carrying palms describes Jesus rsquo triumphal entry into Jerusalem in what will be