The hidden path
17th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – July 30, 2023 Today and the last two Sundays make up a Matthean story arc that begins and ends with parables about separating wheat from weeds and desirable fish from everything else caught … Read More
Increasing and flourishing
16th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – July 23, 2023 Attuned by last week’s commentary to go beyond merely judging the soil, we are ready to avoid a superficial reading of today’s parable that simply pits “us against them” in … Read More
Seeing ourselves in the sower
15th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – July 16, 2023 Most of today’s parable is about the soil. In the longer version, Jesus even gets into the weeds explaining the meaning of each type of ground. Clearly, we are meant … Read More
The measure of true discipleship
14th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – July 9, 2023 Just before Jesus offers his praise of the Father, proclaimed in today’s Gospel, he gives a long reproach of hypocritical and superficial disciples. These range from those who sought John … Read More
All the baptized are apostles
13th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – July 2, 2023 Today’s Gospel passage ends a section on the conditions disciples may face as they do Jesus’s mission in the world. Only those ready to give up everything to follow Jesus … Read More
Do not remain silent
12th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – June 25, 2023 The last time we proclaimed these readings was one month after George Floyd’s murder by police officers. Since that horrific day, many Catholic churches, bishops, and leaders have raised their … Read More
Chosen for the flock
11th Sunday Ordinary Time – A – June 18, 2023 Good teachers work for that moment when they recognize themselves in their students. They spend countless hours trying to be good examples for their apprentices, providing an environment to immerse … Read More
Eat, Drink, Feed
Body and Blood of Christ – A – June 11, 2023 We come to the midpoint of the United States bishops’ two-year Eucharistic Revival, begun last year and culminating in a national eucharistic congress in July 2024. Its purpose is … Read More
In the know
Most Holy Trinity – A – June 4, 2023 If there is one classic Christian meme, it might be “John 3:16.” Like any meme, it takes being “in the know” to get what the meme means (to use another meme, … Read More
Speaking freely
Pentecost Sunday – A – May 28, 2023 Why is there so much focus today on the disciples speaking “in different tongues” (Acts 2:4) and on the crowd hearing them each “in his own language” (Acts 2:6)? Why is this … Read More