Messy but Life-Changing
23rd Sunday Ordinary Time “Be opened,” Jesus says to the man who was deaf and mute. But be opened to what? First, be opened to fullness of life. The man’s inability to hear or speak cut him off from the … Read More
True Observance
22nd Sunday Ordinary Time – B In Ordinary Time, the second reading usually does not relate to the other readings since it is semi-continuous, proclaimed from one chapter to the next over a course of weeks. On this Sunday, however, … Read More
A tedious mission?
21st Sunday Ordinary Time – B Five Sundays ago, the crowd wanted to make Jesus king. Now, most of those who have stayed through his long sermon about bread from heaven and eating and drinking his own flesh and blood … Read More
Hope of Change
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – B Virgin Mother, Bride of Christ, Mother of God—these are rich, profound, true titles for Mary. But the Magnificat gives us another, one just as true and deep. [T]he root of the name … Read More
Allowing Space
19th Sunday Ordinary Time – B A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. The knowledge itself is not dangerous—we should always strive to grow in knowledge—but relying on our knowledge alone is. That’s how today’s Gospel begins, with … Read More
Upending the table
18th Sunday Ordinary Time – B In today’s revelation of Jesus’s true identity, the crowd (who stands in for us) misses the boat entirely. They keep asking Jesus the wrong questions: When did you get here? What can we do? … Read More
Beyond bread and wine
17th Sunday Ordinary Time – B Today we shift to John’s Gospel for a series of Sunday reflections on the bread of life. We will hear these passages as eucharistic, leading us perhaps to focus primarily on Communion. However, John … Read More
Choosing your shepherd
16th Sunday Ordinary Time – B Last week Jesus sent out the disciples two by two on mission, and today they return with news of everything they did. But the Sunday lectionary omits an important subplot that takes place between … Read More
We need one another
15th Sunday Ordinary of Time – Year B Sensible shoes. That was the running joke growing up when fewer religious women were wearing habits. You could tell the sisters by their sensible shoes. There’s a bit of theological truth to … Read More
Faithful hearts
14th Sunday in Ordinary Time – B If we’re in this for fame and glory, then today’s Gospel should set us straight. Earlier in Jesus’s ministry, his family tried an intervention because “he is out of his mind” (Mark 3:21). … Read More